Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Observations On The Cause Of Our Late Naval Victories.
In the beginning of the year 1782 , when the nation was depressed by the disasters of our arms , and the want of naval success during the American war , Mr . Clerk printed , and distributed amono- hit friends , a few copies of this work , which threw such a light on the subject of sea engagements , that no doubt can be enteiTained that the happy change whichsince that periodhas taken lace in the
, , p naval affairs of Britain , is to be attributed to this ingenious and scientific work . When we look back to our naval tranlaftions before the adoption of the present system , the contrast is so striking as to fill us with regret that it had not been sooner known .
I tie disappointment Which the nation suffered with regard to outgreat naval armaments induced Mr . Clerk to find out , if possible the rause of these disappointments , and to publish his ideas on the subject . Though he was never at sea , he had always attended very much to nautical affairs , and had observed , that diirin ° - the o-,-eater part of the three last wars , when British single ships met withWle ships of force
equal , belonging to any other nation , thr-v were " always an overmatch for the enemy ; or that even in the rencontre of small squadrons , our mariners never failed to exhibit the most skilful seamanship , intrepidity , and perseverance , with uninterrupted success . 1 et when large fleets were assembled , no proper exertion had ever beer , made nothing memorable had been atchieved
; ; more particularl y with the French , whose system was to batter and destroy our rigging , and then escaps themselves unhurt ; Jeavino-rhe bntish rieet too much disabled to follow them ; in fine , to use the author sown words , when speaking of general engagements , < The result has been the same , namely , that in such actions our fleets in the two last wars and the present * have been invariablbaffled
y - nayworsted , without having ever lost a ship , or almost a man' Yet our orficers and men were as brave as they are now , and our ship « were equall y as good ; but experience has proved that we were detective in tactics .
As our mode of attacking was then to range along the line of the enemy , until the van of our fleet came opposite to the rear of his ; and thus our ships ran the' gauntlet of the enemy ' s whole fleet giving them an opportunity to cri pple each ship as it passed , of which the 1 < rench never failed to take advantage . But the happy genius of " individual , by pointmg out a superior mode of . attack , has been enab 1 t 0
unnvT ? ° , "S carry our "aval glory to a pitch hitherto uniivalled in any age or nation . mv' ^ J ?^ , ' inciple ° f Mr > CIe , ' k ' s s ^' stem is t 0 force an eneavoil I , !!\ ti ? e "S ^ rnent , whatever efforts he may make to SII . ^ breaking through his line of battle , and cutting off one divis . on of his fleet from another , so as to prevent the enemy ran . being able to extricate himself , is recommended as a certain
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Observations On The Cause Of Our Late Naval Victories.
In the beginning of the year 1782 , when the nation was depressed by the disasters of our arms , and the want of naval success during the American war , Mr . Clerk printed , and distributed amono- hit friends , a few copies of this work , which threw such a light on the subject of sea engagements , that no doubt can be enteiTained that the happy change whichsince that periodhas taken lace in the
, , p naval affairs of Britain , is to be attributed to this ingenious and scientific work . When we look back to our naval tranlaftions before the adoption of the present system , the contrast is so striking as to fill us with regret that it had not been sooner known .
I tie disappointment Which the nation suffered with regard to outgreat naval armaments induced Mr . Clerk to find out , if possible the rause of these disappointments , and to publish his ideas on the subject . Though he was never at sea , he had always attended very much to nautical affairs , and had observed , that diirin ° - the o-,-eater part of the three last wars , when British single ships met withWle ships of force
equal , belonging to any other nation , thr-v were " always an overmatch for the enemy ; or that even in the rencontre of small squadrons , our mariners never failed to exhibit the most skilful seamanship , intrepidity , and perseverance , with uninterrupted success . 1 et when large fleets were assembled , no proper exertion had ever beer , made nothing memorable had been atchieved
; ; more particularl y with the French , whose system was to batter and destroy our rigging , and then escaps themselves unhurt ; Jeavino-rhe bntish rieet too much disabled to follow them ; in fine , to use the author sown words , when speaking of general engagements , < The result has been the same , namely , that in such actions our fleets in the two last wars and the present * have been invariablbaffled
y - nayworsted , without having ever lost a ship , or almost a man' Yet our orficers and men were as brave as they are now , and our ship « were equall y as good ; but experience has proved that we were detective in tactics .
As our mode of attacking was then to range along the line of the enemy , until the van of our fleet came opposite to the rear of his ; and thus our ships ran the' gauntlet of the enemy ' s whole fleet giving them an opportunity to cri pple each ship as it passed , of which the 1 < rench never failed to take advantage . But the happy genius of " individual , by pointmg out a superior mode of . attack , has been enab 1 t 0
unnvT ? ° , "S carry our "aval glory to a pitch hitherto uniivalled in any age or nation . mv' ^ J ?^ , ' inciple ° f Mr > CIe , ' k ' s s ^' stem is t 0 force an eneavoil I , !!\ ti ? e "S ^ rnent , whatever efforts he may make to SII . ^ breaking through his line of battle , and cutting off one divis . on of his fleet from another , so as to prevent the enemy ran . being able to extricate himself , is recommended as a certain