SHIP. 



mfnts of a palace ; banquetting-rooms, galleries, gardens, 

 fifli-ponds, (tables, mills, batlis, a temple of Venus, &c. 

 It was encompafled with an iron rampart, and eight towers, 

 ■with walls and bulwarks, furnifhed with machines of war, 

 particularly one, which threw a ftone of three hundred 

 pounds, or a dart twelve cubits long, the fpace of lialf a 

 mile ; with many other particulars related by Athenxus. 

 Deipnofophill. lib. v. p. 204, &c. ed. Caufab. Lugd. 



A (hip is undoubtedly the nobleft machine that ever was 

 invented, and confiils of fo many various parts, that to form 

 feme idea of its importance and qualities will require the at- 

 tention of the gentleman and the artift. 



All (hips at firft were of the fame form, whatever ufes 

 they were deiigned for ; but the various ends of navigation, 

 fome of which wtre better anfwered by one form, (ome by 

 another, foon gave occafion to build and fit out fhips, not 

 only different in fize, but alfo in their conftruftion and 

 rigging : and as trade gave occafion to the fitting out large 

 fleets of different kinds of merchant-fhips, fo fhips of war 

 became necellary to preferve them to their juft owners. 



The gradually improving ftate of (hipping, in the lad 

 century, has kept pace with the regular advancement of 

 every other branch of mechanical fcience. For, prior to 

 that period, even our firft-rate (hips, now equal in perfec- 

 tion to thofe of any other rate, were then extremely de- 

 fe&ive, as their want of (lability made their magnitude 

 highly objeftionable. Thefe difadvantages have been gra- 

 dually obviated, fince the ufual caufes of inftability have 

 been difcovered, the dimenfion enlarged, and the praftical 

 management familiarized ; and they are now, in general, 

 efpecially thofe that have moll (lability, admirable (liips in 

 mod rcfpefts ; as they fail v;cll, and combine almolt every 

 good quality. Large as they are, they are perfeftly ma- 

 nageable ; and their evolutions are generally made with 

 wonderful facility. 



Second-rate Jhips, or thofe about ninety guns, have too 

 generally thofe defefts in their condruiilion, which con- 

 tribute to inftability, arifing from want of that capacity 

 which moil of the firll -rates poffefs. The French, on this 

 account, have difcontinucd this clafs of (hipping. 



Third-rale Jhips, or thofe of eighty and feventy-four guns 

 upon two decks, are altogether the moft ufeful and valuable 

 (hips in the navy ; and pollelling, in an eminent degree, all 

 the properties of capacity, (lability, and fwiftnefs ; the 

 particulars of which lad property will be found hereafter 

 under Siiii'-building, and this (hip may be confidered as 

 the firll of its clafs, from its great length and fuperior 

 capacity. 



The above are particularly diftinguifhed as line-of-battle 

 fliips, and are found in general to fuit the moft powerful exi- 

 gencies of the naval fervices. About ten years ago an addi- 

 tional lieutenant was appointed to the line-of-battle (hips. 

 Sec Rate. 



Fourth-rate Jhips are thofe of fifty guns. They may be 

 employed, if neccffary, in the line-of-battle, but moft fuit- 

 able to be dationcd amongft the foreign colonies, or on ex- 



peditions of great didance ; fmce thefe vefTcU are ufually 

 excellent for keeping a;id fuilaining tiic fea. 



Fijth-rate Jhips arc frigates of from forty-four guns to 

 thirty-two jfuns upon one d'.ck, and even to fifty gunc ia 

 America, (being reftrifted formerly to vcdels of war with 

 one deck ) ; and though too weak to fuffcr the (Ik ck of 

 a line-of-battle, they are very ufeful to accompany fleets, to 

 lead the convoys of merchant-fhips, to protctt colonial 

 commerce, to cruize in different ftations, or to be fent ex- 

 prefs with neccdary intelligence and orders. 



The forty-four gun frigate being the moft powerful, and 

 moft valuable of this clafs, has induced us to give a plate of 

 one, fo conllrufted as to have all the qualities which can 

 pofTibly be united in one (hip ; for having but one deck, 

 her breadth and height are fo proportionable to her length, 

 that (he may be brought down in the water to that depth 

 which is allowed to be the bed failing trim for (hips in 

 general. Ships of fifty and thirty-tight guns have four 

 lieutenants. See Rate. 



The Jixth-rale includes all the fmaller clafs ©f veffels in 

 the navy, except the yacht, fire-fhip, and bomb-veffel : 

 they are claffed as fifth-rates, to increafe the pay ; the former 

 by way of diftinftion, the latter on account of the dangers 

 to which they are expofed. Frigates of twenty-eight, 

 twenty-four, and twenty guns, are in this clafs ; but thofe 

 with the thirty-two gun (hip, in the former clafs, are fo 

 inferior to the forty-four and thirty-fix gun frigate, as not 

 to deferve notice nor continuance hy a great maritime power. 

 Ships of twenty gune, and all veliels upon the eftablilhment 

 of (loops of war, have two lieutenants. See Rate. 



The large (loop of war and brig are very ferviccable 

 veliels to cruize againft privateers, contraband trade, and for 

 fmall convoys. Some of the latter have lately been built in 

 this country, and are admirably adapted for good fea-boats, 

 as well as good failers ; their upper works being light, all 

 unnecefTary top-hamper avoided, having a fnug ftern, and 

 apparently every good quality that can be expefted in a 

 vedel of this defcription. 



One of thefe vedels, the Raven, upon being fitted for 

 fea at Woolwich, under the diredlions of her very ingenious 

 and aftive commander, captain William Layman, had, 

 agreeably to his recommendation and widies, among other 

 alterations, the two foremoft ports clofed up, and the guns 

 taken away ; in lieu of which was fitted in middiips, im- 

 mediately before the f«re-maft, a fixty-cight pounder car- 

 ronade upon a fixed traverfe carriage, fo as to fire in alinoll 

 every diredlion clear of the giniwalc ; and, in lieu of tlie 

 two (tern-chafers, a carronade ot the fame power, upon an 

 mclined plane abaft. The wonderful accedion of force 

 derived from thefe alterations, and the great advantages to 

 be derived from them in chace, in clearing an enemy's 

 coaft, &c. are too obvious to need comment. 



Ships in the royal navy are commanded by pod-captains 

 to 22 guns ; (loops by mafter and commander. 



The following Table furnillies a correft lid of the dimen- 

 fions of (hips of different rates. See Rate, under which 

 article a kfs pcrfcA tabic is uiiericd. 



