Queries from Henry Knox to John Wharton regarding Joshua Humphreys' and Josiah Fox' estimates and proposals on frigate design

Item

Type

Letterbook

Title

Queries from Henry Knox to John Wharton regarding Joshua Humphreys' and Josiah Fox' estimates and proposals on frigate design

Description

Asks opinion of Joshua Humphrey's and Josiah Fox's models from ship builder and designer John Wharton. He asks whether long ships require their extreme breadth as far forward as smaller ships. Where is the dead flat to be placed? He asks to contrast Humphreys' model with those of Josiah Fox, another prominent ship designer who worked for Humphreys. Knox asks whose method is best Fox or Humphreys. He notes that Fox's plan will make the ships look the best, but surmises that Humphreys' method is the strongests. Asks his opinion about the length of the ship and strengths and weaknesses. Asks whether the elimination of a roundhouse would allow for faster sailing.

year created

1794

month created

05

day created

12

author

Henry Knox

sent from location

War Department

recipient

John Wharton

in collection

Letters Sent by the Secretary of the Navy to Federal Executive Agents (Letters to President, Secretary of State, Secretary of War, and Letters to (Requisitions on) Secretary of the Treasury and other Treasury Department Officials), June 1798-June 1824. (RG45)

in image

ZXA06

author note

Henry Knox

recipient note

John Wharton

notable person/group

John Wharton
Henry Knox
Joshua Humphreys
War Office
War Department
US Navy
Josiah Fox
ship builders
ship designers

notable location

War Department
War Office
Philadelphia

notable item/thing

dead flat
roundhouse
keel
beam
hold
deck
lower wale
fourteen guns
ship models

notable idea/issue

frigate construction
Josiah Fox and Joshua Humphries and John Wharton frigate design issues

document number

1794051200455

page start

30

Item sets

Documents
Transcription Project

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Document instances

In image In source Location in source
[view document] (2 pages) ZXA06 (315 pages) Collection: Letters Sent by the Secretary of the Navy to Federal Executive Agents (Letters to President, Secretary of State, Secretary of War, and Letters to (Requisitions on) Secretary of the Treasury and other Treasury Department Officials), June 1798-June 1824. (RG45) V:1, P:30-31.

Document names

Type Name Location Notes
Author Henry Knox War Department [n/a]
Recipient John Wharton [unknown] [n/a]