frigates of the celebrated Chapman are all of the same form; and, indeed, no modern naval architect recommends any other. The Southampton always bore the character of a good sea-boat and a prime sailer, and reigned as such for 56 years ; when a reef of rocks in the Crooked Island passage put a stop to her career. The 36-gun frigate carried the same number and nature of guns on the main deck as the 32, with four additional 6-pounders on the quarterdeck. The class, which consisted but of three individuals, averaged about 720 tons. The first launched was the Pallas. She was ordered in July, 1756, and launched August 30, 1757. The two others were the Brilliant and Venus.

We may notice in passing, that it was upon one of the 32-gun class of frigates, the Alarm, that, in November, 1761, copper sheathing was first employed in the British navy. Like most other innovations, this seems to have had a weight of prejudice to remove. It was not until April, 1764, that a second ship, the Dolphin, of 24 guns, underwent the same operation. In nine months afterwards the Jason, of 32 guns, was coppered ; and in March, 1776, the new ship, Daphne, of 20 guns. In that year four ships were coppered ; in 1777, 10 or 12 ; and, before the termination of hostilities in 1783, there was scarcely a ship in the British navy, that had not received the benefit of this highly important invention. In November, 1783, after various vain attempts to counteract the effects of the copper sheathing upon the iron bolts, and in consequence of the success of several experiments made with 44-gun ships, and others of the smaller classes, it was ordered that copper bolts should in future be used, under the load-draught of water, in all the ships of the navy.

In the same year in which the above new classes, the 32 and 36 gun frigate, made their appearance, the British captured a French ship, the Bon-Acquis, of 946, tons, mounting eight 18-pounders on the first deck, twenty-eight 12-pounders on the second deck, and two 6-pounders on the forecastle ; total, 38 guns. In 1758 the British also captured the French 36-gun frigate Mélampe, of 747 tons, and armed the same as the 36-gun class, already described; and, in the following year, the Southampton, assisted by the Mélampe, captured the French 36-gun frigate Danaé, of 941 tons, mounting twenty-eight 12-pounders on her main deck, six 6-pounders on her quarterdeck, and two 6-pounders on her forecastle. Between 1759 and 1761 the British took three French 32-gun frigates, armed like the Southampton, and averaging about 700 tons. It appears, therefore, that the English, if not beforehand with, were very little behind, the French, in the construction of that justly celebrated class of ship, the modern one-decked, or proper frigate.

In or about the year 1756 the British 50-gun ship, being found too weak to cope with any ship which the enemy usually admitted into his line of battle, was reduced to an under-line

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