Posted by BobG (192.212.253.8) on January 20, 2002 at 01:40:46:
Just a tale to push the hacker troll down the board....
"The USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her
crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last 6 months of sustained operations. She carried
no evaporators."
However, let it be noted that: "On July 1798, the USS Constitution set sail
from Boston. She left with 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh
water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and
79,400 gallons of rum. Her mission: To destroy and harass English
shipping."
"Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and
68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving on 12
November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of
Portuguese wine. On 18 November she set sail for England."
"In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured
and scuttled 12 English merchantmen salvaging only the rum. By 26
January her powder and shot was exhausted."
"Unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde. Her landing
party captured a whiskey distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons aboard
by dawn. Then she headed home."
"The USS Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799 with no
cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whiskey and 48,600
gallons of stagnant water."
THEM WERE THE GOOD OLE DAYS! GO NAVY!