As many of you know in the beginning of the 19th century Thomas Jefferson and his Democratic Republicans virtually destroyed the US navy and in its place built a fleet of short ranged gunboats. The gunboats were supposed to fill the role of protecting the coast of America while at the same time not entangling America in foreign involvements.
Now OTL Jefferson's gunboats proved pretty much completely useless. They were too slow and small to be much good at anything. A single hit from a naval cannon would usually completely destroy them. They were very hard to crew in a timely manner.
My question is could it be conceivably possible that Jefferson's boondoggle could prove useful in anyway at all?
Now OTL Jefferson's gunboats proved pretty much completely useless. They were too slow and small to be much good at anything. A single hit from a naval cannon would usually completely destroy them. They were very hard to crew in a timely manner.
My question is could it be conceivably possible that Jefferson's boondoggle could prove useful in anyway at all?