:d: Introducing the Corsair Frigate: the Crescent!
In 1796 the United States ratified a peace treaty with Hassan Pasha the Dey of Algiers.
Under terms of the treaty the US would pay a lump sum of $642,500 and an annual tribute of $21,600
(was paid until 1814), which in today's money is equal to $8,995,000 and $302,400 respectively. In
exchange, the Algerian Corsairs would no longer attack Yankee Merchant Ships, and all Yankee
captives would be released.
The lump sum payment had to be delayed for various reasons; and in order to keep the peace, and buy
some time; the Dey would be presented with 4 tribute Ships. These were to be "corsair" vessels of Naval
design, of the best materials, and the finest Quality. A great deal of care was taken to meet the exact
requirements of vessels used by the Corsairs. All 4 of the Ships were also to be Superior in every way to
those that the Dey had received from the European powers.
The "Corsair" vessels were to consist of, 2 Schooners, 1 Brig and the most important, and the most
impressive, was the 32 `gun-rate`, Corsair Frigate "Crescent". She was deliberately made as small as her
rate would permit; and was pierced for 36 (18 per side) 12 pounder, broadside cannons. The Crescent
was designed by Josiah Fox and was built by James Hackett of Portsmouth New Hampshire; of the
same materials as the USS Constitution, including the "Iron hard" Live Oak.
Josiah Fox Apprenticed at age eighteen to the master constructor at his Majesty's Dockyard at
Plymouth, he was later employed as a shipwright. He made a number of voyages to many of the best
Shipyards, took many notes and studied the latest in ship design and construction.
He immigrated to the United States in 1793, at the age of 30, and 1 year later was employed to design
ships for the soon to be US Navy, and He helped design the Frigates "Constitution", and "United States".
The Crescent was the first ship designed exclusively by Mr. Fox, and with this Ship he was finally able to
express his best ideas to the fullest. She was launched in June of 1797, was noted as being a very Fast
sailer, easy to handle, and like all of the new American Frigates being built and launched at the time,
could sail with in 6 points of the wind. It also had a poop deck which had been greatly phased out, in
many ship designs and Navies, but were still preferred by the Barbary Corsairs.
I have a lot of descriptive info about this Ship while it was in the US, but I have not been able to find any
history on it after it was presented to the Dey of Algiers. However I also have not been able to find any
type of picture of it? Although I do have the plans for the Corsair brig and one of the Corsair Schooners,
and I am making arrangements to procure the plans of the Crescent, but this is a lengthy process.
If any one has any images or Algerian History of the Crescent; Please post it here, and or email to me.
For know based on the info that I gathered together, I have done my best to capture the "Spirit" of this,
extraordinary, one of a kind Ship.
I hope that I did her justice??
Notable changes are as follows: I eliminated 2 broadside guns (they don't function on the PotC Frigates
anyway), eliminated the aft lamp, lowered the Ships windage by about 5 feet, which gives it the illusion of
the Ship being about 15 feet longer, all new graphics, including copper plating at and below the water
line, lowered it's capacity, and I set the speed at a bit over 1 knot more than the fastest PotC Frigate.
I will be releasing this as a beta version, but will be adding more and correct sails for the final version.
I will also try to recreate the "Corsair" Brig, and "Corsair" Schooners when I get a chance??
From the very beginning I have been annoyed with the improper scaling of many of the ship models in
PotC; in this case the PotC Frigate models. This is almost as annoying as the PotC Corvette which is
NOT a Corvette at all, but only a smaller class of Frigate.
The PotC frigate is about the size of what would have been a 24/28 gun Frigate carrying 6 to 12
pounders, at best, and a tonnage of 500 to 700, did not give them the ability to carry taller masts;
although they would have made good gun platforms, only a rare few could have reached more than 12
knots. In the game they've put 38/44, 12 to 32 pounders on board and have them sailing at a ridiculous
13.3/15.4 knots; and have them listed at 900 to 1100 tons.
Here is how the PotC Frigates compare to some real Frigates.
