FRANCE. 161 



gorte on with near fuch fpirit as might be 

 expected, owing to what caufe is by no 

 means known; for, in the year 1769, the 

 fleet amounted only to 



3 Firft rates 



8 'Second rates 



7 Third rates 



5 Fourth rates, 



including thofe only which are actually in 

 or fit for fervice ; for the common annual 

 lift is much more numerous. Upon the 

 flocks there are, , at Breft, Toulon, and 

 Rochefort, above thirty fail of the line ; 

 but the building then goes on very ilowly, 

 and there are, in thefe ports, many mips 

 under repairs, and others, which are entirely 

 out of repair, but nothing done yet to them. 

 There are alfo fome {hips building at Dun- 

 kirk, and other ports, which are fmall 5 and 

 fome more in Corfica, where the plenty of 

 timber is very great. There is, farther, a 

 contract executing in Sweden, which will 

 not be concluded yet thefe five years. It is, 

 upon the whole, generally concluded, that, 

 in fix years time, if the government expends 

 fomething more than the prefent arrange- 

 ment, they v. ill be able to equip feventy 

 VOL. IV. M fail 



