HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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The singular service that might be derived, in time of war, from vessels soconstructed as to be able to pass through a very shallow water, is established bythe events, as well fortunate as otherwise,* of a variety of expeditions, with theaccounts of which the page of history abounds. In none that ever existed wouldvessels constructed according to the principle invented by Captain Schank, havebeen more useful than in the project set on foot in the reign of king Jamesthe Second, to destroy the fleet of the United Provinces, in its ownport of rendezvous. The scheme, as it is well known, was never attemptedto be carried into execution, perhaps because vessels could not be foundsufficiently adapted to the purpose. The curious State Paper annexed, which has,in all probability, never till now found its way to the public eye, will so wellexplain the requisites of vessels employed on any expeditions of the same nature,as may serve to excuse and apologize for what may be called the EpisodicalAnachronism, and Introduction of it. A variety of remarks and observationsoccur in the course of the proposal, which most wonderfully accord with theideas of Captain Schank, and point precisely to the same object.

Proposals humbly offered to his Sacred Majestie by Captain Robert Holland, atpresent a Captain in the King of Denmark's Sea Service , to destroy all the NorthHolland and Amsterdam Squadron ofCapitall Shipps , in Case of a Warr betweenEngland and the Dutch .

There are two sands or flatts in the Zuyder Sea, between Amsterdam and theTexell ; one called the Pampus, three leagues below the Palus of Amsterdam, onwhich is not more than twelve foote water ; the other is called Wieringen Flatts,about twelve leagues below the Pampus, on which there is not more than fifteenfoote water.

All the North Holland and Amsterdam squadrons of capitall. shipps arebrought downe light, without gunns or provisions, untill below Wieringen Flatts,where those shipps usually ride to mann, victuall, and gunn.

A squadron of tenn men of warr, and six fire-shipps, provided out of theeasterne built, to draw not above twelve loot water each, when manned, vic-tualled, and gunned, may bee made to carry between twenty and forty gunns

each,

* According to the precautions taken in provision of vessels adapted to the purpose, cr thecareless neglect of so wise and indispensably necessary a measure.