322
HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.
commencement of it, must either be unfounded, or the number of ships in astate of construction, at one time, must have far exceeded the ordinary boundsof belief. Equally erroneous is the statement which has been generally receivedas authentic, of the losses France sustained in her marine within the sameperiod. The amount of them is made to extend to no more than fifty-ninevessels including the smallest corvettes, or sloops of war. Seventeen ofthese only are represented as exceeding fifty guns each, but it is an indisputablefact, that at least that number were sunk, burnt, or otherwise destroyed, in orimmediately after the engagement off La Hogue -j-. Although no other in-
* Account of the Loss sustained by the French in their Navy during the Warfrom the Year 1680 to 1697 : ■■ ■ ■
No. of Ships.
Guns.
Total of Guns.
2
-
104
-
-
208
1
-
90
-
-
90
2
-
80
-
-
160
3
-
76
-
-
228
1
-
74
-
-
74
1
-
70
-
-
70
1
-
63
-
-
68
2
-
60
-
-
120
4
-
56
-
-
224
1
-
50
-
-
50
1
-
48
-
-
48
1
-
42
-
-
42
1
-
40
-
-
40
5
-
32
-
-
160
5
-
30
-
-
150
5
-
28
-
-
140
1
-
26
-
-
26
8
-
24
-
-
72
3
-
20
-
-
60
6
-
18
-
-
108
1
-
16
-
-
16
2
-
12
-
-
24
6
-
10
-
-
60
1
/
6
-
. -
6
Total 59
Total
2244
+ See the list, page 314.
stance