HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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remained in harbour unequipped. This force is also to be considered as exclusiveof the squadrons at Cuba, as well as those employed in the South Americanand other services, the force of which, though not precisely known, is consi-dered, far as numbers and apparent force extended, to have been far from in-fignificant.

Holland, the quondam pretended ally, but newly created inveterate foe toBritain, was not less active in bearing her part for the service of the con-federacy, than her colleagues of France and Spain had been. Her marine hadbeen increased both in number and in quality ; in the former respect, although atleast the moiety of her marine had been torn from her by capture, or the variousdisasters attendant on war ; there still remained to her a fleet at the close of theeighteenth century, amounting to eighty sail, taking in ships of war of all de-scriptions, as well those of the line as sloops of war. The augmentation ofquality in respect to burthen may be easily discovered by referring to theensuing Chapter, where the dimensions, except in tne higher rates, of whichthere were none taken in the former war, may be accurately compared betweenthose built towards the close of the century, and such as had been launched twen-ty years earlier. The attention of the Northern Powers, far as their abilities ex-tended, had been no less alert. Russia, which had during the preceding conteff,and till the very close of the century, been the active ally of England, had in-creased her marine to fifty ships of the line, among which were seven or eightmounting one hundred guns each, nearly sixty frigates, with a sufficient flotillafor its necessary attendance, and a very considerable force in galleys. This forcewas exclusive of a fleet in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, which ac-cording to report amounted to nearly twenty ships of two decks, besides frigates.The Danes raised their marine to nearly forty ships of the line, twenty frigates,and as many smaller vessels as were numbered in the two preceeding classes.Even Sweden, the least powerful of the three, boasted a navy containing twenty-seven ships of the line, twelve frigates, and forty galleys or smaller vessels ;so that the acquisition of marine strength appeared to be a national fashion, andthose w'ho were most behind in the race, seemed to consider themselves in astate of disgrace and of dishonour.

Amidst all these mighty preparations, surrounded by actual foes, and in some-degree menaced by those who did not display an actual hostile intention, the ma-rine of Britain unremittingly maintained that character which it had before ac-quired, and appeared like an arch to derive additional strength from the pressure

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