HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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of the latter having, as was generally the case, a very considerable advantage inrespect to swiftness, Mr. Wright reaped no other advantage than that of havingput them to flight, and driven them from their station. Captain Wren, who suc-ceeded to the command in the ensuing year, was fortunate enough to bring themto action ; but being very inferior in respect to force, reaped no other honour thanthat of having again compelled the enemy to retire. To counterbalance thesenegative successes, the French might be said to have gained, at times, some par-tial advantage. Their squadron had the good fortune to fall in with and cap-ture, the Jersey of forty-eight guns, the Mary-Rose, of the same foree, and theConstant Warwick, of forty-two. Sufficiently elated by these events, the countde Blenacque appeared perfectly indifferent as to the disgrace he sustained, onbeing obliged, by an inferior force, to retreat with his prizes.

In 1693, the British government appeared resolved to put an end, at leastfor a time, to all further hostilities in that quarter, and accordingly sent thitherSir Francis Wheeler, an officer of the highest reputation, with a squadron con-sisting of eleven ships of the line, second or third rates, four frigates, and sixother vessels; but though the commander in chief possessed the utmost zealfor the service, nothing material was effected during the whole of the year.

In 1695, till which time hostilities appear to have lain in a nearly dormantstate, captain Wilmot was ordered thither from England with a squadron,which, owing to the knowlege that the enemy possessed no force therecapable of opposing him, consisted of only four small ships of the line, thirdand fourth rates, one frigate, and two fireships ; but the whole of the expe-dition proved unfortunate. A considerable number of the officers and crewsfell victims to disease : the Winchester, of sixty guns, almost a new ship,having ran on shore, was lost on Cape Florida, merely from the weakness andinability of the crew.

At the end of the year 1696, the command in the West-Indies was bestowedon vice-admiral Neville; and as the object for which lie was sent thitherappeared more important than any which had occurred during the precedingpart of the war, so was the force put under his orders greater than had everbefore made its appearance in that part of the world. Mr. Neville himseltproceeded to the place of his destination by an indirect route, having beenordered to convoy as far as Cadiz a considerable fleet of outward bound mer-chant vessels. This service being accomplished, he proceeded, with thegreater part of his force, to the island of Madeira, where he was joined by areinforcement of six ships of war, under the orders of commodore Mees.

VOL. II.

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