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HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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CHAPTER THE FIFTH.

State of the British Marine at the. Conclusion of the Treaty at Utrecht—The Dis-putes which took place with Spain during the succeeding Peace—The Measuresadopted by Britain, during that Period, for the Preservation of her Marine —The Conduct of Sweden, with the spirited Measures adopted by Britain in Con-sequence of it—The restless Conduct of Russia—State of the British Marine in1730 —The Interference of Britain in the Dispute between Portugal and Spain —Depredations committed against the British Commerce by the Spanish Guar daCostas—State of the British Navy at the Commencement of the Rupture withSpain, 1739 —III Construction of the Ships composing the British Navy at thatPeriod—A brief Statement of the mistaken Principles on which the MarineArchitects of Britain then acted—The Inconveniences under which Ships so con-trived and built naturally laboured.

T HE peace of Utrecht left Britain in possession of a very formidable navalforce, while that of her foe, dispirited as she must have been by the eventsof the preceding war, appeared little disposed to disturb her tranquillity, at least forsome considerable time to come. Her condition, however, was far from a quietone; and though for, nearly, the thirty years succeeding the cessation of hostilities,no event took place which could be said to merit the name of direct war, if thepetty intervening disputes with Spain, which ceased almost on the instant of theircommencement, are excepted ; yet the frequent equipment of fleets exhibited astate of suspicion, and preparation which at least served to keep her seamen alert,and find employment for her shipwrights. Policy, indeed, had not the supposednecessity of the measure existed, would certainly have dictated a proper atten-tion to both ; and though the naval events which related to Britain are less in-teresting than those in any other of the same length had been, from the com-mencement of the reign of Henry the Seventh, yet the civil department seems tohave been by no means neglected. Attention, however, did not extend beyond theconstruction of a sufficient number of ships to replace those which, through natural

decay,