'Java' 4th rate Heavy Frigate, 1815 (With Plans)

[Ned Loe]

Looking for history of this ship. 

 

Crew - 400 
Armament:    
33 × Long 32lb
20 × 42lb

 

Edited February 22, 2017 by Ned Loe

[van der Clam]

Interesting reads...
https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=USS Java (1815)
https://www.revolvy.com/topic/HMS Java (1811)&item_type=topic

[akd]

Wrong Java.

[maturin]

Why doesn't the rail follow the sheer line of the gundeck? Drives me nuts.

[Talos]

Ah Java, an interesting example of the Royal Navy's attempts to counter the American heavy frigates. While she is a 24-pounder like Constitution, Java (and the modified Southhampton-class that followed with modifications like a circular stern) is a much lighter-built ship, more like a heavier version of a traditional frigate in her framing. She was intended to be a cheaper version of the earlier Leander and Newcastle 4th rate frigates and the minimum possible ship that could take on the American frigates. Note that though she was launched in 1815, Java wasn't comissioned until 1826, as they saved her for post-war duties and used the two above-mentioned fir-built frigates instead.  I should point out that Leander and Newcastle almost completed their primary goal in March 1815, when the two of them ganged up on Constitution in a chase and would have captured her if not for a signal blunder. They did recapture HMS Levant though, which had been taken by the American ship. Java had several improvements over the two earlier ships despite being small enough for mass production. She was probably the first ship that incorporated Seppings frames as built, and she carried her frames up to the top of the spar deck, incorporating it into the main structure of the ship instead of it just being pasted on top. Java (and the two earlier ones) were some of the only true double-banked frigates built in the RN, with two full rows of gunports. The 28 x carronades on her spar deck were what she was designed for, but when she was actually comissioned her waist was not armed as the carronades there interefered with the boats and sail handling too much. I have the correct number of carronades in the specs for her below.

 

Due to not being comissioned until 1826, I'm not sure Java is a good choice to use. I think a better representation for the British 24-pounder would either be the lighter Endymion, the fastest ship in the fleet, or Leander or Newcastle, the latter of which looks strange because the gunports on the gundeck and spar deck are right above each other. Though they're close to Constitution, they are very different ships, which would make it interesting to see them going up against each other when properly balanced. This Java is distinct from the American heavy frigate USS Java, a Guerriere-class frigate built during the War of 1812 as an improved Constitution. That one was named after the British frigate Java that was taken and destroyed earlier in the war, not this one. Constitution's modern stern, with six chase ports (three on the gun deck and three on the spar deck) is based on the one designed for Java and her sisters. Constitution recieved it in a refit in the 1830s, if I remember correctly.

 

HMS Java

60-gun (this was the post-war rating when they finally counted carronades too) 4th rate frigate

Dimensions & tons: 172ft 0in, 145ft 1¼in x 43ft 4in (42ft 8in mld.) x 14ft 3in. 1,44930/94bm.

Men: 450 (comprising 343 officers and men, 47 boys and 60 marines).

Guns: UD 30 x 24pdrs; Spar deck originally 2 x 24pdrs + 28 x 42pdr carronades, from 6.1823 changed to 6 x 24pdrs + 16 x 42pdr carronades (with the ‘spar’ section left unarmed). Reduced to 50-gun in 1839.

 

Java - Plymouth Dyd [M/Shipwright Thomas Roberts to 9.1815, completed by Edward Churchill]

As built: 171ft 11½in, 144ft 9¾in x 43ft 6in x 14ft 3in. 1,45756/94bm.

Ord: 9.7.1813. K: 3.1814. L: 16.11.1815 (then laid up). C: 12.1825– 2.7.1826.

First cost: £56,729 to build, plus £13,871 fitting (1825–26).

Commissioned 12.1825 under Capt. John Wilson; sailed for the East Indies 3.8.1826. In 1827 under Capt. William Carroll (–1830), as flagship of Rear-Adm. William Gage; paid off 28.1.1830. Between Small and Middling Repair at Portsmouth 1.1831–8.1832, then laid up in Ordinary. Fitted for Commission at Portsmouth (for £7,822) 2–5.1846, but then laid up again. Fitted as target ship at Portsmouth 10–11.1861. BU completed at Portsmouth 22.11.1862.

 

 

Edited February 23, 2017 by Talos
Adding a bit about USS Java

[Talos]

1 hour ago, maturin said:

Why doesn't the rail follow the sheer line of the gundeck? Drives me nuts.

Actually, the rails follow the sheer of the gundeck and spar deck. It's the wales that it doesn't follow though. This was pretty common in British ships of the era, where they were drastically flattening the sheer of the ships.

[maturin]

6 minutes ago, Talos said:

Actually, the rails follow the sheer of the gundeck and spar deck. It's the wales that it doesn't follow though. This was pretty common in British ships of the era, where they were drastically flattening the sheer of the ships.

Well, yeah, it's the uninterrupted bulwark that's the real crime.

#nofleets

#noflatsheer

#nocrossjackcourses

[Talos]

Just now, maturin said:

Well, yeah, it's the uninterrupted bulwark that's the real crime.

#nofleets

#noflatsheer

#nocrossjackcourses

Fortunately one of the very few RN frigates to do that (it's a common way to recognize them in paintings). You'll be happy to know that not only did they disarm the waist, they also removed the bulwark and gunports there, returning it to a pretty typical look.

 

[Captain Armstrong]

I think the Endymion was the best choice to include, offers the most difference from Constitution with real advantages and disadvantages. (And IMO also the best looking of the British 24pdrs) On a side note, the bulwarks on that Java half-hull model are rather odd, I've never seen the QD bulwarks and armament terminate so far aft on a frigate remotely close to that era. 

[Talos]

29 minutes ago, Captain Armstrong said:

I think the Endymion was the best choice to include, offers the most difference from Constitution with real advantages and disadvantages. (And IMO also the best looking of the British 24pdrs) On a side note, the bulwarks on that Java half-hull model are rather odd, I've never seen the QD bulwarks and armament terminate so far aft on a frigate remotely close to that era. 

I agree completely. You know, with one hull they could do three different ships pretty easily. Endymion of course, and her late-war modified cousins, the Forths (complete with solid forecastle bulwarks), and with French decoration on Endymion's hull, the French Pomone she was copied from.

[_Masterviolin]

On 2/22/2017 at 0:38 PM, Ned Loe said:

idk bout you guys but i think it has too few guns on the weatherdeck