View Thread: USS Constitution


Geist762
The U.. S. S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers).

However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."

Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."

Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.

Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland . Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.

The U. S. S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water. So lets see here? That crew of 475 only used 10, 000 gallons of water, but over 250,000 gallons of booze in 6 months at sea! Hic!!

Go Navy

Pvt.Joker
The original Carnival cruise ship... :D

knall
Thats HILLARIUS AND AWESOME!

IanMor
Give 475 men all the firepower in the world, with the imunity from conviction, and all the hootch they can drink, you'd be amazed at what they can do! They wern't so much brave as they were drunken rednecks with a vivid imagination!!! LOL

ronin
I love it!!

gotmine
Sailors must have their ration of grog.

Etek
Alcoholic drinks were known to be free of sickness causing 'nasties'.
Plus other benefits :)

drjarhead
Alcoholic drinks were known to be free of sickness causing 'nasties'.
Plus other benefits :)
Etek's got it right.
They couldn't trust their water supply.

ruckstar
Etek's got it right.
They couldn't trust their water supply.

Same reason it's safer to drink the tequila in Mexico, than the water!

Swoopster
On a more serious note,

Every morning at 8:00 AM and again at sunset Ironsides fires off a single small cannon salute...its a tradition.

WELL, as you know there are lots of old warehouse spaces in or near the Charleton Navy Yard that have been converted to mega priced condos.

Well it seems that a group of this yuppie scum have formed a petition to cease and desist the cannon tradition.

LETS US JUST SAY IT IS BEING FOUGHT!!!!

"You don't F around with a Townie"

boston swoop

C404
That would be almost three gallons per day for each man. ??