The modern art of shipbuilding appears to have been derived from the northern tribes, among whom we find that trees hollowed out like canoes were first used. The crusades first gave the impulse to improvements in ship building, which, notwithstanding, continued i for some time at a low ebb. Even in the reign of Edward the First, ships were very insigni ficant in point of size, for it appears that forty men were deemed sufficient to man the largest vessels in England. The states of Venice and Genoa probably first increased the size of their ships, but they were soon surpassed by the Spaniards, who first employed cannon. The Hanse Towns made such advances in naval architecture, that in the fourteenth century it was usual for them to let their ships out to foreign princes. In the reign of Henry 11r. I ships of considerable size began to be built in England, and they continued to increase in magnitude until the reign of Henry VIII. when two very large ships were built, namely, the Regent, of 1000 tons burthen, and the Grace Dieu, which was larger. From
the reign of Charles 11. the navy of Great Britain acquired great importance, and in con sequence of the wars which have been since carried on in several subsequent reigns, it has risen to its present state.
In 1829 the naval force of the principal powers of Europe was as follows : viz. Great Britain, 191 slops of the line, 149 frigates, 178 corvettes, 158 brigs—total, 610. France, 33 of the line, 41 frigates, and 148 other vessels—total, 222. Russia, 81 ships of dif ferent sizes. Netherlands, 12 of the line, 30 carrying in all 720 guns, and 63 in ordinary. Spain, 6 of the line, 12 frigates, and 94 other vessels. Portugal, 2 of the line, 6 frigates, 7 corvettes, 2 brigs, and 6 smaller vessels.
In the late war with Great Britain, the American Navy, though in an infant state, distinguished itself, and obtained an imperish able fame. It now consists of 7 ships of the line, II frigates, 2 corvettes, 12 sloops of war, and 7 schooners.