An Act to Provide a Naval Armament
3/18/1794
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In March of 1794, the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the "Act to provide a Naval Armament." It authorized the President to acquire six frigates, four of 44 guns each and two of 36 guns each, by purchase or otherwise. In addition, it specified how many crew members would be necessary and what their pay and daily rations would be.
Transcript
An Act to provide a Naval Armament.WHEREAS the depredations committed by the Algerine corsairs on the commerce of the United States, render it necessary that a naval force should be provided for its protection.
SECT. I. Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States, be authorized to provide ^by purchase or otherwise^, equip and employ, four ships to carry forty four guns each, and two ships to carry thirty six guns each.
SECT II. And be it further enacted, That there shall be employed on board each of the said ships of forty four guns, one captain four lieutenants, one lieutenant of marines, one chaplain one surgeon, and two surgeon's mates; and in each of the ships of thirty six guns, one captain, three lieutenants, one lieutenant of marines, one surgeon, and one surgeon's mate, who shall be appointed, and commissioned, in like manner as other officers of the United States are.
SECT III. And be it further enacted, That there shall be employed in each of the said ships, the following warrant officers, who shall be appointed by the President of the United States to wit: one sailing master, one purser, one boatswain, one gunner, one sailmaker, one carpenter, and eight midshipmen; and the following petty officers, who shall be appointed by the captains of the ships, respectively, in which they are to be employed, viz. two master's mates, one captain's clerk, two boatswain's mates, one cockswain, one sailmaker's mate, two gunner's mates, one yeoman of the gun-room, nine quarter-gunners, (and for the four larger ships) two additional quarter-gunners, two carpenter's mates, one armourer, one steward, one cooper, one master at arms, and one cook.
SECT. IV. And be it further enacted, That the crews of each of the said ships of forty-four guns, shall consist of ^150^ seamen, ^100^ midshipmen and ordinary seamen, one sergeant, one corporal, one drum, one fife, and fifty marines; and that the crews of each of the said ships of thirty-six guns, shall consist of one hundred and ^thirty^ able seamen and midshipmen, ^ninety^ ordinary seamen, one serjeant, two corporals, one drum, one fife, and forty marines, over and above the officers herein before mentioned.
[illegible]
Section 5. And be it further enacted that the President of the United States, be and he is hereby empowered to provide by purchase or otherwise, in lieu of the said five ships a naval force not exceeding in the whole, that by this act directed, so, that no ship thus provided shall carry less than thirty two guns; or he may so provide any proportion thereof, which in his discretion he may think proper.
1 SECT. [struck through] ^7.^ And be it further enacted, That the pay to be allowed to the petty officers, midshippen, seamen, ordinary seamen and marines, shall be fixed by the President of the United States. Provided, That the wohle sum to be given for the whole pay aforesaid shall not exceed ^27^,000 dollars per month: and that each of the said persons shall be entitled to one ration per day.
SECT. [struck through] ^8.^ And be it further enacted, That the ration shall consist of as follows:
Sunday, 1 lb bread, 1 1/2 beef 1/2 pint of rice,
Monday, 1 bread, 1 pork, 1/4 pint pease, or beans and 4 oz. cheese,
Tuesday, 1 lb bread 1 1/2 beef, and 1 potatoes or turnips, and pudding,
Wednesday, 1 lb bread, 2 oz butter, ^or in lieu thereof 6 oz [?]^ 4 cheese, and 1/4 pint rice, [struck through section on right side]
Thursday, 1 lb bread, 1 pork, and 1/4 pint pease, or beans,
Friday, 1 lb bread, 1 salt fish, 2 oz butter or 1 gill of oil, and 1 of potatoes,
Saturday, 1 lb bread, 1 pork, 1/2 pint pease, or beans, and 4 oz cheese,
And there shall also be allowed one [struck through] ^half pint^ of distilled spirits per day or in lieu thereof one [struck through] ^quart^ of beer per day to each ration.
SECT [struck through] ^9^. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That if a peace shall take place between the United States and the regency of Algiers, that no farther proceedings be had under this act.
Passed the House of Representatives, March 10th, 1794.
[handwritten on the bottom left] Bill Naval armament read and amend: March 18 1794
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Senate.
National Archives Identifier: 1943414
Full Citation: An Act to Provide a Naval Armament; 3/18/1794; (SEN 3A-C1); Bills and Resolutions Originating in the House and Considered in the Senate, 1789 - 2002; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/act-naval-armament, September 15, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
