Navy-Yard.
THE Conſtructor, having extended to his fellow-citizens all reaſonable gratification of their laudable curioſity, during the progreſs of the building, believes he may, with propriety, make the following requeſt and ſuggeſtions, on the operation of launching the frigate CONSTITUTION.
That (excepting the Preſident of the United States, the Governor, Lieut. Governor, and their reſpective ſuites, and others ſpecially admitted, who will, comparitively, be very few) no perſon will attempt, in any way, to paſs into the limits of the Navy Yard.
The reaſon of this requeſt is obviouſly to prevent interruption or confuſion, which might be injurious, or ruinous, to the act of launching, which will be critical, under the moſt favorable circumſtances, and indiſpenſably requiring perfect ſilence and obedience to orders. Independent of this concluſive reaſon, the danger of encroaching ſpectators would be imminent, from the occaſional and abrupt falling of bodies, uſed in the conſtruction of the ſhip—a conformity therefore, to this requeſt, is earneſtly ſolicited.
It is ſuggeſted, as the tide will be full, that it would be neceſſary to the ſafety of the ſpectators, particularly women and children, that they do not approach in crowds too near the margin of the contiguous wharves, as the ſudden entrance of ſo large a body as the Frigate, will occaſion an inſtantaneous ſwell of the water, the height of which cannot be eaſily calculated, and againſt which, therefore, the diſcretion of the people ought amply to guard.
It is to be regretted, in this inſtance, that the Yard, and the places around it, are too contracted for an occaſion, which will probably excite ſo much deſire, and in which all the citizens have ſo much intereſt; it is therefore ſubmitted to thoſe, who can conveniently make the arrangement, to place themſelves in veſſels, or water crafts, at due diſtances, upon the profile or ſides of the Frigate, but by no means too near, either in a right line, or otherwiſe, as the direction may be uncertain, nor to load open boats too deeply, as the agitation of the water, even at a conſiderable diſtance, may be ſomewhat hazardous.
It is alſo recommended, to thoſe who erect ſtages to accomodate ſpectators, that they have them well ſecured, in every reſpect, as the loſs of life of a ſingle citizen, would mar the ſatisfaction and pleaſure that the Conſtructor otherwiſe would enjoy, of building, and conducting into the ocean, a powerful agent of national justice, which hope dictates may become the juſt pride and ornament of the American name.
