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This page was originally a stub describing the capture of the Essex; it was deleted and redirected to USS Essex (1799), without much explanation, on 11 Dec 2006.
A second page on the subject was started at USS Essex vs HMS Phoebe on 10 Oct 2009.
However that title is incorrect (see talk, here): So I have moved it here (via cut-paste, as a conventional move was not feasible); the edit history for all content changes between 10 Oct 2009 and 16 May 2010 is here. Xyl 54 (talk) 00:36, 17 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]
The current text is misleading, suggesting the location is 57ft off shore, while the original statement was 'at pistol shot' from the shore, and at a sounding of 57ft. From other documents of the period, including the 'Essay on Naval Tactics' by John Clerk a 'pistol shot' is noted in a footnote there (by Admiral Rodney) as being 400yds, a distance seldom achieved when attempting to close for fleet actions.
Hillyar estimated the distance to shore as 'around half a mile' in his log, which is roughly double the distance reported by Porter, so we can state between 400 and 800 yds, without contradicting either. The bottom is gently shelving over most of the coastline - and 400 yds does suit a 57ft sounding in places, but a small distance further along the coast the 57ft sounding does reach out much further. 2A00:23C7:9390:FF01:C428:6D36:DF46:7CD3 (talk) 13:34, 17 July 2022 (UTC)[reply]
