HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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tract and alarm the country by a threatened invasion; but the complete incapa-city under which the enemy laboured, of supporting their intentions by the pro-tection of a proper naval force, rendered totally abortive the whole of their pro-jects ; the utmost they were capable of effecting being the introduction of a bodyof troops, not amounting to four hundred in number, into Scotland; where, asmight naturally have been expected, they were happy in being permitted tosurrender themselves, a few days afterwards, prisoners of war, without hazardingthe smallest resistance.

The alliance between Great Britain and France being at this time of the mostcordial nature, the whole of Europe appeared at their disposal; and yet the dif-ferences which arose with other countries, except in this instance with Spain,never exceeded the equipment of a force capable of being called into actionshould the complaint be neglected, or the injury which it pointed out be refusedredress. After the death of the turbulent Charles, the disposition of Sweden towardBritain became, on the instant, completely changed. Russia, however, in the cha-racter of the implacable enemy to the former, appeared as threatening to driveher into a still lower abyss of distress than the utmost effort of his arms had, erethat time, been able to accomplish. Britain generously stood forth as theprotectress of the former; and the customary remedy, a fleet sent thitherunder the orders of Sir John Norris, compelled the Czar, much against hisinclination, after some diplomatic protraction, to conclude the treaty at Nieu-stadt. The tranquillity appeared general for some years after this time; but in172£>, an alliance having been entered into between Russia and Spain, whichevidently had for its object an attack on Britain, it was deemed necessary again tosend a fleet into the Baltic, under the orders of Sir Charles Wager : its effects werealmost instantaneous; the Czarina, dowager to Peter the Great, notwithstanding herinvetcrately inimical disposition toward Britain, was prevailed upon, by the pru-dential council of her friends, to dismantle her whole naval force, as the mostlikely method of preserving it from insult or destruction. Similar measures wereadopted with regard to Spain ; but the British government, continuing to displaythe same pacific disposition, which peculiarly marked all its measures duringthis period, rather exposed itself to the censure, than the admiration of therest of the world, by the extravagant height to which its forbearance wascarried. Although the hostile intentions of Spain were too well known .to.admit of either controversy or doubt, yet the- British squadrons sent out for theexpress purpose of awing that country and its government into submission, were

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