18 Naval Architecture and 



Essays and Gleanings on Naval Architecture and Nautical 



Economy. 



The impulse which these branches of naval science have lately 

 received, is well exemplified in the above periodical work. 

 This work is worthy of particular notice at the present 

 eventful period of the arts. Not only do the national pros- 

 perity and honour depend on our naval ascendancy, but even 

 our safety and existence as a nation would be endangered by 

 signal defeats at sea. It may be asserted, without fear of 

 contradiction, that the whole range of nautical economy 

 never demanded more serious and ardent attention from our 

 government than at the present time. A vigorous branch of 

 the British stock now actually rivals us in commerce, and 

 has shown the native prowess of its descent by deeds in war, 

 worthy of the original and experienced parent. The junction 

 of France and Spain, uniting a long and contiguous coast 

 of ports to this country, and the internal aspect of affairs in 

 Britain, enforce on us the watchfulness of serious concern, if 

 they do not sound the tocsin of enthusiastic exertion. So 

 much is the present compound existence of the British nation 

 engrafted on her command of the seas, that a single defeat, 

 or a suspension for a short time of her domination, would 

 be a most convulsive crisis, fraught with ruin and inex* 

 pressible distress. 



The progress of events and new discoveries render al- 

 terations expedient ; and it is only by constant examination 

 of these circumstances, and by fostering a knowledge of the 

 principles on which they depend, that we can determine on 

 the line of conduct to be adopted. Repeated epochs have 

 shown us, that the forms of our ships have frequently 

 become antiquated and unfit for further use. Such were 

 the lofty, broad, high-sterned vessels of the seventeenth 

 century. Subsequently, the forty-four gun ships, on two 

 decks, came into disuse. Then followed the sixty-fours; 

 and the seventy- fours are fast going out of vogue. The 

 same might be said of other descriptions of vessels, which 

 there is no occasion to particularise. It is worthy of re- 

 mark, that they were all rendered useless by the superiority, 

 in sailing qualities, of the vessels of our antagonists, who 

 adopted other descriptions of ships, which we were soon 

 obliged to imitate. 



As all those manoeuvres which are performed in military 

 struggles by the marching of troops, are effected in naval 



