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Ships' Muskets In response to James Hudkins's letter in the las t issue looking for more information on ships' muskets . Muskets first appeared at sea in the sixteenth century, beca me quite common in the seventeenth, and had a more or less "standardized " length (shorter than army models) early in the eighteenth . The shorter length-gen erally under four feet-made them easier to maneuver, load, and fire in the confined spaces of a ship. Further, their fittings were of brass to reduce the rust problem. These muskets normally were stowed in padlocked racks, either in the armory space or in the vicinity of the living area of the embarked Marine Guard. Beginning shortly before the War of 1812, US wa rships also ca rried an allowance of rifled muskets-a dozen or so-specifically for the use of M arine snipers in the fighting tops. In USS Constitution's experience using them, this resulted in Captain James Dacres of HMS Guerriere being wounded and in Captain H enry Lambert of HMS Java being mortally wo unded. Royal Navy units were not similarly equipped, and som e British critics cited their use by us as another example of Yankee cheat ing. Recommended reading: Boarders Away IL Firearms of the Age of Fighting Sail, by William Gilkerson (Andrew Mowbray, Inc., Lincoln, RI, 1993, ISB N 978-0-91721856-9). TYRONE G. M ARTIN Tryon, North Carolina
Can You ID This Vessel? I am looking for help in identifying avessel in this photo. It is from a book called An East Coast Port: Halifax at War, 19391945 by Graham Merson (McGraw-Hill Rye rson, 1981 , ISB N 978-0-07548-418-9), which is abo ut the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, during World War II. As an exCoast Guardsman (USCGC Spencer), I was puzzled by this vessel, which has close lines to a couple of period Coast Guard cutters, such as the 327-foot Secretary-class cutters, and 311-foot Navy seaplane tenders, but in each example some glaring discrepancies are present. I rea lize that a North Atlantic port like H alifax wo uld offer safe harbor to all Alli ed vessels-American, British ,
SEA HISTORY I 53 , WINTER 2015- 16
Halifax, Nova Scotia, in World Wtzr II. Do you recognize this vessel? Canadian, and French vessels and can't find a match. Please give it a whirl, and let me know what you think. DAVE READ
Whiting, New Jersey
(Left) The 327-foot USCGC Campbell (WPG-32) was a Treasury-class Coast Guard cutter. These were also known as the "Secretary-class, "as they were named far farmer secretaries ofthe Treasury Department. Canadia n and others-which makes this one particularly puzzling. I've compared it to British sloops, a nd all America n,
Separate Spheres? At Sea-Not So Much The cover of the recent issue of WoodenBoat (WB, September/October 2015 , Nu mber 246) features a fam ily who just spent ten years sailing around the world in their 34foot wooden sailing cutter. This couple (Bruce H alabisky and Tiffany Loney) had two kids along the way, and, aside from the obv ious division of labor when it comes to carrying and birthing children, it is clear from their story that husband
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