navy, in the harbours of the Euxine, conftruded and upon
> the flocks, is defcribed, only three years after the firft preparations,
as eonfifting of nine ihips of 60 guns, ten of 50,
ten of 48, two of 42, fourteen of 34, two of 32, three of
30, one of 26, one of 24, four of 18, three of 14, and four
of 8 guns; befide 18 triremes, 100 brigantines, and 300
boats in the Dnieper. This ftupendous account would be
almoft incredible if it was not recorded by the fecretary*
to the Auftrian embafiy, then refident at Mofcow. It is
fcarcely paralleled by the naval exertions of the Romans in
the firft Punick war.
The rapidity with which Peter created his fleet for the
Black Sea, was equalled by fimilar exertions upon the Bal-
tick after the acquifition of Cronftadt and the foundation of
Peterfburgh. But to return to the boat which occafioned this
interefting detail, and which, according to Peter I. was the
original caufe of the Ruffian navy. In 17 2 3 Peter, at the clofe
o f the Perfian expedition, ordered it to be tranfported from
Mofcow to the new metropolis, and gave a publick entertain-
* Korb Diarram. T h e reader will find, “ after the Englifli built, two bored for 74
in p. 236, a catalogue o f the names o f all “ guns, and two for 60 o f 6 4; the fifth,
thefe velfels, together with the breadth, “ which is called after his ,majefty, bedaufe
length, depth, number o f guns, and com- ‘ ‘ he had the direction o f her upon the
plement o f men. “ flocks, is borbd for 86 guns. T h e y were
L e Bruyn, whoTvas at Veronetz in 1703, “ at work alfo upon a packet-boat; and
mentions the (hipping in the following “ afliore, on the other lide o f the river,'
words : “ With regard to the (hips here, “ were about 200 brigantines, mod o f them
-“ we faw fifteen in the water, four men o f “ built at Veronis; and.at this time there
'* war, the biggeft o f 54 guns, three v idu- “ were 400 (tout brigantines upon the Nie-
“ alLers, two fire-iliips, and fix bomb- “ per, and the Bory-fthenes, in the neigh-
-“ ketches.. On (hore, and ready to be “ bourhdod o f Crim Tartary ; and 300 flat
“ launched, were five men o f war, after “ bottomed veflels upon the V o lg a ; be-
“ the Dutch faihion, from 60 to 64 guns, “ fides 18 men o f war at Afoph, a bomb
“ two after the Italian from 50 to 54, a “ veflel, and ay atcht. T h e czar has feveral
“ galeafs after the Venetian, and four gal- “ other (hips, the largeft o f which is o f 66
lies, befides 17 gallies at Siefofskie, two “ -guns, four from 41 to 50, five o f 36, two
“ verfts from the town. Befides all this, “ o f 34, and others* (mailer, the ieaiPof 28
they were at work upon five men o f war •“ guns,” Le Bruyn’s Travels, vpl. I. p. 62.
ment,
ment, which was callbd the Cohfecration o f the Little Grand- ch a f .
/ire. The fleet, eonfifting of twenty-feven men of war,. V' .
was ranged at Cronftadt in the form of an half moon, when
Iris majefty -embarked in this boat, himfelf fleering, while
three admirals and prince Menzikof performed the office o f
rowers ; being then towed by two floops, it made a fmall
•circuit in the Gulf, and, returning by the fleet, the ihips, as
it pafled along, ftruck their flags and faluted with all their
guns, while the Little Grandjire returned each falute by a
difcharge of three fmall pieces. It "was then brought into
-the harbour, and furrounded by the men of war.
A few days afterwards the Little Grandjire was conveyed
to St. Peterfburgh, where its arrival was iolemnized by a
mafquerade upon the waterM This memorable boat, freighted
with the emperor, proceeded to the fortrefs, and was conduced,
Peter himfelf affifting in the ceremony, under the
difcharge of all the artillery, to the place where it was de-
pofited as a memorial to pofterity, and where it now remains
enfhriried.
From the fortrefs we took water, and landed at an adjacent
fpot in the Ifland of Peterfburgh, near a wooden hovel,
which is dignified by its having ferved for the habitation of
Peter the Great while the fortrefs was conftruding. It ftill
exifts in its original ftate ; and ftands under a brick building,
purpofely ereded to preferve it from deftrudion. The
ho ufe is no more than a ground floor, and confifts of three
rooms, which I had the curiofity to meafure. They are
only eight feet in height: the apartment for the reception
of company, as it was called, is 1 5 feet fquare ; the dining
V o l . I.
* Cor.fett’« prcfent State o f Ruflia, p. „ 8 .
Y y y room