TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

EARL SPENCER,

FIRST LORD COMMISSIONER OF THE ADMIRALTY,

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MY LORD,

THE propriety of dedicatinga History of Marine Architecture to the FirstLord of the Admiralty, would have been alwaysobvious to him who might venture on the executionof such a task. The great person who may happento fill that high station, seems to challenge a rightto the Patronage of such a Work, which, on theother hand, appears to have something like a naturalclaim to his protection. It is my singular good for-tune, however, in inscribing these Volumes to your

a 2 Lordship,