HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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diclous management, merely in consequence of being larger in size, to baffle theattack of two ships of 70 guns each, belonging to the old class. The advance-ment of more than three hundred tons at one stroke, in vessels of the same rate,was undoubtedly a grand stretch in mechanics; but still the improvement wasnot perfect, and it remained for future architects, who had the advantage ofcontemplating on the benefits and superiority possessed by ships either built bythe French, or in imitation of them, to complete that work of reformation,which their predecessors had successfully commenced. The sixty gun ships,which, on account of the wonderful augmentation of the French vessels, becamequite unfit to be stationed in the line of battle, except in cases of the greatest ne-cessity, were increased from something less than eleven hundred tons, which wasthe quantum of tonnage in general apportioned to ships of that class, to 1350;which, with the addition of four guns to their force, rendered them, though stillinferior in dimensions, far more capable of copin°- with their antagonists of thesame rate. The smaller class of fourth rates, which were those carrying 50 guns,were increased about one hundred tons; those having two decks which carried only44 were entirely laid aside; one only, the Phoenix, having been launched duringthe space of twenty-five years subsequent to the middle of the century. TheFrench having paid no less attention to the augmentation of their * frigates thanthey had to their ships of the line, a new class of vessels was introduced into theBritish navy; they carried 36 guns, and were of about 730 tons burthen. They wereconstructed with every possible attention to their being swift sailers. The endea-vours of the builders provingby no means unsuccessful, the few that were built bywav of experiment, became regarded with an admiration bordering almost on en-thusiasm, so that the command of them was coveted as highly as that of the mostpowerful and complete ships in the British service. The class was not, however,extensive, although held in the greatest estimation ; and, after holding so preemi-nent a place in public opinion for twenty years, became superseded by a superiorsystem of vessels bearing the same description, which were introduced by France.According to the establishment of the British navy previous to the year 17-15,there was not, as before remarked *, any intermediate class of British builtvessels between those of 44 and of 24 guns. This inconvenience became, how-ever, materially remedied by the introduction of one carrying 32 guns, beingfrom 670 to 720 tons burthen, and of a second mounting 28 guns, if mea-suring 600 tons. The sloops of war, and even the vessels of still inferior conse-quence, experienced a proportionate augmentation, so that no exertions werewanting to keep pace with the different improvements introduced by the enemy,

* See page 150.

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