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| Keywords: Announcement of launch of USS Constitution.png en Facsimile of the invitation to the launching of the Constitution Transcription Navy-Yard BOSTON September 18 1797 The Constructor having extended to his fellow-citizens all reasonable gratification of their laudable curiosity during the progress of the building believes he may with propriety make the following request and suggestions on the operation of the launch- ing the frigate CONSTITUTION That excepting the President of the United States the Governor Lieut Governor and their respective suites and others specially admitted who will comparitively be very few no person will attempt in any way to pass into the limits of the Navy Yard The reason of this request is obviously to prevent interruption or confusion which might be injurious or ruinous to the act of launching which will be critical under the most favorable circumstances and indispensably requiring perfect silence and obe- dience to orders Independent of this conclusive reason the danger of encroaching spec- tators would be imminent from the occasional and abrupt falling of bodies used in the construction of the ship--a conformity therefore to this request is earnestly solicited It is suggested as the tide will be full that it would be necessary to the safety of the spectators particularly women and children that they do not approach in crowds too near the margin of the contiguous wharves as the sudden entrance of so large a bo- dy as the Frigate will occasion an instantaneous swell of the water the height of which cannot be easily calculated and against which therefore the discretion of the people ought amply to guard It is to be regretted in this instance that the Yard and the places around it are too contracted for an occasion which will probably excite so much desire and in which all the citizens have so much interest; it is therefore submitted to those who can conven- iently make the arrangement to place themselves in vessels or water crafts at due dis- tances upon the profile or sides of the Frigate but by no means too near either in a right line or otherwise as the direction may be uncertain nor to load open boats too deeply as the agitation of the water even at a considerable distance may be somewhat hazardous It is also recommended to those who erect stages to accommodate spectators that they have them well secured in every respect as the loss of life of a single citizen would mar the satisfaction and pleasure that the Constructor otherwise would enjoy of building and conducting into the ocean a POWERFUL AGENT OF NATIONAL JUSTICE which hope dictates may become the just pride and ornament of the American name GEORGE CLAGHORN Reproduced in cite journal Carpenter Edmund J Old Ironsides The New England Magazine XVII 3 1897 November 263-282 from an original in the Brookline Public Library George Claghorn 1748-1824 1797-09-18 PD-old-100 PD-US USS Constitution ship 1797 | ||||
