Old Ironsides

A reminder on a Coast Guard vessel's bulletin board that fresh water is at a premium aboard ships on extended cruises was footnoted as follows:

"The USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last 6 months of sustained operations. She carried no evaporators."

However, let it be noted that: "On July 1789, the USS Constitution set sail from Boston. She left with 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum. Her mission: To destroy and harass English Shipping."

"Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving on 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November she set sail for England."

"In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the rum. By 26 January her powder and shot was exhausted."

"Unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde. Her landing party captured a whiskey distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons aboard by dawn. Then she headed home."

"The USS Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799 with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whiskey and ---- 48,600 gallons of stagnant water."

THEM WERE THE DAYS! GO NAVY