Curvilineal Sterns of Ships. 221 



the gallant officer, " that twenty-four men fell from the first dis- 

 charge." The fact alluded to, also, of most of the frigates having 

 cleared away the timbers next the rudder, plainly proves that the 

 old arangement of the stern was not considered as advantageous 

 by a considerable number of officers. 



There is one other objection that has been urged against the 

 adoption of the curvilineal stern, and which I would briefly advert 

 to before concluding this paper, and that is, that British skips were 

 never intended to turn their sterns to the enemy ; and that our 

 sailors ought not to be taught the possibility of running away. 



If British seamen were really so low in the scale of moral and 

 physical energy, and their love of country and national glory so 

 feeble and languid, that mere alteration of form could diminish 

 their enterprise and spirit, and weaken the noble devotedness which, 

 under all circumstances, they have hitherto so enthusiastically dis- 

 played, the objection might be supposed to have some weight ; — 

 but when we know, on the contrary, from the most ample and glo- 

 rious experience, that no situation or condition, no time or place, 

 is capable of altering or impairing, in the smallest degree, the 

 essential and well-established elements of their character, I can- 

 not consider the objection in any other point of view, than as a 

 severe and an unjust reflection on a brave, a loyal, and a devoted 

 race of men. With equal propriety might it have been urged, at 

 the time that the musket was first introduced, that the personal 

 bravery of a Briton would be impaired, because by the weapon 

 then placed in his hands, he would be enabled to destroy his enemy 

 at a distance, without the necessity of engaging in close combat. 

 Yet we find that, although the musket in its simple state was em- 

 ployed for a very considerable time, when the progress of military 

 improvement eventually added to it the bayonet, no want of reso- 

 lution was displayed in its application ; and, up to the present 

 hour, no one can assert that the personal courage of our brave 

 soldiers is in the smallest degree inferior to what it was when close 

 combat formed the distinguishing characteristic of vvar. And in a 

 race of men like our sailors, whose highest glory it is to conquer 

 difliculties aad obstacles of every kind, it is most unjust and most 



