4 Iksandar Members 27 posts Report post #1 Posted November 25, 2012 (edited) Gentlemen--I need help..for years I have searched for a particular maritime painting. It depicts (and the modifiers are critical here) the first salute to an American warship by a warship of a foreign power at sea. So, St. Eustatius and Quiberon Bay are out. As I recall the painting, the ships are passing on opposite tacks in a heavy sea. The American I believe was a sloop o' war and the Frenchman likely a small frigate. I need the title of the painting or the name of the artist. Please don't give me links to collections...I have been through dozens of them. Has anyone seen this painting? Your time starts...............NOW! :Smile_teethhappy: Iks `Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Edited November 25, 2012 by Iksandar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
262 ElvenLord Alpha Tester 716 posts 2,084 battles Report post #2 Posted November 25, 2012 (edited) http://upload.wikime...NH_85510-KN.jpg This? http://en.wikipedia....ria_(1775_brig) Edited November 25, 2012 by ElvenLord Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4 Iksandar Members 27 posts Report post #3 Posted November 25, 2012 Nope, ElvenLord, that is the salute from the fort at St. Eustatius. Made famous by Barbara Tuchman's book which has made my web searches hell, although it is a good read. Thanks for the effort, though. Iks `Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2,238 Ariecho Alpha Tester 4,440 posts Report post #4 Posted November 25, 2012 (edited) Also this http://www.thesatiri...irst_salute.jpg This would also echo Elven's answer that the first salute was from a Dutch ship. Edited November 25, 2012 by Ariecho Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2,238 Ariecho Alpha Tester 4,440 posts Report post #5 Posted November 25, 2012 There is also this one, which is different... articleseems to recognize what Iksandar said (French sloop-of-war). "Following this he took command of the 18 gun Sloop of War Ranger in France received the first ever salute to an American man-of-war by a foreign power 8 days after the French had recognized the American Colonies as an independent nation." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4 Iksandar Members 27 posts Report post #6 Posted November 25, 2012 Thanks for the try, Ariecho...BUT the American was not the famous Ranger of JPJ fame....the painting is of two ships only, at sea, very obviously at sea. Iks `Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2,238 Ariecho Alpha Tester 4,440 posts Report post #7 Posted November 25, 2012 Then I'm at a loss, sorry... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4 Iksandar Members 27 posts Report post #8 Posted November 26, 2012 No problem, Ariecho. I probably should have mentioned at the start that this is a Tier 15 search. For example, this morning I looked through 150 pages of Google images with no luck. Iks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1,451 MM2ss Alpha Tester 4,453 posts 535 battles Report post #9 Posted November 27, 2012 Ok, I just paged through two of my books, and nothing. Those books were the Blue Jackets Manual and The Illustrated Directory of the United States Navy. Both cite the St. Eustatius salute to Captain Robinson's Andrew Doria on 16 November 1776 as the first foreign salute to an American vessel flying a flag of an independent nation. Neither make any mention of a first salute at sea from another nations' warship. Additionally, for a very very long time, it has been the tradition in the American as well as the Royal navy to not actually "salute" another warship with a dip of the flag, rather we render "passing honors", whereas merchant vessels 'salute' a warship by dipping the ensign, which is acknowledged dip for dip, so that may be where some of the confusion comes from, as the painting may not be an accurate portrayal of the real event. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4 Iksandar Members 27 posts Report post #10 Posted November 28, 2012 Thanks for your interest, MM. I have begun to search based on all the sloops in the old navy inventory, still no luck. Searching also using all the marine artists I can identify. I know I saw this painting; it was so stirring. I have no artistic bent so I know I didn't imagine it. Iks-at-sea Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2,238 Ariecho Alpha Tester 4,440 posts Report post #11 Posted November 28, 2012 Any chance you'd been abusing the catnip that day? http://www.loseweigh...cat_smoking.jpg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4 Iksandar Members 27 posts Report post #12 Posted November 29, 2012 LOL.....no, I don't roll like that (pun intended). Iks-at-(high?)sea(s) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 anonym_auUiRfWCi1jI Members 2,014 posts Report post #13 Posted December 6, 2012 (edited) Perhaps you could describe the context in which you first saw this, where were you, how old, etc. That might help us all out to filter our search, drill down to a time this image was available in other media categories, and so on. Were you in a museum, a household, outside art show, help us out, iks. Iksandar, on 25 November 2012 - 03:26 PM, said: Gentlemen--I need help..for years I have searched for a particular maritime painting. It depicts (and the modifiers are critical here) the first salute to an American warship by a warship of a foreign power at sea. So, St. Eustatius and Quiberon Bay are out. As I recall the painting, the ships are passing on opposite tacks in a heavy sea. The American I believe was a sloop o' war and the Frenchman likely a small frigate. I need the title of the painting or the name of the artist. Please don't give me links to collections...I have been through dozens of them. Has anyone seen this painting? Your time starts...............NOW! :Smile_teethhappy: Iks `Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Edited December 6, 2012 by anonym_auUiRfWCi1jI Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
