Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Invasion.
take , though , only in a fleet of 50 or 60 sail of common merchantmen . Judge , therefore , what must be the case among a fleefof IOOQ sail of transports , Avhere the cargo consists of soldiers , and of horses , the one sick , and the other both sick and frightened ; and Avhere the sailors themselves are so ignorant and unskilful , as to add greatl y to the geneT ral confusion instead of remedying it 1
Indeed some of our patriotic news-writers , speech-njakers , and pamr phleteers , have been p leased to inform us , that our enemies will avoid , or have avoided all these difficulties and dangers by embarking the troops , stores , ammunition , Sec . designed to invade us , on board their great ships of war . But let all such persons , Avhose business it is to in-r timldata and misrepresentbe lainltoldthat a great ship of war , if
, p y , turned into a transport , or flute , as the French term it ; that is , if loaden , or crouded Avith troops , horses , carriages , & c . Sec . is no longer able to use its lower tier of guns , and to act as a great ship of war ; and therefore , that a good frigate of 30 or 4 . 0 guns , is clearly an overmatch for a capital ship of 76 or 80 in those circumstances . So muf lj as to the sailing part of this grand invading fleet ,
III . f he Debarkation of ( he grand invading Army , ' We are now to suppose ( however improbable ) that all , or the far mas ^ or part , are safely arrived on our coasts , and preparing for a descent . Such a fleet as this would soon become visible , as it dreAv near to land , even if Aye had no advice-boats to g ive us quicker notice . An 4 when visiblethe country would be alarmed ; and all the horses ,.
cattlepro-, , visions , Avhesl-carriages , & c . would speedily be removed some niiles hi gher up from ti ) e water-side . From the time they were first de ; crie 4 by our glasses , all the time the transports and convoys had cast anchor ,, and ranged themselves in . proper order fqr a debarkation , three days must at least intervene ; and from tjiat time . to . tlie completion of the debarkation [ horsescannonsmortars ,
carriagesammunitionbag-, , , , gages , tents , provisions , entrenching tools , and every thing included ] there would be at least the spac , e ' of ei g ht days mpre , if not twice a $ . many ; and that too , even if Ave should suppose that our frigates , cut-r ters , cruisers , and privateers , at spa , and our li ght troops 911 hind , gave them no manner of interrupti on , but looked on as unconcerned specta . ^ tors : On a supposition also , that the Avind and weather continued to be
as favourable to them , as tiiey themselves could wish . There is a parT ticular reason , why a debarkation on an English or qn Irish coast , would take up so much longer time than on some others , especially on the coasts of the Mediterranean , or of the Baltic ; for here the tides rise and sink so much every twelve hours , that more than two thirds of the time which mig ht be employed in a 4 ebaikatiqn , are spent in .
Availing for the ebbing or fioAving of the tide . ' This is a great advantage which Ave enjoy , \ vhen acting purel y on the defensive side . After the debarkation is completed , some days must be allotted for rest ; aud in order that the men and horses might recover their sea-sickness , and fatigue , so as to be fit to march . Moreover , several things yionging to the different kinds of carriages , unavoidabl y broke , ^ is-i
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Invasion.
take , though , only in a fleet of 50 or 60 sail of common merchantmen . Judge , therefore , what must be the case among a fleefof IOOQ sail of transports , Avhere the cargo consists of soldiers , and of horses , the one sick , and the other both sick and frightened ; and Avhere the sailors themselves are so ignorant and unskilful , as to add greatl y to the geneT ral confusion instead of remedying it 1
Indeed some of our patriotic news-writers , speech-njakers , and pamr phleteers , have been p leased to inform us , that our enemies will avoid , or have avoided all these difficulties and dangers by embarking the troops , stores , ammunition , Sec . designed to invade us , on board their great ships of war . But let all such persons , Avhose business it is to in-r timldata and misrepresentbe lainltoldthat a great ship of war , if
, p y , turned into a transport , or flute , as the French term it ; that is , if loaden , or crouded Avith troops , horses , carriages , & c . Sec . is no longer able to use its lower tier of guns , and to act as a great ship of war ; and therefore , that a good frigate of 30 or 4 . 0 guns , is clearly an overmatch for a capital ship of 76 or 80 in those circumstances . So muf lj as to the sailing part of this grand invading fleet ,
III . f he Debarkation of ( he grand invading Army , ' We are now to suppose ( however improbable ) that all , or the far mas ^ or part , are safely arrived on our coasts , and preparing for a descent . Such a fleet as this would soon become visible , as it dreAv near to land , even if Aye had no advice-boats to g ive us quicker notice . An 4 when visiblethe country would be alarmed ; and all the horses ,.
cattlepro-, , visions , Avhesl-carriages , & c . would speedily be removed some niiles hi gher up from ti ) e water-side . From the time they were first de ; crie 4 by our glasses , all the time the transports and convoys had cast anchor ,, and ranged themselves in . proper order fqr a debarkation , three days must at least intervene ; and from tjiat time . to . tlie completion of the debarkation [ horsescannonsmortars ,
carriagesammunitionbag-, , , , gages , tents , provisions , entrenching tools , and every thing included ] there would be at least the spac , e ' of ei g ht days mpre , if not twice a $ . many ; and that too , even if Ave should suppose that our frigates , cut-r ters , cruisers , and privateers , at spa , and our li ght troops 911 hind , gave them no manner of interrupti on , but looked on as unconcerned specta . ^ tors : On a supposition also , that the Avind and weather continued to be
as favourable to them , as tiiey themselves could wish . There is a parT ticular reason , why a debarkation on an English or qn Irish coast , would take up so much longer time than on some others , especially on the coasts of the Mediterranean , or of the Baltic ; for here the tides rise and sink so much every twelve hours , that more than two thirds of the time which mig ht be employed in a 4 ebaikatiqn , are spent in .
Availing for the ebbing or fioAving of the tide . ' This is a great advantage which Ave enjoy , \ vhen acting purel y on the defensive side . After the debarkation is completed , some days must be allotted for rest ; aud in order that the men and horses might recover their sea-sickness , and fatigue , so as to be fit to march . Moreover , several things yionging to the different kinds of carriages , unavoidabl y broke , ^ is-i