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Hier toch nog een merkwaardig feit
Hieronder een brief en de beschrijving van de boot (Constitution), waarop Jacobus Willems geboren op 24/06/1778 te Klemskerke en zoon van Johannes Willems en Godeliva Monteyne mogelijks heeft gevaren, en die mogelijks is geschreven door Jacobus tijdens zijn dienst onder Napoleon,
bron : Jan Van Bakel http://janvanbakel.nl/
hieronder de ± vertaling van het origineel
Brief Nr 288 Kustverdediging en vloot
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H 23 KLEMSKERKE
Au Citoijen Citoijen Rotsaert De(m)eurant dan La rue battallier pour remettre au jean willem(s) a klemskerk a ostand Departement Delalis a vlandres: A: ***1
Brest, le 17 frimaire an 92 Le rep france
Zeer Lieven vader ende moeder Zusters en B:
Naer UL: van herten gegroet te hebben Dezen dient om UL: te laeten weten als dat ik geanbarquert3 zijn op het schip de Constistution naer america 1800 uren van brest; gij (m)oet Goede Couragie4 nemen ik hebbe nog altijd hope van thuijs te komen scho(n)5 het verre is; den mensch en kan niet weten waer toe hij geboren is: ik verzo(e)ken als dat UL: zoude bidden voor het gene mij zalig is wij vaeren uijt 9: oorlog schepen en nog viere die moeten uijt rosvoort6 uijtvaeren alles gelaeden met troupen en canons de hertelijke groetenisse aen UL: vader en moeder zusters en Broeders en aen alle goede vrienden en aen mijn heer rotsaert en geel zijn huijsgezin ende vriendelijken atju7 misschien tot inder eeuwigheijd: ik blijve met alle respect en kinderlijke pligt
Salut Et Respect UL: Lieven Zoon
Jacobus Willems
waer ik arriveren ik zal UL: schrijven als het mogelijk is Zijt Zoo goedt van de comp: en atju aen mijn heer Leijman en zij(n) joufrauw
atju
Aantekeningen
De brief is gepubliceerd in Biekorf; zie de Inleiding. 1 "Aan buger R. wonend in de (...)straat om te bestellen aan J.W. te Klemskerke Ostende Departement van de Leie, Vlaanderen." 2 8 December 1800. De brief heeft een gedrukt briefhoofd; behalve "le" en "an" staat er nog een regel druks die buiten de tekst van de brief valt. 3 Geëmbarkeerd, ingescheept. 4 Courage, moed. 5 Ofschoon. 6 Rochefort. 7 Adieu.
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Constitution - United States of America
In the first decades after the War of Independence, the United States of America gradually succeeded in expanding overseas trade and building up the merchant navy. American merchant-men however suffered increasingly from attacks by Barbary pirates from the North African coasts, who didn't hesitate to capture the crews of the ships as well. To protect American maritime interests, Congress decided in 1794 to build a standing navy, initially voting for six frigates. They were to become very powerful frigates, 'designed to outrun anything they could not outfight'. The building of 'Constitution', belonging to the first batch of three ships, was granted to Edmond Hartt Shipyard, Boston Massachusetts. After being launched in 1797 she was commissioned for the first time in 1798 to meet the threats opposed by French privateers in the West Indies during the quasi-war with France from 1798 until 1800. In 1803 she was sent to the Mediterranean to fight the Barbary pirates and as flagship of Commodore Prebble was involved in the bombardment of Tripoli in 1804.
The ship's true glory came during the Anglo-American War of 1812 when she showed her qualities and good fortune. In the year 1812 she destroyed the British frigates 'Guerriere', south of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and 'Java' off Brazil. 'Cyane' and 'Levant' were taken by her as late as February 1815. By doing so she earned her nickname 'Old Ironsides'. The enemy solid shot from 'Guerriere' should have bounced from her sides instead of penetrating them - hence her nickname. In 1815 she was laid up in Boston to be commissioned - after extensive reconditioning - again in 1821 as flagship of the Mediterranean squadron. In 1828 her service-days seemed over, being declared no longer seaworthy. Her scrapping was nevertheless prevented, owed to the inspiration by the poem 'Old Ironsides', published in many American newspapers. So 'Constitution' was repaired in 1833/1834 to join the Mediterranean fleet again in 1835 as flagship until 1855. In 1860 she returned to sea as a school ship, making her last voyage under sail in 1881. Afterwards she served as a receiving ship in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with a barracks on top of her hull.
Some repairs were done to the battered hull of 'Constitution' (1797) before she was brought to Boston on the occasion of her 100st anniversary in 1897. Congress authorized her restoration in 1900 which actually was executed in 1907/1908. However a successfull fundraising campaign, started in 1925, was necessary to restore her thoroughly. In 1927 the extensive (about 100.000 dollar) restoration began in drydock. She came out of drydock in 1931 to start a three years and 22.000 sea miles lasting coast-to-coast promotion tour under tow. It took her to 90 American ports and while visiting them, she welcomed more then four and a half million visitors aboard. In 1934 she returned to Boston and stayed there ever since. Like 'Victory' she is still a commissioned warship, being flagship to the commanding-officer of the First Naval District. Once a year she is turned in Boston Harbor with some ceremony (the Turnaround Cruise, firing a 21 gun salute) to ensure even weathering at the pier she is moored to. In 1992 she was taken in drydock for another (almost four million dollar) major refit. In 1995 she was floated and then equipped to sailing condition again. She actually sailed in the summer of 1997 to commemorate her bicentennial. 'Constitution' is the oldest warship afloat in the world and declared a National Historic Landmark in The United States.
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/USS_United_States_(1797)
Datum, voorjaar 2011
22-08-2011 om 14:37
geschreven door etienne willems
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