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The first ''Princeton'' was the first screw steam warship in the United States Navy. Commanded by Captain Robert F. Stockton ''Princeton'' was launched on 5 September 1843, decommissioned in 1847, and broken up in 1849. The ''Princeton's'' reputation in the Navy never recovered from a devastating incident early in her service. On February 28, 1844, during a Potomac River pleasure cruise and demonstration of her two heavy guns for dignitaries, one of the guns exploded and killed Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Secretary of the Navy Thomas Gilmer, and other high-ranking U.S. federal officials. President John Tyler barely escaped death in the incident. ==Ship history== ''Princeton'' was laid down on 20 October 1842 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard as a corvette. The designer of the ship and main supervisor of construction was the Swedish inventor John Ericsson, who later designed the . The construction was partly supervised by Captain Stockton who had secured the political support for the construction of the ship. The ship was named after Princeton, New Jersey, site of an American victory in the Revolution and hometown of the prominent Stockton family. The ship was launched on September 5, 1843 and ordered commissioned on September 9, 1843, with Captain Stockton in command. Her two vibrating lever engines were built by Merrick & Towne, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and designed by John Ericsson. They burned hard coal and drove a six-bladed screw in diameter. The engine was small enough to be below the waterline. Ericsson also designed the ship's collapsible funnel, an improved range-finder, and improved recoil systems for the main guns. ''Princeton'' made a trial trip in the Delaware River on October 12. She departed Philadelphia on October 17 for a sea trial, proceeded to New York, where she engaged in a speed contest with the British steamer , besting her handily, and thence returned to Philadelphia on October 20 to finish outfitting. On November 22, Capt. Stockton reported "''Princeton'' will be ready for sea in a week." On November 28, he dressed ship and received visitors on board for inspection. On November 30, she towed down the Delaware and later returned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. ''Princeton'' sailed on January 1, 1844 for New York, where she received her two big guns, named ''Peacemaker'' and ''Oregon''. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Princeton (1843)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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