Launching Day, USS America The first United States battleship: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 5 November 1782 - Geoff Hunt

USS America was one of three 74-gun ships ordered by the Continental Congress in 1776, all designed to be larger than any equivalent in either the French or British navies. In the event, 'America' was the only one to be built.

This shows her launch in 1782 at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. John Paul Jones was to have been her Captain but the huge vessel was given to France as a political present and was launched, as shown, under the flags of both America and France. The Piscataqua River was scarcely wide enough for this 182-foot vessel and great skill was needed to carry off the launch successfully.

Signed and numbered limited
edition print. Edition of 700, including 75 remarques.

Image size: 13 1/4" x 19 3/4"
Paper size: 18 1/2" x 24"