of the Sterns of Ships. 327 
water abaft was twenty-two feet three inches, the height of the 
stern above the water fifty feet nine inches, and she originally 
had six decks or platforms abaft, on which guns might be car- 
tied. Contemporary writers say, that ‘ she was built for shew 
and magnificence, but that being taken down a deck lower, she 
became one of the best men-of-war in the world.” The only 
deck which could have been removed was the top-gallant 
round-house, or poop-royal, as it is sometimes called, which, 
by lowering the stern about six feet, no doubt, would render 
her a better ship for sea purposes. This opinion is founded 
upon official documents, for it appears the Sovereign was 
always considered a first-rate until taken to pieces to be rebuilt. 
It is worthy to be placed upon record, that it was not only the 
sterns of ships, at the period of which we are speaking, that 
were overloaded with ornaments, but the heads also, for the 
prow of this ship extended forty-three feet six inches from the 
line of fluitation, and was covered with massive carved work. 
The cumbrous and expensive mode of building and orna- 
menting the heads and sterns of ships of the first class, continued 
until the year 1699, when directions were given by the govern- 
ment “‘ to be more sparing in the carved work, and other deco- 
rations.” ‘The balconies in the quarters were, however, fitted 
until the year 1729, when these projections were discontinued, 
and close galleries adopted. 
To lower the height, and to lessen the weight, of the sterns in 
large ships, the poops royal were omitted in those built and re- 
paired after the middle of the last century. From this period 
little appears to have been done to alter or amend the heads 
and sterns of our ships of war, as they still continued to exhibit 
massive carved work, which was a disgrace to the taste and 
science of the country, until the year 1796, when Earl Spencer, 
who carries his scientific knowledge into all the useful concerns 
of life, being then First Lord of the Admiralty, directed that the 
ponderous heads should no longer be continued, nor should there 
be galleries or carved work in their sterns. Although this was 
a considerable step towards improvement, by reducing the 
weights in the extremities of ships, nothing was done to render 
