The United States Revenue Cutter ''McLane'' was one of 13 cutters of the Morris-Taney Class to be launched. Named after

Secretaries of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

and Presidents of the United States, these cutters were the backbone of the Service for more than a decade. Samuel Humphreys designed these cutters for roles as diverse as fighting pirates, privateers, combating smugglers and operating with naval forces. He designed the vessels on a naval schooner concept. They had Baltimore Clipper lines. The vessels built by Webb and Allen, designed by Isaac Webb, resembled Humphreys' but had one less port. Named for the

Louis McLane Louis McLane (May 28, 1786 – October 7, 1857) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware, and Baltimore, Maryland. He was a veteran of the War of 1812, a member of the Federalist Party and later th ...

, the tenth Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, USRC ''McLane'' was noted for her beautiful deck finish and cabinet work. An early historian of the Service, Revenue Captain Horatio D. Smith, USRCS, wrote of her:

The Revenue Cutter ''McLane'' when finished in 1832 was ordered to Washington, and while at the Navy Yard was visited by many people, especially members of
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, and was admired by all for her beauty, symmetry and elegance of finish. Her armament was four brass 9-pounders on elegant carriages, with small arms to correspond. Other vessels were built of larger dimensions, but the ''McLane'' excelled them all in beauty and sailing qualities. She was the crack vessel of her time. Subsequently many of hose cutters in her classwere sold ... to
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ns, who used them for slavers.

''McLane'' served in

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

in 1832 and in 1833 sailed to

New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. Up throug ...

for revenue duty there. She capsized in Hadley Harbor in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

during a tornado in 1837, was raised and put back in duty until 1840, when she was sold.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maclane, USRC Schooners of the United States Morris-Taney-class cutters Two-masted ships Ships built by William H. Webb 1833 ships