(pd: length between Perpendiculars)
(mb: width of moulded Beam)
(dh: depth in the Hold)
(oal: over all length)
(tb: burthen Tons)
(guns bs: amount of Broadside Guns that were carried, or could be carried)
1855,USS Santee......................190.0 pd, 47.0 mb, 14.4 dh, 208.0 oal, 1726 tb. 52/70 guns bs
1797,USS Constitution: .............175.0 pd, 43.6 mb, 14.3 dh, 190.0 oal, 1576 tb. 48/58 guns bs
1797,USS Constellation: ............164.0 pd, 40.6 mb, 13.6 dh, 179.0 oal, 1268 tb. 38/46 guns bs
1797,Corsair Frigate Crescent: ...132.0 pd, 32.0 mb, 10.2 dh, 139.0 oal, 650 tb. 32/36 guns bs
1776,CN Boston...........................118.0 pd, 32.0 mb, 10.3 dh, 128.0 oal, 520 tb. 24/28 guns bs
-----,PotC Frigates: ......................118.5 pd, 32.0 mb, 10.3 dh, 127.0 oal, 555 tb. 36/38 guns bs
Here are the stats for the Corsair Frigate Crescent:
ShipsTypes[SHIP_CORSAIR_FRIGATE_CRESCENT]);
Ship.Name....................= "CorsairF1";
Ship.Class.....................= 2;
Ship.Cannon.................= CANNON_TYPE_CANNON_LBS12;
Ship.MaxCaliber...........= 16; // 32Carronade
Ship.Weight..................= Tonnes2CWT(650);
Ship.Capacity...............= 2150;
Ship.CannonsQuantity.. = 42; // 36 bs. / 4 aft / 2 bc.
Ship.MaxCrew.............= 390;
Ship.MinCrew..............= 54;
Ship.SpeedRate............= 16.8; // 17.4 // 18.5
Ship.TurnRate...............= 47;
Ship.Price.....................= 171000;
Ship.HP........................= 8900;
To see more detail screen shots; Click here, and once there, scroll down.
While your there have a look around, and head over to our Tavern the Raven's Roost, and ave a drink..........someone's always buyin!! :b:
In 1796 the United States ratified a peace treaty with Hassan Pasha the Dey of Algiers.
Under terms of the treaty the US would pay a lump sum of $642,500 and an annual tribute of $21,600
(was paid until 1814), which in today's money is equal to $8,995,000 and $302,400 respectively. In
exchange, the Algerian Corsairs would no longer attack Yankee Merchant Ships, and all Yankee
captives would be released.
The lump sum payment had to be delayed for various reasons; and in order to keep the peace, and buy
some time; the Dey would be presented with 4 tribute Ships. These were to be "corsair" vessels of Naval
design, of the best materials, and the finest Quality. A great deal of care was taken to meet the exact
requirements of vessels used by the Corsairs. All 4 of the Ships were also to be Superior in every way to
those that the Dey had received from the European powers.
The "Corsair" vessels were to consist of, 2 Schooners, 1 Brig and the most important, and the most
impressive, was the 32 `gun-rate`, Corsair Frigate "Crescent". She was deliberately made as small as her
rate would permit; and was pierced for 36 (18 per side) 12 pounder, broadside cannons. The Crescent
was designed by Josiah Fox and was built by James Hackett of Portsmouth New Hampshire; of the
same materials as the USS Constitution, including the "Iron hard" Live Oak.
Josiah Fox Apprenticed at age eighteen to the master constructor at his Majesty's Dockyard at
Plymouth, he was later employed as a shipwright. He made a number of voyages to many of the best
Shipyards, took many notes and studied the latest in ship design and construction.
He immigrated to the United States in 1793, at the age of 30, and 1 year later was employed to design
ships for the soon to be US Navy, and He helped design the Frigates "Constitution", and "United States".
The Crescent was the first ship designed exclusively by Mr. Fox, and with this Ship he was finally able to
express his best ideas to the fullest. She was launched in June of 1797, was noted as being a very Fast
sailer, easy to handle, and like all of the new American Frigates being built and launched at the time,
could sail with in 6 points of the wind. It also had a poop deck which had been greatly phased out, in
many ship designs and Navies, but were still preferred by the Barbary Corsairs.
