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HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

the country itself; and secondly, for the annoyance of all foes who should behardy enough to molest it. Not entirely emancipated from the prejudices and cus-toms of times long since past, no inconsiderable portion of the Turkish marineconsists of galleys, many of which are, however, of considerable dimensions, andmount very heavy guns. Independant of these, the Grand Signior possessed inthe middle of the eighteenth century a naval force not materially inferior to thatwhich the northern powers of Europe respectively considered as sufficient totheir protection and their wants. In form, in force, and in decorations, the Turks,with no inconsiderable assiduity, followed the example of their once implacablefoes, the Venetians. Their ships of war rarely exceeded eighty guns, which, ac-cording to the practice of their enemies and tutors, were almost invariably brass.All the gaudy splendour of gilding, of painting, and carved-work, became inter-mingled with the powers and implements of warfare; so that it might, at firstsight, admit of some dispute whether the floating fabric was not intendedmerely for the purposes of state, instead of the commission of those acts ofhostility, or the sustainment of that species of conflict, which threatened the•demolition of all its grandeur. Upon the whole, however, the Turkishmarine was by no means insignificant, or intended merely for the purposes ofshow and parade. Artists from foreign countries, allured by the general induce-ments of promised profit and visionary honours, submitted to transfer all thoseprinciples of the science which they possessed to Constantinople, and underequally scientific management, the Ottoman squadron might have proved ca-pable of making no contemptible defence against that of any country in theworld. The frigates, or vessels of force too inferior to take their stations inthe line of battle, according to the arrangements of European tactics, werestill superior in quality to their larger ships ; many of them being exceedinggood sailers, and of large dimensions, as well as formidable force, allowing forthe class in which they stood. Their sloops of war, and vessels of still inferiornote, which are the constant and necessary attendants on fleets, were either xebecsgalleys, feluccas, or even faicques; for though, in some particular instances, theTurks may condescend to imitate the example of foreign countries, yet they ri-gidly adhered to that of their ancestors in others. It were, perhaps, as extravagantto expect that the Indian should abandon his canoe, and construct a ship accordingto the European method, as that the Turks should relinquish the use of latteensails, or the peculiar forms adopted by them in the construction of those smallerships of war and vessels intended for commercial purposes, which custom, conve-nience, and the experience of their peculiar utility in the seas and climate of which

they