men of invention and industry-第10节
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French Admiral; that she forced him out of his three…decked
wooden castle; and chasing the Royal Sun; before her; forced her
to fly for shelter among the rocks; where she became a prey to
lesser vessels; and was reduced to ashes。 At last; in the reign
of William III。; the Sovereign became leaky and defective with
age; she was laid up at Chatham; and being set on fire by
negligence or accident; she burnt to the water's edge。
To return to the history of Phineas Pett。 As years approached;
he retired from office; and 〃his loving son;〃 as he always
affectionately designates Peter; succeeded him as principal
shipwright; Charles I。 conferring upon him the honour of
knighthood。 Phineas lived for ten years after the Sovereign of
the Seas was launched。 In the burial register of the parish of
Chatham it is recorded; 〃Phineas Pett; Esqe。 and Capt。; was
buried 21st August; l647。〃'33'
Sir Peter Pett was almost as distinguished as his father。 He was
the builder of the first frigate; The Constant Warwick。 Sir
William Symonds says of this vessel: 〃She was an incomparable
sailer; remarkable for her sharpness and the fineness of her
lines; and many were built like her。〃 Pett 〃introduced convex
lines on the immersed part of the hull; with the studding and
sprit sails; and; in short; he appears to have fully deserved his
character of being the best ship architect of his time。〃'34' Sir
Peter Pett's monument in Deptford Old Church fully records his
services to England's naval power。
The Petts are said to have been connected with shipbuilding in
the Thames for not less than 200 years。 Fuller; in his 'Worthies
of England;' says of them〃I am credibly informed that that
mystery of shipwrights for some descents hath been preserved
faithfully in families; of whom the Petts about Chatham are of
singular regard。 Good success have they with their skill; and
carefully keep so precious a pearl; lest otherwise amongst many
friends some foes attain unto it。〃
The late Peter Bolt; member for Greenwich; took pride in being
descended from the Petts; but so far as we know; the name itself
has died out。 In 1801; when Charnock's 'History of Marine
Architecture' was published; Mr。 Pett; of Tovil; near Maidstone;
was the sole representative of the family。
Footnotes for Chapter I。
'1' This was not the first voyage of a steamer between England
and America。 The Savannah made the passage from New York to
Liverpool as early as 1819; but steam was only used occasionally
during the voyage; In 1825; the Enterprise; with engines by
Maudslay; made the voyage from Falmouth to Calcutta in 113 days;
and in 1828; the Curacoa made the voyage between Holland and the
Dutch West Indies。 But in all these cases; steam was used as an
auxiliary; and not as the one essential means of propulsion; as
in the case of the Sirius and the Great Western; which were steam
voyages only。
'2' 〃In 1862 the steam tonnage of the country was 537;000 tons;
in 1872; it was 1;537;000 tons; and in 1882; it had reached
3;835;000 tons。〃Mr。 Chamberlain's speech; House of Commons;
19th May; 1884。
'3' The last visit of the plague was in 1665。
'4' Roll of Edward the Third's Fleet。 Cotton's Library; British
Museum。
'5' Charnock's History Of Marine Architecture; ii。 89。
'6' State Papers。 Henry VIII。 Nos。 3496; 3616; 4633。 The
principal kinds of ordnance at that time were these:The
〃Apostles;〃 so called from the head of an Apostle which they
bore; 〃Curtows;〃 or 〃Courtaulx〃; 〃Culverins〃 and 〃Serpents〃;
〃Minions;〃 and 〃Potguns〃; 〃Nurembergers;〃 and 〃Bombards〃 or
mortars。
'7' The sum of all costs of the Harry Grace de Dieu and three
small galleys; was 7708L。 5s。 3d。 (S。P。O。 No。 5228; Henry VIII。)
'8' Charnock; ii。 47 (note)。
'9' Macpherson; Annals of Commerce; ii。 126。
'10' The Huguenots: their Settlements; Churches; and Industries;
in England and Ireland; ch。 iv。
'11' Macpherson; Annals of Commerce; ii。 156。
'12' Ibid。 ii。 85。
'13' Picton's Selections from the Municipal Archives and Records
of Liverpool; p。 90。 About a hundred years later; in 1757; the
gross customs receipts of Liverpool had increased to 198;946L。;
whilst those of Bristol were as much as 351;211L。 In 1883; the
amount of tonnage of Liverpool; inwards and outwards; was
8;527;531 tons; and the total dock revenue for the year was
1;273;752L。!
