The Rush-Bagot Agreement in April 1817 limited the number of warships on the Great Lakes between England and the United States to one warship on Lake Ontario, one on Lake Champlain and two on the other Great Lakes.
The Dockyard was then reduced to a skeleton staff and eventually closed in 1837.
The largest warship during the Age of Sail to ever sail on the Great Lakes, the HMS St. Lawrence was decommissioned in 1815 and its hull used for storage for a local brewery. It later sank in shallow water off Morton Street in Kingston.
--Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
Showing posts with label Royal Naval Dockyard at Point Frederick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Royal Naval Dockyard at Point Frederick. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Royal Navy Dockyard at Kingston-- Part 5
The dock yard also built three gunboats which carried one long 24-pounder apiece as well as two mortar boats. On November 29, 1814, the dock yard dispatched material for a 36-gun frigate to be stationed at Penetanguishene and also built transports for the Army.
Captain Hall estimated that by spring he would have completed 20 gunboats, 4 mortar boats and 50 batteaux large enough to carry 50 men.
Shipbuilding continued until March 1815 when word reached Kingston that the Treaty of Ghent had been reached (signed by delegates on December 24, 1814). Ship construction was immediately halted and some already completed ships were put into ordinary. Repair work continued as needed.
--Brock-Perry
Captain Hall estimated that by spring he would have completed 20 gunboats, 4 mortar boats and 50 batteaux large enough to carry 50 men.
Shipbuilding continued until March 1815 when word reached Kingston that the Treaty of Ghent had been reached (signed by delegates on December 24, 1814). Ship construction was immediately halted and some already completed ships were put into ordinary. Repair work continued as needed.
--Brock-Perry
Royal Navy Dockyard at Point Frederick, Kingston-- Part 4
The HMS St. Lawrence arrived too late to do any actual fighting. But, its presence did force American commander Commodore Isaac Chauncey to keep his ships safely in Sackets Harbor. The only time its guns were fired was in practice or salutes. It still, however, made many cruises on Lake Ontario and was hit by lightning in 1819.
The Kingston Royal Dockyards employed 1,100 workers during the War of 1812. On May 27, 1814, Captain Robert Hall was put in charge of it. he improved the yard's buildings and facilities.
The British shipped the frame of one ship to Kingston via the St. Lawrence River. Workers put together the 32-gun HMS Psyche which was later enlarged to 55 guns by James Yeo.
--Brock-Perry
The Kingston Royal Dockyards employed 1,100 workers during the War of 1812. On May 27, 1814, Captain Robert Hall was put in charge of it. he improved the yard's buildings and facilities.
The British shipped the frame of one ship to Kingston via the St. Lawrence River. Workers put together the 32-gun HMS Psyche which was later enlarged to 55 guns by James Yeo.
--Brock-Perry
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Royal Navy Dockyard at Point Frederick, Kingston-- Part 3: HMS St. Lawrence
A problem facing Yeo was getting supplies, equipment and reinforcements as they all had to come down the St. Lawrence River where they were exposed to American attack.
He had permission to build a large warship, but greatly increased its size until it became a ship-of-the-line, the HMS St. Lawrence. Construction on it began April 12, 1814 and it became designated as a first rate ship-of-the-line since it mounted 100 guns and was crewed by 800 men.
Thousands of trees were needed. Some 5,750 for the hull alone. Pine and spruce were used for the masts and spars. Then, there was need for a vast amount of sails and rope for rigging.
It cost $500,000 and was launched September 10, 1814, with a crew of 1837.
--Brock-Perry
He had permission to build a large warship, but greatly increased its size until it became a ship-of-the-line, the HMS St. Lawrence. Construction on it began April 12, 1814 and it became designated as a first rate ship-of-the-line since it mounted 100 guns and was crewed by 800 men.
Thousands of trees were needed. Some 5,750 for the hull alone. Pine and spruce were used for the masts and spars. Then, there was need for a vast amount of sails and rope for rigging.
It cost $500,000 and was launched September 10, 1814, with a crew of 1837.
--Brock-Perry
Royal Navy Dockyard at Point Frederick, Kingston-- Part 2
Continued from October 14th.
The dockyard was not attacked much by the Americans and never captured.
During the War of 1812, especially in 1814, there was a huge shipbuilding war going on between the Americans and British. That involved Kingston and the British Naval Dockyard there and the Americans at Sackets Harbor, New York. Whoever got the most and biggest ships out on Lake Ontario, thereby controlled the lake.
British Commodore James Lucas Yeo arrived in Kingston on May 15, 1813, and became commander of the Great Lakes Fleet. He wanted to continue British domination of sea power but faced a problem in that his ships mostly had shorter range carronades to use against the American long guns.
In sea battles, Americans would try to keep the distance great between them and the British ships as far as they could in order to maintain their superior firepower.
--Brock-Perry
The dockyard was not attacked much by the Americans and never captured.
During the War of 1812, especially in 1814, there was a huge shipbuilding war going on between the Americans and British. That involved Kingston and the British Naval Dockyard there and the Americans at Sackets Harbor, New York. Whoever got the most and biggest ships out on Lake Ontario, thereby controlled the lake.
British Commodore James Lucas Yeo arrived in Kingston on May 15, 1813, and became commander of the Great Lakes Fleet. He wanted to continue British domination of sea power but faced a problem in that his ships mostly had shorter range carronades to use against the American long guns.
In sea battles, Americans would try to keep the distance great between them and the British ships as far as they could in order to maintain their superior firepower.
--Brock-Perry
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
The Royal Naval Dockyard at Point Frederick-- Part 1
The HMS St. Lawrence was a magnificent ship, the largest warship ever to see the Great Lakes during the Age of Sail. It was built at Kingston, Upper Canada, at the Royal Navy Dockyard and was too large for the Americans to attack and gave the British undeniable control of Lake Ontario.
The Naval Dockyard was established in 1789 as the Provincial Marine and then became the Royal Naval Dockyard at Point Frederick. Warships such as sloops, frigates and gunboats were built there as well as the ship-of-the-line St. Lawrence.
The RMC is now located at the dockyard.
More to Come. --Brock-Perry
The Naval Dockyard was established in 1789 as the Provincial Marine and then became the Royal Naval Dockyard at Point Frederick. Warships such as sloops, frigates and gunboats were built there as well as the ship-of-the-line St. Lawrence.
The RMC is now located at the dockyard.
More to Come. --Brock-Perry
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