STATE PAPERS. 



5S9 



to be built, from the forms and 

 models so lately established. This 

 was granted, but not till the Board 

 had been called upon by the Coun- 

 cil, to lay before it a particular 

 account of the alterations and va- 

 riations designed ; and on several 

 subse(|uent occasions, in which the 

 said establisiiment was departed 

 from, a minute detail of the va- 

 riation was previously submitted 

 for the approbation of his Majesty 

 in Council. We the rather notice 

 these particulars, to show the dif- 

 ficulty, not to say the impossibility, 

 of establishing and adhering to any 

 fixed forms or scantlings ; on which 

 subject we shall humbly subuiit 

 some observations hereafter. 



bubsecjuent to this period, the 

 introduction of 74's appears to 

 have gradually advanced, as well 

 as of fiigates of intermediate sizes, 

 between 44's and'24's; for, in the 

 latter end of the reign of King 

 George the Second, the classes of 

 ships comprised in the several rates 

 were as follow, viz.: — 



During the whole of the period 

 herein before referred to, and in- 

 deed down to J793, the force of 

 the ships was stated from the ac- 

 tual number of guns they really 

 carried ; but the introduction of 

 carronades, which began partially 

 in 1779, and which was finally 

 adopted, on the present extended 

 scale in the Navy, during the 



course of the first revolutionary 

 war. Increased the armament of 

 the vessels, as they were found 

 able to carry a greater num- 

 ber of caironades than the guns 

 in whose stead they were adopted, 

 so that the real force of the ships 

 has no longer corresponded with 

 their nominal force; and that prin- 

 ciple of variation being once ad- 

 mitted, ships have since that time 

 received denominations as to their 

 number of guns, often, we believe, 

 capriciously, and in one or two 

 classes only, of the whole navy, 

 agreeing with their real force. 



A few instances will show your 

 Royal Highness the inconsistencies 

 into which this deviation from the 

 old rules of the ser\ice has led. 



The Caledonia, rated 120 guns, 

 carries 120 guns; while the Hi- 

 bernia, a ship of nearly the same 

 dimensions, which carries exactly 

 the same number of guns, is rated 

 only at 110 guns, being a less 

 number by 4 than that at which 

 the San Joseph is rated, though 

 the former has in fact 10 guns 

 more than the latter. 



All ships of the second rate, 

 though rated at 93, carry upwards 

 of 100 guns, and they have all 

 more gvms than the St. George, a 

 first rate, which is rated and car- 

 ries 100 guns ; and they ought all, 

 therefore, according to the esta- 

 blished regulations, to be included 

 in the first rate, and there are in 

 fact no real second rates, viz. three- 

 deckers of between 90 and 100 

 guns, at present existing in the 

 Royal Navy, in a sea-going con- 

 dition. 



In the third rate, some of the 

 ships rated at 80 guns carry near 

 90, and others rated at 74 cairy 

 80 guns, but the majority of the 



Z 2 same 



