156 '

HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

modern practice in all similar cases. The most material appears to have beena custom, which since that time has been frequently adopted, and even withinthe last twenty-five years, by foreign powers, particularly France, of indiscrimi-nately employing land officers as admirals, or naval officers as generals. Thereseems to have been no difference even in naval command, between theearl of Essex, the general, and the lord Thomas Howard, the admiral, for the

manifesto, published and dispersed on the occasion, begins in these terms :-

“ We Robert, earl of Essex and Ewe, &c. &rc. and Charles lord Howard,baron of Effingham, lord high admiral of England, &c. having the charge of aroyal navy of ships, &c.” It appears, moreover, that Sir Richard Wingfield,who certainly was a land officer, and had his company of 150 men embarkedon board the Blue Pigeon, who also lost his life fighting as a land officer in theassault on Cadiz, did, in the preceding attack, when the harbour was forced,command the Vanguard on that occasion, and rendered, in that station, themost essential service.

The same custom has in some, though very few instances, been continued *in Britain till the time of queen Anne, when the earl of Peterborough wasjoined, as a co-admiral, with the renowned Sir Cloudesly Shovel ; but goodexperience having shewn the absurdity of the measure, it has, since thattime, been very judiciously abolished. No other expedition so consequentialas the last, nor any new arrangement in the management of the navy, appearto have taken place during the remainder of this queen’s reign.

* As in the case both of the duke of Albemarle and prince Rupert. Temp. Car. 2.

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