encouragement of trade, and the improving and right encouraging its naval strength therefore, we do in the most earnest manner beseech your Majesty, that the sea affairs may always be your first and most peculiar care." And there cannot be a question that, in this instance, the Lords gave utterance to what were then, and have ever since been, the sentiments of the great majority of the nation.

Progress of the Navy. - Notwithstanding the vast naval power of Great Britain in the last and present centuries, the navy did not become formidable till the reign of Elizabeth. Previously to her reign, or that of her father, our sovereigns had but few ships: when they wished to transport an army to France, or to undertake any considerable naval enterprise, it was usually effected by requisitions of ships and seamen from the different seaport towns, which were dismissed as soon as the occasion for their service was over. The naval force collected to oppose the Armada consisted of 176 ships, and about 15,000 men; being a larger armament than had ever been previously brought together under any English commander. But of this fleet, only about 40 ships and 6,000 men belonged to the royal navy; the rest consisting of ships and men furnished by London, Bristol, Yarmouth, the Cinque Ports, &c. At the end of this long and prosperous reign the navy consisted of 42 ships, of different sizes, of the estimated burthen of 17,000 tons, and carrying 8,340 men.

During the pacific reign of James I. the navy, though not neglected, was not materially enlarged. Charles I. added, in the early part of his reign, several ships to the navy; but in 1648 Prince Rupert carried off 26 ships, none of which ever returned to England. So reduced, indeed, was the navy at the commencement of Cromwell's government, that he had only 14 ships of war of two decks, some of them carrying only 40 guns. But his vigorous and able administration speedily raised the navy to a magnitude and power formerly unknown; and, under the command of Blake, it became not merely equal, but superior to that of the Dutch, then the greatest maritime power of Europe. When greatest, Cromwell's navy consisted of about 150 sail, of which more than 50 had two decks. The seamen employed exceeded 20,000. Cromwell divided the navy into rates and classes, nearly in the same way as at present.

James II., when Duke of York, and afterwards when king, paid much attention to the navy and to naval affairs; and greatly distinguished himself in some desperate engagements with the Dutch. At his abdication the navy amounted to 173 sail, measuring 101,892 tons, and having on board 6,930 guns, and 42,000 seamen,

The famous battle off Cape la Hogue, in 1692, gave the British navy an ascendancy over that of France which it has ever since preserved. It was, besides, materially increased during the reign of William III., being continued nearly on the footing on which he left it during the reigns of Anne and George I. In the wars of 1744 and 1755, our naval enterprises were crowned with the most signal success. In 1760, at the demise of George II., the navy consisted of 412 ships, measuring 321,104 tons; the men voted for the naval service that year being 51,645 seamen, and 18,355 marines. The

total sum voted on account of the navy during the same year was 5,611,5084.

The progress of the navy since 1760 is familiar to every one. It is sufficient, therefore, to observe, that, though the combined fleets of France and Spain seemed to have an ascendancy during part of the American war, the victories of Rodney restored our previous superiority. The nature of the struggle with revolutionary France, the bitterness with which it was carried on, and the fleets required not merely for the protection of our own shores, but for that of our mercantile shipping, and of our numerous colonies in all parts of the world, led to an immense increase of our naval force; and while our navy was thus progressively augmented, the decisive victories of the first of June, 1794, and of St. Vincent, Camperdown, the Nile, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar, almost destroyed every fleet that could be opposed to it, leaving us the undisputed masters of the ocean.

Rating of Ships. It is of very considerable importance, in order to insure union in the movements of a fleet, and to facilitate their fitting out and repair, that ships of the same rate or class should not differ materially in size or build from each other: this, however, has been too little attended to. Sir John Barrow mentions, in proof of the inconveniences resulting from the improper rating of ships, that when Lord Nelson was off Cadiz with 17 or 18 sail of the line, he had no fewer than seven different classes of 74-gun ships, each requiring different sized masts, sails, &c.; so that in the event of one of these being disabled, the others could not supply her with stores suitable to her wants! (Supplement to Encyc. Brit. vol. vi. p. 31.)

To obviate these inconveniences, a new classification of shipping was introduced in 1816; and it is now ordered that the Navy shall be rated as follows:

Ships of the 1st rate carry 100 guns and upwards; those of the 2d rate, 80 and upwards; the 3d rate, from 70 to 80; the 4th rate, from 50 to 70; the 5th rate, from 36 to 50; and the 6th rate, from 24 to 36.

Subjoined is an Account of the Ships in Commission and in ordinary in 1792, 1815, and 1835.

This table, and several of those that follow, are extracted from the Navy List, published by authority. This list contains a great deal of useful and important information; and is, in all respects, as superior as can well be imagined to the Army List. The latter contains little or nothing save an account of the general and field officers, and of the officers of the different regiments.

NUMBER of Seamen and Marines, and Sums voted on account of the Naval Service in 1792, 1815, and 1835.

The

N. B.-These sums include the non-e -effective as well as the effective services. expenses of the navy, in 1792, really amounted to 2,561,1921.; for, besides the sums voted, 444,710l. was added to the navy debt, and an armament, not included in the above, cost 131,000l.

