INTRODUCTION CONTENTS. Frenchmen generally, notwithstanding the present inferiority of their Navy, look to that Service rather than the Army for future Successes. Their Reasons for doing so worth 80 The Remedies for the Evils that might result from Delay APPENDIX II. List of General Actions between the British and French Fleets, attended by any Capture or Destruc- tion of Line-of-Battle Ships from 1793 to 1815 - 202 APPENDIX III. List of French Frigates captured by British in single Fight, and of English captured by French - 203 APPENDIX IV. Proposed Remedy for the want of trained Seamen which would be experienced in the commencement THE PAST AND FUTURE OF THE 'BRITISH NAV Y. INTRODUCTION. A FEW words, not as preface, for that, no one would read; but, to explain the writer's views as to the paramount necessity of proportioning and adapting our naval organisation to the new era which has commenced in maritime affairs. I do not allude to those changes, alone, which steam will make, though the introduction of that power will accelerate the operations of war almost as much as it has of travelling; but to the improvements both in the nature and use of naval ordnance,-improvements, which competent judges consider will make future actions at sea far more decisive and destructive than any thing we have heretofore experienced, or can B |