'14' There were not only Algerine but English pirates scouring
the seas。 Keutzner; the German; who wrote in Elizabeth's reign;
said; 〃The English are good sailors and famous pirates (sunt boni
nautae et insignis pyratae)。〃 Roberts; in his Social History of
the Southern Counties (p。 93); observes; 〃Elizabeth had employed
many English as privateers against the Spaniard。 After the war;
many were loth to lead an inactive life。 They had their
commissions revoked; and were proclaimed pirates。 The public
looked upon them as gallant fellows; the merchants gave them
underhand support; and even the authorities in maritime towns
connived at the sale of their plunder。 In spite of
proclamations; during the first five years after the accession of
James I。; there were continual complaints。 This lawless way of
life even became popular。 Many Englishmen furnished themselves
with good ships and scoured the seas; but little careful whom
they might plunder。〃 It was found very difficult to put down
piracy。 According to Oliver's History of the city of Exeter; not
less than 〃fifteen sail of Turks〃 held the English Channel;
snapping up merchantmen; in the middle of the seventeenth
century! The harbours in the south…west were infested by Moslem
pirates; who attacked and plundered the ships; and carried their
crews into captivity。 The loss; even to an inland port like
Exeter; in ships; money; and men; was enormous。
'15' Naval Tracts; p。 294。
'16' This poem is now very rare。 It is not in the British
Museum。
'17' There are three copies extant of the autobiography; all of
which are in the British Museum。 In the main; they differ but
slightly from each other。 Not one of them has been published in
extenso。 In December; 1795; and in February; 1796; Dr。 Samuel
Denne communicated to the Society of Antiquaries particulars of
two of these MSS。; and subsequently published copious extracts
from them in their transactions (Archae。 xii。 anno 1796); in a
very irregular and careless manner。 It is probable that Dr。
Denne never saw the original manuscript; but only a garbled copy
of it。 The above narrative has been taken from the original; and
collated with the documents in the State Paper Office。
'18' See; for instance; the Index to the Journals of Records of
the Corporation of the City of London (No。 2; p。 346; 15901694)
under the head of 〃Sir Walter Raleigh。〃 There is a document
dated the 15th November; 1593; in the 35th of Elizabeth; which
runs as follows: 〃Committee appointed on behalf of such of the
City Companies as have ventured in the late Fleet set forward by
Sir Walter Raleigh; Knight; and others; to join with such
honourable personages as the Queen hath appointed; to take a
perfect view of all such goods; prizes; spices; jewels; pearls;
treasures; &c。; lately taken in the Carrack; and to make sale and
division (Jor。 23; p。 156)。 Suit to be made to the Queen and
Privy Council for the buying of the goods; &c。; lately taken at
sea in the Carrack; a committee appointed to take order
accordingly; the benefit or loss arising thereon to be divided
and borne between the Chamber 'of the Corporation of the City'
and the Companies that adventured (157)。 The several Companies
that adventured at sea with Sir Waiter Raleigh to accept so much
of the goods taken in the Carrack to the value of 12;000L。
according to the Queen's offer。 A committee appointed to
acquaint the Lords of the Council with the City's acceptance
thereof (167)。 Committee for sale of the Carrack goods appointed
(174)。 Bonds for sale to be sealed (196)。。。。 Committee to audit
accounts of a former adventure (224 b。)。〃
'19' There were three sisters in all; the eldest of whom
(Abigail) fell a victim to the cruelty of Nunn; who struck her
across the head with the fire…tongs; from the effects of which
she died in three days。 Nunn was tried and convicted of
manslaughter。 He died shortly after。 Mrs。 Nunn; Phineas's
mother; was already dead。
'20' It would seem; from a paper hereafter to be more
particularly referred to; that the government encouraged the
owners of ships and others to clear the seas of these pirates;
agreeing to pay them for their labours。 In 1622; Pett fitted out
an expedition against these pests of navigation; but experienced
some difficulty in getting his expenses repaid。
'21' See grant S。P。O。; 29th May; 1605。
'22' An engraving of this remarkable ship is given in Charnock's
History of Marine Archit