240 history of marine architecture.

which it had proudly sustained from the beginning of the year 1793 ; that is tosay, the first commencement of the hostilities. Its navy then consisted of 424sail, among which were 157 of the line, 22 carrying 5 aguns, 138 frigates, and107 smaller vessels. At the close of the year 1800, it had increased to 197 sailof the line, 27 of 50 guns, 251 frigates, and 314 vessels of inferior rate. Amongthe causes and means of augmentation, may indeed be reckoned the actual navy*,for to use an inferior term were to depreciate the exertions of the captors, whichthe manual labour of her enemies have furnished her with ; but, independent ofthese, there were at the end of the year 1800, twenty two sail of the line, twoof 50 guns, thirty five frigates, and fixty nine vessels ranking as sloops of war,exclusive of an infinity inferior in consequence and note, which had beenlaunched since the commencement of hostilities.

* The number of ships and vessels actually belonging to the governments of France, Spain, andHolland, captured or destroyed by Britain, added to those lost in the course of service during the war,amounted to 470 sail; of which 81 were of the line, 35 French, 8 Spanish, and 18 Dutch ; 8 of fiftyguns ; 181 Frigates, 135 of which were French, 14 Spanish, and 32 Dutch; and, 194 Sloops of waror vessels of inferior rate; 140 of which belonged to France, 22 to Spain, and 32 to Holland : added. to thefe, were nearly eight hundred vessels belonging to the different nations before mentioned, allwhich were armed for war though the property of private adventurers, and many of them though mereprivateers were of considerable force. 46 Ships of the line, 59 Frigates, and 54 Corvettes or light ves-sels, which had been captured from the different enemies during the contest, actually formed a partof the British marine at the dofe of the year 1800.

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