HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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consequential enough to merit any material notice; since,by parcelling out her shipsto the best advantage, France contrived to divide and subdivide that of her antago-nist also, into so many parts, that there was not sufficient strength in any single quarterto undertake a very memorable enterprize. India, America, the West India Islands,the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, were all of them provided, to a certain extent,with a marine force; and though it had been four times greater than it reallywas, it would not then have proved capable of effecting any very memorable pieceof service. In repetition, however, of what has been before observed, the Englishsquadrons being of necessity multiplied in the same proportion, the system of wartarewas carried on at much less hazard of ruinous discomfiture, than it certainly wouldhave been had the marine of France been more concentrated. In India, Francehad the address to collect a naval force actually superior to that of Britain;yet the war was carried on without advantage or loss to either party, except theneedless expenditure of the sums which the maintenance of the armaments stationedthere, of necessity required. In America, irritated by the loss of so important a postas Louisburg, Louis, conscious as he must have been of the danger that must attendthe attempt, resolved, in the face of so superior a foe, to hazard an expedition forthe hope of obtaining repossession of it. The armament, destined for this purpose,consisted of eleven ships of two decks, eight frigates or other vessels, with nearlyfour-score transports and armed ships, furnished by private adventurers; who, inaid of government, contributed to the undertaking. This luckless expedition, afterhaving been detained in the port of Brest, by contrary winds, for the space of sixweeks after it was completely equipped, at length proceeded on its voyage; but,as though tire first disappointment had been ominously intended by Providenceto cause its abandonment, misfortune appears to have uninterruptedly attended itfrom the moment of its quitting port, to the time of its return thither, in the mostshattered state imaginable about the month of October. After having been detainedon its passage to tire coast of America for more than ten weeks, it was attacked,when it had nearly approached to its place of destination, by a tremendous tempest,which dispersed the whole fleet, destroyed several of the transports, and, in fine, soweakened the force, which was, perhaps, never adequate to the service requiredof it, that the commanders in chief were compelled immediately to return backto Europe, without having ventured at making the smallest attempt. Unfortunateas this measure had been, the French king was not so dispirited as to abandon allfarther hope, even as to offensive measures. Two squadrons were ordered to beequipped in 1747, one of wdiich was intended for the Eaff Indies, the other for6 America,