During Jefferson's second term, he believed that a more suitable naval force would consist of small gunboats that could defend the home waters of the United States. These small gunboats had proven their effectiveness in the defense of Tripoli.
By 1809, many of the ports had been fortified with these gunboats, but some including the harbor of New York was still not fully protected. The New York harbor was a very busy harbor at the time, and could boast the world's first commercially successful steamboat. Built in 1807, the North River Steamboat operated on the Hudson River between New York and Albany. The steamboat was designed and built by Robert Fulton and Robert Livingston.
When James Madison took office, the United States began to move away from gunboats. One hundred of the gunboats authorized were never completed. Many just did not see the value of these gunboats, while they could be put to good use as a passive defense, they were of little use against the frigates of the British Navy. By December 1811, only 63 of the gunboats remained in service. Finally in 1812, when war was declared, the U.S. Navy had seven frigates, four schooners, four ketches, and 170 gunboats to pit against the greatest naval power the world had ever seen.
If only America had seen the military value of the steam boat earlier. It wasn't until 1814 that Congress authorized a steam warship to be designed by Robert Fulton. The war ship christened Demologus was delivered to the United States Navy in June of 1816, just as the war was ending. The warship saw only one day of service. Steam war ships came too late. American and Robert Fulton had a chance to change naval history, but the war ended and screw propellers came to maturity.
James Madison assessed the status of the U.S. Navy and protection of the ports in his 1809 annual address to congress:
"From a statement which will be made by the Secretary of War it will be seen that the fortifications on our maritime frontier are in many of the ports completed, affording the defense which was contemplated, and that a further time will be required to render complete the works in the harbor of New York and in some other places. By the enlargement of the works and the employment of a greater number of hands at the public armories the supply of small arms of an improving quality appears to be annually increasing at a rate that, with those made on private contract, may be expected to go far toward providing for the public exigency.
The act of Congress providing for the equipment of our vessels of war having been fully carried into execution, I refer to the statement of the Secretary of the Navy for the information which may be proper on that subject. To that statement is added a view of the transfers of appropriations authorized by the act of the session preceding the last and of the grounds on which the transfers were made.
Whatever may be the course of your deliberations on the subject of our military establishments, I should fail in my duty in not recommending to your serious attention the importance of giving to our militia, the great bulwark of our security and resource of our power, an organization best adapted to eventual situations for which the United States ought to be prepared."
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