This week, at Rochefort
in France, a replica of the 1778 frigate “Hermione” began her
sea trials. The Hermione was a typical light warship of her day
carrying an armament of 26 guns, each firing balls weighing 12
pounds, designed to pound enemy vessels to matchwood. 44 metres
long by 11 metres beam, she carried 1500 sq.m of canvas on her 3
masts.
What makes Hermione
more interesting historically than her 3 sisterships, or any other
French warship of her day? The fact that in March 1780 she left
Rochefort on a secret mission that was to culminate in Boston, US. On
board was a contingent of French troops led by the 23 year old
Marquis de Lafayette who had persuaded Louis XVI to send military and
financial support to General Washington in his campaign against the
British. He and his men arrived in Boston 38 days later.
The United States has
never forgotten the debt owed in those most precarious days of
revolution to the extraordinary young French visionary, who not only
served as a Major General at Washington's side, but also won his
respect and friendship. “Nous voila, Lafayette!” announced
American Lieutenant Colonel Charles Stanton, on disembarking in
Boulogne in July 1917 with the first 200 American troops to set foot
in France in World War 1. The debt would be repaid by America's aid
in the victory over Germany and the liberation of eastern France.
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| Hermione under construction at Rochefort |
The replica Hermione
project dates back to 1997 when a group of enthusiasts came up with
the idea to reproduce the original 18th century frigate
using traditional ship building skills and techniques. The keel was
eventually laid with considerable ceremony on Independence Day, July
4, of that year. Since that date 3.7 million visitors have visited
the construction yard, in the historic 18th century
graving dock at the old arsenal in Rochefort, as the vessel has taken
shape. In 2012 the bare hull was floated and towed up river before
another huge crowd of fans.
Hermione will now
undergo sea trials whilst her young crew learn 18th century sailing
and seamanship skills climbing kilometres of rigging and handling
vast square sails. After calling in at Bordeaux she will return to
Rochefort for further fine tuning then in April 2015 set off across
the Atlantic; destination Norfolk, Boston, Baltimore and New York.
Lafayette was more than
just a revolutionary – he was a genuine innovator in the field of
human rights. He supported the abolition of slavery even when it was
common in America, Europe and the West Indies, and even tried to
persuade his great friend and father figure, George Washington, to
ban slavery during his presidency. In 2002, an act of the U.S.
Congress made Lafayette only the sixth of seven honorary citizens of
the United States. He is buried in Paris under soil from the site of
the Revolutionary War Battle of Bunker Hill.
Link: Hermione Project Website
