2005 -- H 6573 ======LC03450 ======STATE OF

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2005 ______

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING JUNE 12, 2005 TO BE "RHODE ISLAND COLONIAL NAVY DAY"

Introduced By: Representative Robert A. Watson

Date Introduced: June 07, 2005

Referred To: House read and passed

1 WHEREAS, The General Assembly of the Crown Colony of Rhode Island and

2 Providence Plantations, meeting in session 230 years ago, on June 12, 1775, at the Kent County

3 Courthouse (now the site of the East Greenwich Town Hall), created the first Navy in the New

4 World; and

5 WHEREAS, This event led to the creation of the first national Navy in the ,

6 forerunner of the modern ; and

7 WHEREAS, The two naval vessels, authorized by the Rhode Island General Assembly

8 on June 12, 1775, to comprise the first Navy, were the flagship Katy and the Washington, manned

9 by 80 and 30 men respectively; and

10 WHEREAS, Commodore Abraham Whipple received the first naval orders ever issued to

11 an American Captain, and another Rhode Islander, Esek Hopkins, was designated Commander-

12 in-Chief of the new fleet by the in December of 1775; and

13 WHEREAS, The town of East Greenwich has celebrated the creation of the first Navy in

14 the New World each year since the 200th Anniversary of the event in 1975; now, therefore be it

15 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

16 Providence Plantations hereby recognizes the historical importance of this event in the

17 development of the Town of East Greenwich and the State of Rhode Island by proclaiming

18 Sunday, June 12, 2005 to be "Rhode Island Colonial Navy Day"; and be it further

19 RESOLVED, That this House hereby applauds the Town of East Greenwich for the

20 celebratory Parade and Ceremonies, being held on Thursday evening at 6:00 pm, June 16, 2005, 1 in recognition of the 230th Anniversary of the Creation of the first Navy in the New World, and

2 furthermore encourages all the citizens of the state to join in the festivities commemorating this

3 momentous historic event.

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