Page 46: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2019)

HISTORY DESIGN EVOLUTION

Rik van Hemmen is the President of Martin & Ottaway, a marine consulting ? rm that specializes in the resolution of technical, operational and ? nancial issues in maritime. By training he is an Aerospace and Ocean engineer and has spent the majority of his career in engineering design and forensic engineering.

The Inevitability of Change t one time the most power- engaged in a rowing race to keep out of had been out there to tow the Constitu- Why did it take so long for the tech- ful lighthouse in the United range of a powerful British Squadron. tion, she could have outmaneuvered the nology to be accepted? There are too

States was Twin Lights in The Constitution escaped and went on to entire squadron and really put a hurt on many reasons for this column to discuss

A

Highlands New Jersey. To- have her amazing victories that year, but the British, and navy steam would have that, but in this 80th anniversary issue of day it is a wonderful little museum and if she had been caught, today we would been adopted overnight. Marine Reporter you are probably read- right now it has a very interesting show have never heard of her. Instead, we know that steam did not ing about things that may appear strange of paintings by Maarten Platje on the What really struck me as interesting become a feature of naval warfare until today, but will be commonplace in the

War of 1812. One painting is called the is that, while this rowing race was tak- the Civil War half a century later. 100th anniversary issue. (Maybe I will

Great Chase and it tells this amazing ing place offshore, Robert Fulton was What is less well known is that during still write an occasional column at that story of the US Frigate running his steamboat the War of 1812 Robert Fulton built a time and can check back how wrong I

Constitution being be- up and down the Hud- steam gunboat and even delivered it to was today.)

The Great Chase tells the calmed off the New Jer- son not even 100 miles the US Navy, but the Navy never quite As far as predicting the future is con- amazing story of the U.S. sey coast and becoming away. If that steamboat ? gured out what to do with it. cerned, I am not interested in things that

Frigate Constitution being becalmed off the New Jersey coast and becoming engaged in a rowing race to keep out of range of a powerful British

Squadron.

Credit: Maarten Platje

Credit Maarten Platje 46 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • OCTOBER 2019

MR #10 (42-49).indd 46 10/4/2019 11:25:15 AM