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HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

CHAPTER THE TENTH.

Comparative View of the Conduct and Condition of the different Naval Powersin Europe.—Insignificance of the Portuguese Navy when that Country was ,towards the Conclusion oj the preceding War, invaded by Spain.-^Account ofthe Turkish Marine.—State and Quality of the Shipping belonging to the NorthAmerican Colonies then subject to Great Britain , and also to those districtsunder the Dominion oj Spain.—Destruction of the Turkish Fleet in the Bay ofChtsme.—Commencement oj the Dispute between Great Britain, and the AmericanColonies.—JVar with France and Spain.—Naval Force of those Countries .—Rupture with Holland.—Statement of the Strength of the Russian , Swedish ,and Danish Navies.—Power of the Armed Neutrality. — Circumstances whichled to Occasion it.—Effects of the War.—New Regulations introduced by theFrench in the Dimensions of their Ships of JVar in 1786, together with a Statementof various Regulations and Principles adopted by the latter as a Public Ordi-nance.—Exertions made by them, as well as the Spaniards, in Augmentation ojtheir Marine.—Rupture between France, Britain, and Spain, as the Confede-rate of the Latter.—Spain deserts the Confederacy and attaches herself toFrance.—State of the Neapolitan Navy.—Consequent Rupture with Spain andDejeat of her Fleet off Cafe St. Vincent.—Losses sustained by her in other Partsof the JVorld.—General Account of Events which took place previous to theClose of the Eighteenth Century, with the Condition and State of the BritishMarine brought down to that Time.

HP HE events of the preceding war, and the comparative condition of thebelligerent powers at the conclusion of it, appeared to have clearly de-fined the rank and precedence of every maritime state in Europe. Thequiescent state of other nations, while Great Britain, France, and Spain, wereengaged in furious contest, formed no slender proof that they either consideredthemselves unfit, on account of their inferiority, to enter the lists, or that theyrested content with that less exalted situation which they found less exposed tocontest, expense, and blood-shed; preferring the comforts of national harmonyto the various distresses and inconveniences which the struggle, and not un-frequently the actual acquisition of splendid power, fails not to bear with it,, as