Photo By Ezra Bolender | French navy tall ship, Hermione, moors in the Newport Harbor following its arrival...... read more read more
By Daniel L. Kuester, U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. – The French tall ship Hermione arrived in Newport Wednesday for a two-day visit and was greeted by several dignitaries including Rear Adm. P. Gardner Howe III, president of U.S. Naval War College (NWC), during an event at Fort Adams State Park.
The current Hermione is a replica of its namesake ship that brought French Gen. Lafayette to America in 1780 to announce that France was supporting the American independence movement.
The welcome ceremony was held pier side and hosted by Roger Begin, honorary consul of France in Rhode Island, and also included remarks by Teresa Paiva-Weed, Rhode Island state senator; Fabien Fiechi, consul general of France in Boston; Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, mayor of Newport; and Yann Cariou, captain of the Hermione. The Navy Band Northeast performed patriotic songs.
In his remarks, Howe highlighted the remarkable effort to create the ship.
“This is unique in naval history. Never before has such a painstakingly-accurate replication been accomplished,” said Howe.
The ship was built as a near-exact reproduction of the original using period tools and techniques.
The vessel made the trip from France to the United States this summer is sailing up North America’s Eastern Seaboard making several port calls until it returns home later this month.
The replica Hermione is a 216-foot Concorde class frigate with three masts and is 185 feet tall. The ship displaces 1,166 tons and carries a crew of 242.
Howe went on to mention the long partnership between the two countries.
“It is important to recognize that the United States Navy has sailed with our sea-going partners from Marine Nationale [French Navy] for centuries, and Americans are proud to claim France as one of our oldest allies,” Howe added.
Rhode Island has a long history of naval excellence from the exploits of natives Oliver Hazard Perry during the War of 1812, and John Chafee serving as secretary of the Navy from 1969 to 1972.
In honor of the guests, Napolitano gave her greeting entirely in French, which drew smiles and applause from the French and American audience.
The Hermione arrived in Yorktown, Virginia, on June 5. It has since sailed to Mount Vernon and Alexandria, Virginia; Annapolis and Baltimore, Maryland; Philadelphia; and New York and Greenport, New York. After departing Newport, the ship will sail to Boston; Castine, Maine; and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada, before returning to France.
More images available at https://flic.kr/s/aHskffZnrQ
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.09.2015 15:24 |
| Story ID: | 169543 |
| Location: | NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 239 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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