Description:

King George III, Birth of the American Navy, 1775 Colonial Act for Regulating Naval Officers

KING GEORGE III. Printed Document, “An Act for Regulating Naval Officers”, 1p, 7” x 11.25”, New Haven, March 2, 1775. Uneven left edge, scattered foxing, toning at edges, else Fine.

Officially titled: “An Act and Law, made and passed by the General Court or Assembly of His Majesty's English Colony of Connecticut, in New-England, in America: Holden at New-Haven, in said Colony, by Adjournment and Special Order of the Governor, on Thursday the second Day of March, in the Fifteenth Year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Third, King of Great-Britain, &c.”

In part, “Be it enacted…That each and every Naval-Officer…shall become bound before the Governor…in the Sum of One Thousand Pounds, to the Treasurer of the Colony…that he or they may receive for Duties or Import, on Rum, or other Articles of Goods and Merchandize…And in Case he or they shall neglect or refuse…it shall be the Duty of the Governor…to remove and disqualify such Officer or Officers
from holding or transacting, in said Office, and to appoint Others in their Room and Stead.”

About a month later, the Revolutionary War began. In July, the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the procurement of two armed vessels. Governor Trumbull authorized outfitting the Minerva, a 108-ton ship, and set out to acquire a small spy vessel to keep them informed about British activities along the coast. In August the Britannica was acquired and renamed Spy. By the end of the year, the General Assembly authorized more vessels, including another warship.

Rhode Island passed a resolution to build a navy, "at the Continental expense", to protect the seaboard colonies and to "effectively annoy our enemies…" The Continental Congress, however, did not get around to authorizing a navy until October 1775, with seven vessels of varying sizes in the first group. The U.S. Navy officially recognizes October 13, 1775 as its birthday.

By December, Congress also named four captains, Dudley Saltonstall, Abraham Whipple, Nicholas Biddle, and John Burrows Hopkins. Esek Hopkins was appointed commander in chief of the Continental Navy. George Washington had already begun acquiring ships, some of which were paid for out of his own pocket. The French allowed the Americans to "borrow" a few of their ships, until France officially joined the American cause in mid-1778.

At the end of the war, the 11 surviving ships (of 65 built, converted, loaned, captured) were sold by the Continental Congress. John Adams had been active in building the navy during the Revolutionary War and drafting its regulation. During his single term as President, he re-established the American Navy, during the "quasi-war" with France, which was primarily a naval squabble. Adams is generally credited as the "Father of the American Navy".

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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