A Tour Through the Naval and Military Establishments of Great Britain in the Years 1816-20. Transl (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1822 Excerpt: ...when England had to dispute the maritime preeminence with the United States of America, being no longer able to carry on, to the benefit of her reputation, her usual controul over the press, she, in her turn, became degraded in the opinion of nations. It was not until several years after the peace, that she was able to recover, in part, from the loss of this powerful engine. While fighting against us, the English, every time they captured one of our vessels, affected to compare the small number of the guns of the victor, with the great number of those of the conquered. They intended by that to shew, that, even with inferior forces, they were sure of victory. They went still further; the French, (to believe them, ) when they encountered the English, thought of nothing else but escaping; they defended themselves only by flying, and surrendered as soon as there was any danger. (Naval Gunnery, p. 268.) In order to throw some light on the greater part of the single engagements which have signalized the two wars of our revolution, we must shew according to what principles our enemies drew a parallel between their vessels and ours. I shall take my authorities from their own writings, in a work published with a demi-official character, on the last naval war of England against the United States of America, by a gentleman belonging to the navy-office, Mr. James, a writer who often displays the most laudable candour. It was announced in England, that the Furieuse, a French frigate of fifty guns, was taken by the Bonne-Citoyenne, an English sloop of eighteen; that the Traave, a French frigate of forty-four guns, was taken by an English frigate of thirty-eight; and a m ultitude of statements of the same kind were proclaim Voy Ages and Travels, Vol. VII. I t ed with the s..