1804 Thomas Jefferson - Building and employing a number of gun boats

In 1802, Jefferson first reached out to Congress for authority to deal with the Barbary pirates.  In 1802, congress responded by employing "such of the armed vessels" that the President judged requisite.   Jefferson took action, but lamented that some of the Tripolitan corsairs were able to evade the blockade and captures American merchant men.   What America needed were more small armed vessels like those used in 1798 during the Quasi war with France.  At that time, without adequate funding Congress had authorized the U.S. government to allow private citizens to fund and man the construction of armed vessels. The nine ships constructed were small, but also nimble and fast and proved to be very effective in protecting American merchants from French privateers.  America needed more armed vessels like that to fight Barbary war.  But this time, the government was not going to leave it up to private citizens or privateers as it did in 1798.  There had been many complaints that these privateers were waging private war.  So, in 1803 Congress passed an act which authorized and empowered the President to cause to be built or to be purchased a number of armed vessels, $96,000 for four vessels of wars with sixteen guns each and $50,000 for 15 smaller gun boats.   

In his 1804 state of the union, President Thomas Jefferson turned to Congress and suggested, now that the easy work of building a small navy was completed, the hard work of maintaining one must begin.  There were several items they must consider:

• How to create a formidable obstacle to the "naval enterprises" in our sea port towns.  Perhaps these "naval enterprises" were enemies of the United States.  Or perhaps, they were American privateers who patrolled the ports.  Either way, the protection of the ports would now be under the control of the U.S. Navy and the Federal government.  
• How to best support law and order on the waters under jurisdiction of the United States.
• How to quickly respond to the needs of varied locations with both sea men and militia.
• How to quickly assemble armed vessels when a greater than ordinary force is needed.
• How to preserve the vessels from decay when not in actual service.
• How to finance the maintenance and expansion of the navy to "all our important harbors and auxiliary needs" without new burdens on the people.

Here are the actual words spoken by Thomas Jefferson in 1804:

"The act of Congress of 1803 February 28, for building and employing a number of gun boats, is now in a course of execution to the extent there provided for. The obstacle to naval enterprise which vessels of this construction offer for our sea port towns, their utility toward supporting within our waters the authority of the laws, the promptness with which they will be manned by the sea men and militia of the place in the moment they are wanting, the facility of their assembling from different parts of the coast to any point where they are required in greater force than ordinary, the economy of their maintenance and preservation from decay when not in actual service, and the competence of our finances to this defensive provision without any new burthen are considerations which will have due weight with Congress in deciding on the expediency of adding to their number from year to year, as experience shall test their utility, until all our important harbors, by these and auxiliary means, shall be secured against insult and opposition to the laws." 

On April 21, 1806 Congress authorized the President to build up to 50 additional gunboats for the "protection of harbor, coasts and commerce of the United States".   In December of that year, Jefferson used his annual address to announce to Congress that many of these gun boats would be ready by the next spring, but many more boats would be needed.  To the disappointment of Jefferson, that session of Congress never did authorize the construction of any additional gun boats.

"The gun boats authorized by an act of the last session are so advanced that they will be ready for service in the ensuing spring. Circumstances permitted us to allow the time necessary for their more solid construction. As a much larger number will still be wanting to place our sea port towns and waters in that state of defense to which we are competent and they entitled, a similar appropriation for a further provision for them is recommended for the ensuing year."

In Jefferson's final address to Congress, he shared with Congress the news that enough gun boats had been completed, and no more were needed.  103 were built, and that was enough to protect the harbors.   Of course, we were not yet at war with Great Britain.

"Of the gun boats authorized by the act of December last, it has been thought necessary to build only 103 in the present year. These, with those before possessed, are sufficient for the harbors and waters most exposed, and the residents will require little time for their construction when it shall be deemed necessary."

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=2944613.pdf
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29448
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29450
http://www.jrusselljinishiangallery.com/images/mays/maysgunboatbig.jpg


Act to provide an additional armament for the protection of the seamen and commerce of the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is authorized and empowered to cause to be built, or to-be purchased (if the exigencies of the service shall require it) four vessels of war, to carry not exceeding sixteen guns each ;to be armed, manned and fitted out for the protection of the seamen and commerce of the United States in the Mediterranean and adjacent seas, and for other purposes, as the public service may require .

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the sum of ninety-six thousand dollars be, and hereby is, appropriated for the purpose aforesaid, out of any monies in the treasury of the United States, not otherwise appropriated.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized and empowered to cause to be built a number not exceeding fifteen gun boats, to be armed; manned, and fitted out, and employed for such purposes as in his , opinion the public service may require ; and that a sum not exceeding fifty thousand dollars be, and hereby is appropriated for this purpose out of any monies in the treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated .

APPROVED, February 28, 1803.