T! tend. It too frequently happens that this is not done; and, before it can be done with effect, two operations are necessary: the removal of one impression, and the substitution of another. The President and the Southampton' are "frigates;" the Peacock and the Childers are "sloops-of-war:" and the following statement will show, that one "man-of-war schooner" may differ in force and size from another, to even a greater extent than in the case of the frigate or the sloop. The American privateer-schooner Harlequin, of Boston, measured 323 tons, and mounted 10 long 12-pounders, with a crew of 115 men. Her mainmast was 84 feet, and her fore yard 64 feet, in length. Her bulwark was of solid timber, and four inches higher, and two inches thicker, than that of the British 18-gun brig-sloop. The Whiting schooner and her class, on the other hand, measured 75 tons, and mounted four 12-pounder carronades, with a crew of 20 men and boys; and her bulwark, if it deserved the name, consisted, with here and there a small timber, of an outside and an inside plank. We trust that the importance of the subject, into which we have entered at such length, will be received as an excuse for this digression; but, in reality, it is only the concentration of remarks which would otherwise have been scattered over our accounts of the different American actions, and perhaps not so well understood, nor so usefully applied. Previously to quitting the topic of improvements in ship-building, we have one more observation to make. It has already been stated, that the American government is in the habit of appointing an experienced naval captain, to superintend the construction of each of their larger ships-of-war. This, although accomplished with ease in a small navy like that of the United States, would be quite impracticable in a navy like that of England. But, as in most of the higher classes of British ships it is usual to construct many individuals from one draught, might not that draught, with an accompanying exposé, showing the size of the intended scantling, the number and nature of the ordnance, the length and diameter of the masts and yards, and, in short, every other particular calculated to dispense with the actual inspection of a model, be submitted to a committee of experienced naval officers? Had any three captains or commanders been consulted when the Bonne-Citoyenne's beautifully proportioned form was proposed to be shortened and contracted for "improvement," 2 See vol. iv., p. 315 1 See pp. 271 and 273. the British navy would never have owned such ships as the Cyrus and her 17 class-mates. The number of commissioned officers and masters, belonging to the British navy at the beginning of the year 1813, was :— And the number of seamen and marines, voted for the service of the year, was 140,000.1 1 See Appendix, No. 13. APPENDIX. No. 1.-See p. 78. A List of Ships of the Line and Frigates, late belonging to the French Navy, Captured, Destroyed, Wrecked, Foundered, or Accidentally Burnt, during the year 1809. How, when, and where Lost. Destroyed, April 12, by a British fleet under Admiral Lord Gambier, on the Palles shoal near the road of Isle-d'Aix. Destroyed, October 26, by their own crews, after having been driven on shore near Frontignan, Gulf of Lyons, by a British fleet under Vice-admiral Lord Collingwood. Captured, April 17, by the British 74 Pompée, Castor frigate, and Recruit brig, West Indies. Destroyed, April 12, same as Varsovie, except that the Tonnerre and Indienne were set on fire by their own crews. Destroyed, February 24, by being driven Captured, August 16, at the surrender of Captured, September 21, by a British Captured, February 10, by the British frigate Horatio and consorts, West Indies. Destroyed, February 4, at the attack Captured, April 6, by the British frigate Captured, January 22, by the British Destroyed, December 18, by a British force at Anse le Barque, island of Guadaloupe. No Dutch or Danish vessels above a gun-brig captured in the year 1803; and the only Russian ships-of-war captured were two frigates, the Speshnoy and Wilhemia, detained at Plymouth, but not proceeded against as prize. An Abstract of French Ships of the Line and Frigates, Captured, &c., during No. 2.-See p. 78. A List of Ships and Vessels late belonging to the British Navy, Captured, Destroyed, Wrecked, Foundered, or Accidentally Burnt, during the year 1809. How, when, and where Lost. Wrecked, June 20, in the Wrecked, July 11, on the coast of Africa: crew saved. Foundered, August 8, off Cape Causada: crew, except two or three, perished. Foundered, August 31, on her return from Halifax : crew perished. Foundered, as is supposed, in Wrecked, Jan. 11, on the ice Captured, August 10, by two Danish brigs of war and some gun-boats, off Fredericksvaern. Wrecked, November 3, in the West Indies: crew saved. Wrecked, Dec. 23 (1808), in the Baltic: crew, except eight, saved. Wrecked, in November, in Carlisle bay, Barbadoes: crew saved. |