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USS ''United States'' was a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy and the first of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. Joshua Humphreys designed the frigates to be the young Navy's capital ships, and so ''United States'' and her sisters were larger and more heavily armed and built than standard frigates of the period. She was built at Humphrey's shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and launched on 10 May 1797 〔Cooper, 1856 p.125〕 and immediately began duties with the newly formed United States Navy protecting American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France. In 1861 ''United States'' was in port at Norfolk and was seized and subsequently commissioned into the Confederate navy as CSS ''United States'', but was later scuttled by Confederate forces. Union forces raised the scuttled ship, and retained control of the ship until she was broken up in 1865. ==Design and construction== (詳細はmerchant vessels began to fall prey to Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean, most notably from Algiers. Congress's response was the Naval Act of 1794.〔Allen (1909), pp. 41–42.〕 The Act provided funds for the construction of six frigates; however, it included a clause stating that construction of the ships would cease if the United States agreed to peace terms with Algiers.〔Beach (1986), p. 29.〕〔''An Act to provide a Naval Armament''. (1794). Library of Congress. Retrieved 17 February 2010.〕 Joshua Humphreys' design was long on keel and narrow of beam (width) for mounting very heavy guns. The design incorporated a diagonal scantling (rib) scheme to limit hogging while giving the ships extremely heavy planking. This gave the hull greater strength than those of more lightly built frigates. Humphreys developed his design after realizing that the fledgling United States could not match the navy sizes of the European states. He therefore designed his frigates to be able to overpower other frigates, but with the speed to escape from a ship of the line.〔Toll (2006), pp. 49–53.〕〔Beach (1986), pp. 29–30, 33.〕〔Allen (1909), pp. 42–45.〕 Originally designated as "Frigate A" and subsequently named ''United States'' by President George Washington,〔Toll (2006), p. 61.〕 her keel was laid down in 1795 at Humphreys' shipyard in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Humphreys was assigned as her constructor and US Navy Captain John Barry as superintendent.〔Allen (1909), p. 48.〕 As Philadelphia was at the time America's capital, many visitors walked through observing her construction as it progressed. Humphreys personally led President Washington and First Lady Martha on a tour. The President expressed his admiration of the great size of the ship.〔Humphreys (1916), pp. 390–391.〕 A less desirable visitor, Benjamin Franklin Bache (grandson of Benjamin Franklin) was physically assaulted by Clement Humphreys (Joshua's son) allegedly over Bache's opposition to the Federalist Party and his opposition newspaper, the ''Philadelphia Aurora''.〔Toll (2006), pp. 74–75.〕 Fearing sabotage, Humphreys was concerned about the open nature of his ship yard which allowed anyone to wander in. He requested from the War Department a number of guards which were posted to keep out visitors but to little effect.〔Toll (2006), p. 73.〕 Construction slowly continued until a peace treaty was announced between the United States and Algiers in March 1796. In accordance with the clause in the Naval Act, construction of ''United States'' was discontinued. President Washington requested instructions from Congress on how to proceed. Several proposals circulated before a final decision was reached allowing Washington to complete the three frigates nearest to completion; ''United States'', ''Constellation'' and ''Constitution'' were chosen.〔Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 1, p. 161.〕〔Toll (2006), p. 62.〕 On 10 May 1797 she was the first American warship to be launched under the Naval Act of 1794,〔 and the first ship of the United States Navy.〔 She was fitted out at Philadelphia during the spring of 1798 and, on 3 July ordered to proceed to sea. Relations with the French government had deteriorated, starting the Quasi-War. 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 United States (1797)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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