ACCOUNT of the various Items voted on the Navy Estimates for the Year 1835-36.

Cost of Building and Repairing Ships.-The expense of building and fitting out ships of war differs widely at different periods: it depends partly on the mode in which they are built, rigged, &c., and partly on the price of timber, iron, canvass, cordage, &c., at the time. The following statement is believed to be nearly accurate, in so far as respects the quantities of timber, canvass, and cordage, required for different classes of ships; but, for the reasons now stated, little or no reliance can be placed on the estimate of their aggregate expense. TABLE showing the Loads of Timber, Yards of Canvass, Fathoms of Rope, required for each Rate of Ships of War, with the Expense of their Hull, Mast, Yards, Rigging, &c.

The wear and tear of ships in the navy when afloat, and especially during war, is necessarily very great, but, owing to the prevalence and destructive ravages of the dry rot in timber, the waste of ships, even when laid up in ordinary, has sometimes been quite extraordinary in fact, instances have occurred in which the hulls of new ships have been found so much affected with this disease, that it has been necessary to give them a thorough repair, or almost to rebuild them, before they were in a state to go to sea! Many plans and precautions have been suggested for obviating the influence of this ⚫ timber plague;" but their success, though considerable, has been far from complete. Recently, however, Mr. Kyan has discovered a process for preparing timber, which the concurrent testimony of the most skilful judges, and a pretty considerable experience, would seem to prove is effectual for the prevention of dry rot. Should such be the case, the advantage will be very great, not merely in the saving of expense in the repair of his Majesty's ships, and of our mercantile navy, but in rendering ships more efficient, and in preventing the destruction of much valuable timber. Subjoined is an account, deduced from the navy estimates, of the cost of building new ships, and of the expense of the repair and of the ordinary wear and tear of his Majesty's ships, from 1800 to 1819, both inclusive.

ESTIMATED Charge for the Building, Repair, and Wear and Tear of Ships, from

Government of the Navy. The general direction and control of all affairs connected with the navy is intrusted, under his Majesty, to the Lord High Admiral, or to the commissioners for discharging the functions of that officer. The duties of the Lord High Admiral were formerly judicial as well as administrative; he having not merely to govern the navy, but to preside over a court for adjudging all nautical cases, and for taking cognisance of all offences committed on the high seas. But the judicial are now separated from the other duties of this high functionary, being devolved upon the Judge of the Admiralty Court.-(See ante, p. 331.)

From the reign of Queen Anne down to the present time, with the exception of the short period during which his present Majesty, when Duke of Clarence, held the office, the duties of the Lord High

Ci

Admiral have been discharged by commissioners. These have consisted generally of a first lord, and of four or six junior lords. vilians may be appointed to these offices; but at least two of the lords are always professional men. But, though assisted by junior lords, practically, all the power and authority of the board is vested in the first lord. We agree with those who contend that this is the best arrangement. It gives that efficiency and consistency to the orders of the board they could hardly be expected to possess were the authority of the different lords equal; and it also produces a greater responsibility and attention to his duties on the part of the first lord. The powers exercised by the Board of Admiralty are very extensive and important. By their orders all ships are built, repaired, fitted for sea, or laid up in ordinary, broken up, or sold; put in commission, or out of commission; armed, stored, and provisioned; employed on the home or on foreign stations. All appointments, or removals of commission and warrant officers, are made by them; and all instructions issued for the guidance of their commanders; all promotions in the several ranks emanates from them; all honours bestowed for and without services, and all pensions, gratuities, and superannuations for wounds, infirmities, and long services, are granted on their recommendation. All returns from the Fleet are sent to the Board of Admiralty, and every thing that relates to the discipline and good order of every ship. All orders for the payment of naval monies are issued by the lords commissioners of the Admiralty; and the annual estimate of the expenses of the navy, prepared by them, is laid before Parliament for its sanction. All new inventions and experiments are submitted to them before being introduced into the service; all draughts of ships must have their approval; all repairs, alterations, and improvements in the dock yards, and all new buildings, of every description, must be decided upon by them before they are undertaken. (Supp. to Ency. Britannica, art. NAVY.)

There are three gradations of admirals, viz., admirals, vice-admirals, and rear-admirals; and each of these dignities consists of three divisions, distinguished by the colour of their flags. Thus, there are admirals of the red, the white, and the blue squadrons, bearing their respective flags at the main-top-gallant mast-head; vice-admirals of the red, the white, and the blue squadrons, bearing their respective flags at the fore-top-gallant mast-head; and rear-admirals of the red, the white, and the blue squadrons, bearing their respective flags at the mizen-top-gallant mast-head. All admirals, whatever be their rank, take the common title of flag officers.

Admirals rank with generals in the army, vice-admirals with lieutenant-generals, and rear-admirals with major-generals. The command of each ship is intrusted to a captain, or to a commander, who has under him a certain number of lieutenants, according to the size of the ship, with a master, purser, midshipmen, gunners, &c. A captain of three years standing ranks with a colonel in the army, and a captain of less than three years standing with a lieutenant-colonel; a commander ranks with a major, and a lieutenant with a captain. The captain is responsible for the discipline and efficiency of the crew, and the good order of the ship. Notwithstanding he is fur