<P> Ceremonial practices for christening and launching ships in the United States have their roots in Europe . Descriptions are not plentiful for launching American Revolutionary War naval vessels, but a local newspaper detailed the launch of Continental frigate Raleigh at Portsmouth, New Hampshire in May 1776: </P> <P> On Tuesday the 21st inst . the Continental Frigate of thirty - two guns, built at this place...was Launched amidst the acclamation of many thousand spectators . She is esteemed by all those who are judges that have seen her, to be one of the compleatest ships ever built in America . The unwearied diligence and care of the three Master - Builders...and the good order and industry of the Carpenters, deserve particular notice; scarcely a single instance of a person's being in liquor, or any difference among the men in the yard during the time of her building, every man with pleasure exerting himself to the utmost: and altho' the greatest care was taken that only the best of timber was used, and the work perform'd in a most masterly manner, the whole time from her raising to the day she launched did not exceed sixty working days, and what afforded a most pleasing view (which was manifest in the countenances of the Spectators) this noble fabrick was completely to her anchors in the main channel, in less than six minutes from the time she run, without the least hurt; and what is truly remarkable, not a single person met with the least accident in launching, tho' near five hundred men were employed in and about her when run off . </P> <P> It was customary for the builders to celebrate a ship launching . Rhode Island authorities were charged with overseeing construction of frigates Warren and Providence . They voted the sum of fifty dollars to the master builder of each yard "to be expended in providing an entertainment for the carpenters that worked on the ships ." Five pounds was spent for lime juice for the launching festivities of frigate Delaware at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, suggesting that the "entertainment" included a potent punch with lime juice as an ingredient . </P> <P> No mention has come to light of christening a Continental Navy ship during the American Revolution . The first ships of the Continental Navy were Alfred, Cabot, Andrew Doria, and Columbus . These were former merchantmen, and their names were assigned during conversion and outfitting . Later, Congress authorized the construction of thirteen frigates, and no names were assigned until after four had launched . </P>

How a navy ship is put into water