trade fell into the hands of the Dutch; and the Dutch flag maintained
the fuperiority in the Eaft, and was refpeftable in the
Weft.
When the Dutch loft their colonies, the Americans fnatched
the remains of their carrying-trade, which, to a certain degree,
they will preferve and, perhaps, improve, as long as they can
remain in a flate of neutrality ; but, having no foreign poflef-
fions, the inftant they go to war with' a nation that has, their
earrying-trade muft fall to the ground. Such will be the cafe
alfo with the Danes and the Swedes; and fuch Has France found,
by experience, to be her fate fiom the moment Ihe loft her beft
colonies.
The number o f hands required to work the fliips that are employed
in tranfporting to England the produce of our colonies,
furnilh for the navy, in time of war, an immediate fupply of
ikilful and able-bodied feamen; giving it, at once, a decided
fuperiority over that of all other nations. The French, the
Dutch, and the Spaniards, can conftruft their fhips fully as
well as, and fome of them, perhaps, better than, the Englifh ;
but none of them can make fuch good feamen. The rough and
refolute char after that is oeceflary to form good failors, would
appear to be incompatible with the frivolous and flexile tempers
of Frenchmen. Their natural verfatility difqualifies them for
fituations that require fteady perfeverance; and the trifling
gaiety of their difpofition is ill fuited to the order and difcipline
that are indifpenfable on board of a ihip. In a gale of wind, it
is laid to be a matter o f the greateft difficulty to prevail on a fuf-
3 ficient
ficient number of Frenchmen, in a whole fhip’s company, to
go aloft for the purpofe of taking in the fails ; and if the gale
comes on fuddenly, the odds are great that the mails are carried
away, or the fails blown from the yards.
Both men and officers are averfe to long voyages.; and are
feldom inclined to pafs a friendly port. To poflefs the advantage
of having fuch ports, in different parts of the world, is of
the firft importance to their navigation and commerce. ! .They
pay little attention to cleanlinefs, either in their perfons or ihips,
and they are generally very much crowded ; hence, a long voyage,
without refrefhments, is feldom unattended with difeafe and
mortality.
The Dutch feamen are fteady, perfevering, .and intrepid; and,
of all nations, have maintained the hardeft ftruggles with the
Englifh; but they are habitually flow and inaftive. That they
are not phyfically fo, the crew of the Rattlefnake, a great part
of which were Dutchmen, afforded a fufficient proof, when they
engaged, in a gallant and aftive manner, the La Preneufe frigate
in Algoa Bay. By example and a little praftice, they
overcome the dull and fluggifh motion to which they have
been accuftomed, and foon become capable of prompt and vigorous
aftion.
The Dutch failors, it feems, are always glad of an opportunity
to ferve in Englifh ihips, where they have the reputation of
being a quiet, orderly, and obedient people. The manner in
which they are fed, in their own ihips, is little calculated to give
v o l . i i . c g th em