GENEKAL VIEWS. 



119 



convoys for the galleons and fleets from Mexico. 

 He urged upon the court that ships built of the 

 hard woods of Cuba, would be much more durable 

 than those built of European timber, and that they 

 would also be preferable, for the reason that the 

 timber would not splinter in battle, and consequently 

 i the ships were safer for the crews. His efforts were 

 for a long time unsuccessful, and it was not until 

 about 1723 the present navy-yard was established, 

 and ship-building permanently undertaken. For 

 nearly three-quarters of a century Havana was the 

 great nursery of the Spanish Armada, and from the 

 year 1724 until 1796, the following ships were built 

 there : — 



1724 





50 guns. 



1725 





50 



tt 



1726 



San Geronimo (a) El Retiro . . " 



50 



a 



1726 





16 



a 



1727 



N. S. de Guadalupe (a) El Fuerte, ship of the line. 



60 



a 



1727 





22 



u 



1728 



San Dionisio (a) El Constante, ship of the line. 



54 



u 



1730 





16 



a 





ElJupiter . u 



16 



a 





Nuestra Senora del Carmen three-decker. 



64 



tt 



1731 





60 



U 



1733 



El Africa <£ 



60 



a 



1734 





60 



tt 



1735 



El Asia « 



62 



u 





La Esperanza 4 frigate. 



50 



it 



