American heavy frigates and the limits exposed in 1812

American heavy frigates could fight effectively within a chosen range of engagements. They were unsuitable substitutes for ships of the line, especially against a concentrated battle fleet. One criticism of American planning for 1812 is that heavier ships arrived too late for the war, leaving the navy unprepared for the strength it eventually faced. Expectations of a welcome in Canada also overlooked settlers who had left the former colonies after independence and wanted to remain outside the United States. The wider argument is that immediate economy can leave a navy without the forces required for the war its government chooses to begin.