Constitution
The Constitution blowing up the Java, in 1812, from the painting by Pocock, 25d. stamp, is new to collectors. The Constitution was built at Boston, Mass., under the supervision of George Cleghorn, to the plans of Josiah Fox. The ship was built in the yard of Edmund, Joseph and Edward Hartt, who probably acted as foremen in the construction of the frigate. She was launched on October 21, 1797, after two unsuccessful attempts, and carried 32:pdr. carronades in place of the normal 42-pdrs of ships of her class.
The Java, was a 5th Rate of 38 guns, 1,083 tons, builder’s measurement, and was originally a French ship, the Renomee, captured by a British squadron on June 20, 1811, off Madagascar. She was captured on December 9, 1812, by the American Constitution off San Salvador and burnt on the next day.
To commemorate this victory the Americans had a frigate which they named Java built at Baltimore in 1814 by Flannigan and Parsons. She was broken up in 1842 at Norfolk, Virginia.
