fioufes. But of all that w'as faid and offered to the A dmiralty’s
confederation on this fuhject, as far as has come
to my knowledge, what, in my opinion, was raoft to the
purpofe, was fuggefted by the Navy-board.
As the kind of fhips mod proper to be employed on
difcoveries, is a very interefting confederation to the adventurers
in fuch undertakings, it may poffibly be of ufe to
thofe, who, in future, may be fo employed, to give here
the purport o f the fentiments o f the Navy-board thereon,
with whom, after the experience o f two voyages o f three
years each, I perfectly agree.
The fuccefs of fuch undertakings as making difcoveries
in diftant parts o f the world, will principally depend on
the preparations being well adapted to what ought to be
the firft confiderations, namely, the prefervation o f the
adventurers and fhips; and this will ever chiefly depend on
the kind, the fize, and the properties o f the fhips ehofen
for the fervice.
Thefe primaiy confiderations will not admit o f any
other, that may interfere with the neceflary properties of
the fhips. Therefore, in chufing the fhips, fhould any of
the mod advantageous properties be wanting, and the
ne-deflary room in them, be, in any degree dimnifhed, for
lefs important purpofe, fcch a Hep would be laying a
foundation for rendering the undertaking abortive in the
firft inftance.
As
As the grea'teft danger to be apprehended and provided
again A, on a voyage of difcovery, efpecially to the.moft
diftant parts of the globe, is that o f the ffiip’s being liable
to be run aground on an unknown, defert, or perhaps,
favage coaft; fo no confederation fhould be fet in competition
with that of her being of a conftrudion of the fafeft
kind, in which the officers may, with the leaft hazard,
venture upon a ftrange coaft, A fhip of this kind mud
not be of a great draught of water, yet o f a fufficient burden
and capacity to carry a proper quantity o f provifions
and neceflaries for her complement o f men, and for the
time requifite to perform the voyage.
She muft alfo be o f a conftrudion that will bear to take
the ground; and of a fize, which, in cafe of neceffity,
may be fafely and conveniently laid on ffiore, to repair any
accidental damage or defeds. Thefe properties are not
to be found in fhips of war of forty guns, nor in frigates,
nor in Eaft India Company’s fhips, nor in large threedecked
Weft-India fhips, nor indeed in any other but
North-country-built fhips, or fuch as are built for the
coal-trade, which are peculiarly adapted to this purpofe.
In fuch a veflel, an able fea-officer will be moll venture-
fome, and better enabled to fulfil his inftrudions, than he
poffibly can (or indeed than would be prudent for him to
attempt) in one o f any other fo rt or fiz e .
VOL. I. c Upon