HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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stroyed, together with its dock and arsenal, but also burnt four large ships,nineteen gallies, and twenty smaller vessels, which then lay in the harbour.

The victory gained by the royal Edward, who commanded his own fleet inperson, over the same enemy, has, and with great correctness, proved a matterof the highest exultation to all English historians who have considered thehonour of their country as inseparably blended with its victories. The pre-ceding events which led to it may very properly be introduced. As to theencounter itself, it is scarcely necessary to say much: a relation of it, nearlysufficient, having been already unavoidably given in the history of France.Edward had collected a fleet consisting of about forty vessels, with which he in-tended to pass over to Flanders, but when on the point of setting sail, he receivedintelligence from the archbishop of Canterbury, that Philip, his successful com-petitor for the crown of France, having acquired information of his intention,had assembled a far superior force in the port of Sluys to intercept him. Theking was highly irritated at the news, to which, though brought to him fromother quarters, he for a long time refused to give any credit, exclaiming angrily,that it was a concerted measure in order to stop his voyage, but that he wasdetermined to proceed, even though he should be deserted by all his subjects,and that those who entertained any fear, were at liberty to stay behind. Hisprincipal officers, however, asserting, and with truth, that should they proceed,it would be to inevitable destruction, notwithstanding they at the same timedeclared their firm resolution to accompany their sovereign, the king’s obstinacybecame at length shaken. Orders were immediately issued to the different ports,and to London in particular, that the naval force they were bound to send onreceiving the royal mandate, should repair, without delay, to the coast of Suf-folk. These commands were obeyed with so much promptitude, that withinthe space of ten days, the king found himself at the head of a fleet capable ofcontending with that of his adversaries ; while his army was at that time soconsiderably reinforced, that he was under the necessity of desiring many amongthose who had joined him last, to return back to their own homes. Cotem-porary writers, who assert they derived their account from a relation publishedfour days only after the battle, under the authority of the king himself, say, theEnglish perceiving, on their approach to the town of Sluys, that the Frenchvessels were linked together with chains, and that in the state they then lay,it would be impossible to break their line, the former feigned to retreat, and

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