I have a lot of descriptive info about this Ship while it was in the US, but I have not been able to find any
history on it after it was presented to the Dey of Algiers. However I also have not been able to find any
type of picture of it? Although I do have the plans for the Corsair brig and one of the Corsair Schooners,
and I am making arrangements to procure the plans of the Crescent, but this is a lengthy process.
If any one has any images or Algerian History of the Crescent; Please post it here, and or email to me.
For know based on the info that I gathered together, I have done my best to capture the "Spirit" of this,
extraordinary, one of a kind Ship.
I hope that I did her justice??
Notable changes are as follows: I eliminated 2 broadside guns (they don't function on the PotC Frigates
anyway), eliminated the aft lamp, lowered the Ships windage by about 5 feet, which gives it the illusion of
the Ship being about 15 feet longer, all new graphics, including copper plating at and below the water
line, lowered it's capacity, and I set the speed at a bit over 1 knot more than the fastest PotC Frigate.
I will be releasing this as a beta version, but will be adding more and correct sails for the final version.
I will also try to recreate the "Corsair" Brig, and "Corsair" Schooners when I get a chance??
From the very beginning I have been annoyed with the improper scaling of many of the ship models in
PotC; in this case the PotC Frigate models. This is almost as annoying as the PotC Corvette which is
NOT a Corvette at all, but only a smaller class of Frigate.
The PotC frigate is about the size of what would have been a 24/28 gun Frigate carrying 6 to 12
pounders, at best, and a tonnage of 500 to 700, did not give them the ability to carry taller masts;
although they would have made good gun platforms, only a rare few could have reached more than 12
knots. In the game they've put 38/44, 12 to 32 pounders on board and have them sailing at a ridiculous
13.3/15.4 knots; and have them listed at 900 to 1100 tons.
Here is how the PotC Frigates compare to some real Frigates.
(pd: length between Perpendiculars)
(mb: width of moulded Beam)
(dh: depth in the Hold)
(oal: over all length)
(tb: burthen Tons)
(guns bs: amount of Broadside Guns that were carried, or could be carried)
1855,USS Santee......................190.0 pd, 47.0 mb, 14.4 dh, 208.0 oal, 1726 tb. 52/70 guns bs
1797,USS Constitution: .............175.0 pd, 43.6 mb, 14.3 dh, 190.0 oal, 1576 tb. 48/58 guns bs
1797,USS Constellation: ............164.0 pd, 40.6 mb, 13.6 dh, 179.0 oal, 1268 tb. 38/46 guns bs
1797,Corsair Frigate Crescent: ...132.0 pd, 32.0 mb, 10.2 dh, 139.0 oal, 650 tb. 32/36 guns bs
1776,CN Boston...........................118.0 pd, 32.0 mb, 10.3 dh, 128.0 oal, 520 tb. 24/28 guns bs
-----,PotC Frigates: ......................118.5 pd, 32.0 mb, 10.3 dh, 127.0 oal, 555 tb. 36/38 guns bs
Here are the stats for the Corsair Frigate Crescent:
ShipsTypes[SHIP_CORSAIR_FRIGATE_CRESCENT]);
Ship.Name....................= "CorsairF1";
Ship.Class.....................= 2;
Ship.Cannon.................= CANNON_TYPE_CANNON_LBS12;
Ship.MaxCaliber...........= 16; // 32Carronade
Ship.Weight..................= Tonnes2CWT(650);
Ship.Capacity...............= 2150;
Ship.CannonsQuantity.. = 42; // 36 bs. / 4 aft / 2 bc.
Ship.MaxCrew.............= 390;
Ship.MinCrew..............= 54;
Ship.SpeedRate............= 16.8; // 17.4 // 18.5
Ship.TurnRate...............= 47;
Ship.Price.....................= 171000;
Ship.HP........................= 8900;
To see more detail screen shots; Click here, and once there, scroll down.
While your there have a look around, and head over to our Tavern the Raven's Roost, and ave a drink..........someone's always buyin!! :b:
