The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried

48,600

gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was

sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She

carried no

evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers!).

However, let it be noted that according to her log, "On July 27,

1798, the

U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475

officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot,

11,600

pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."

Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping. "Making

Jamaica on 6

October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.

Then she

headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned

with 550

pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November, she set sail for England. In the ensuing days she

defeated

five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English

merchantmen,

salvaging only the rum aboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless,

although

unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her

landing

party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of

single

malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.

The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no

cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky and 38,600

gallons of stagnant water. GO NAVY!