HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.
183
not improbably the result of accident, may be considered as the most perfectthat were then given to a ship of war in that class. The same species of dis-parity pervaded every inferior rate; but it were perhaps a useless waste oftime to carry it farther, or do more than state the mere existence of that fact.
The mercantile interest, that is to say, the merchants of France, appear aboutthe middle of the eighteenth century to have struck into a new, and on someoccasions, perhaps, not impolitic measure, though it never has been adoptedby Britain, of equipping large ships, some of which mounted sixty or sixty-fourguns, for the transport of their commodities, instead of employing, as is thecustom and practice of private persons in all other countries, much smaller,and, for the most part,unarmed vessels. The arguments that might be drawn,and fairly too, on both sides of the question, would fill, of themselves, volumes,without being able, perhaps, to produce any satisfactory decision on the measure,as to its propriety, or impropriety. The use of large ships armed properly forwar, may be said to augment the maritime strength of a country ; but, the hopeof gain, on the other hand, may not only induce their commanders to delay thei'rvoyages, but to run much greater risks, than prudence can render warrantable.The same species of question and explication might be continued, withoutlosing or gaining much advantage on either side, to the end of the chapter.
Great as had been the exertions of France during peace, her losses sustainedin the war which followed it*, reduced her marine to a state scarcely less deplo-rable
* A List of French and Spanish Ships of War taken, destroyed, or lost, from the Commencement to the
Conclusion of the War.
Dates. French ships taken.
1758 By admiral Osborne’s squadron in the Mediterranean
1759 By sir Edward Hawke’s fleet, Nov. 2 o1755 The Orford and Revenge, in the bay of Biscay
jl.g j By admiral Boscawen’s fleet, off cape Lagos
1761 I3y the Bellona
1755 1 By the Dunkirk and Defiance, two of admiral Bosca wen’s fleet,1755 J in North America
1757 Eagle and Medway, off Lisbon
1758 Admiral Osborne's squadron, in the Mediterranean1758 By the Dorsetshire, in the bay of Biscay
1758 By the Antelope, in the British channel
1759 By the boats of the fleet at Louisburg1759 By admiral Boscawen’s fleet, off cape Lagos
1761 By the Hero and Venus
A a 2 St.
Foudroyant
Guns.
84
Formidable
80
Esperance
74
Temeraire
74
Centaur
74
Courageux
74
Alcide
64
Lys
64
Due d’Aqtritaine
64
Orphee
64
Raisonnable
64
Belliqueux
64
Bienfaisant
64
Modeste
64
Benin
64