HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH.

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Active Measures taken by King William to augment the British Navy—the Battleof Bantry Bay—the Diminution of the English Fleet by the various Detach-ments which it became necessary to make—the unfortunate Action off BeachyHead—the Force of the British Divisions—Complaints occasioned by the Mis-fortune—Regulations proposed to be introduced in the civil Department , andManagement of the Navy , by Sir C. Shovel—cautious Conduct of the Enemyduring the Year 1691 —the Quietude in which the Summer passed on—theExertions mutually made by France and England in the ensuing Winter —Defeat of the French Fleet off La Hogue—the Inactivity of England duringthe succeeding Winter , and the improper Measures pursued by the Allies inthe following Summer—the lamentable Disaster which befel the Smyrna Fleetand Convoy under the Orders of Sir George Rook—Armament sent to theMediterranean with Sir Francis Wheeler—Loss of the Sussex—Admiral Russelwith the main Fleet proceeds to the Streights—Success of the various desultoryExpeditions undertaken by the Allied Powers against the French Ports on theSide of the Atlantic—farther Operations in that Quarter during the Conti-nuance of the War—Naval Transactions in the West-Indies—Civil Arrange-ments subsequent to the Peace—Statement of Charges incurred for the Navy —Account given in to the House of Commons relative to the Encrease of Sala-ries , with the different Causes which occasioned it—Losses sustained by theBritish Fleet during the War.

T HE prince of Orange, at the instant he became legally seated on thethrone of Britain, and acknowleged as its sovereign, found himselfunder the necessity of making every possible exertion in his power, to avert theeffects of that resentment which Louis the Fourteenth openly manifested againstthe treatment experienced by the exiled James. Notwithstanding the assist-ance he expected to derive, and as stadtholder he could demand, from the Hol-landers, he soon found that the threats and preparations of France were neitherto be contemned, nor trifled with. The British navy, at the time of the revo-lution, though by no means to be considered in an unflourishing condition, wasrather peculiarly situated, and conditioned. It had increased three fifths sincethe restoration of Charles the Second, and nearly one third since the conclusionof the last Dutch war; but the additions which had been made to it were rather

unfor-