List of supplies signed by John Barry
This list of the various types and quantities of rope needed for USS United States provides a window in the complexity and scale of the early American sailing frigates. Ropes were used in the running rigging that controlled the ship’s sails, as well as a wide variety of other functions. Included on this list are ropes for the block and tackle systems that pulled the massive guns into position, and ropes woven into thicker cables to connect to the ship’s massive anchors. The list was created by John Barry, the first captain of USS United States, who also oversaw the construction and outfitting of the ship. Without an established supply chain for the fledgling U.S. Navy, Barry and the other captains struggled to find everything they needed to get the ships underway. This list was likely intended for Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert and shared among the other frigate captains, including James Sever, in an effort to source materials.
Creator
John Barry
Date Created
n.d., c. 1798-1801
Medium
Paper, Ink
Catalog Number
2506.1, Box 1, Folder 109
Credit Line
USS Constitution Museum Collection.
Terms of Use
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
