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HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

ever, to create and collect, during the continuance of the first war betweenGreat Britain and Holland, a fleet consisting of no less than thirty ships of theline, besides frigates; so that even before the execution of the treaty at Bredah,France began to be considered as a maritime power. The policy of the princesuggested the measure, and the unsuspecting temper of Charles the Second,added to the irritable principle of the Dutch government whenever it consi-dered its commercial interest likely to be affected, rendered it successful. Byalternately alarming each party against the other, by extolling the necessity ofsupporting what is called the dignity of nations in one country, and the pecu-niary or more immediate interest of the people in another, he completely suc-ceeded in keeping the two countries of Great Britain and the United States ofJ lolland in a perpetual state of broil and ferment, till every end he washed toaccomplish w'as completely carried into effect. It has been very judiciouslyobserved, that the different w'ars w’hich took place between Great Britain andHolland duriug the reign of king Charles, furnished the French, according totheir ovui confession, with the opportunity of learning, at the expence of themaritime powers, the advantage of maritime consequence, and the means bywhich it was to be acquired.

Previous to this time, France, as already pointed out, had continued for a seriesof years in a state of perfect insignificance as a naval power, and in the mostcomplete ignorance of even the theory requisite to the constitution of one; butby alternately becoming the ally of Holland and of Great Britain, having at thesame time special care not to be too materially involved in the contests whichtook place between them, Louis soon found himself and his people such adeptsin their new science, as to be able to face either of his quondam allies singly,and, ere many years had elapsed, to threaten defiance to them both conjoined.Such was the strange reverse of fortune, or rather such was the revolutionproduced by the altered system of political arrangements, from the time whenFrance, under the administration of the proud Richlieu, had felt itself underthe sad necessity of applying to the usurped authority of Cromw'ell for relief andprotection from an attack wfith which the country W'as threatened by Sweden.

In 1667, France, who, at the commencement of the dispute between GreatI)ritain and Holland, had declared herself the ally of the latter, ventured, forthe first time, to take on herself a naval character, and join her squadrons tothose of the United Provinces. The West Indies became the scene of combat,fc.ut the event was by po means favourable to her infantine naval powder.

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