The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-04 00:00:00

AMERICA.

THE BRITISH FLEET IN THR OLDEN

TIME.

The fleet of Richard I. of England, when he weighed
anchor for the Holy War, from Messina, in Sicily, where
he passed the winter A.D. 1190-1, is said to have con-
sisted of 13 dromones, or ships of the largest size ; 250
ships of secoid-rate ; 53 galleys, and a vast number of
barques and other vessels used as transports. Edward
lll.'s fleet before Calais, in 1347, consisted of 738 ships,
carrying 14,956 mariners, being an average of only about
20 in each ship ; 15 ships, and 495 mariners, from tay-
onne, being 30 to each ship ; 7 ships, and 148 men, from
Spain ; 1 from Ireland, carrying 25 men ; 14 from Flan-
ders, with 133 men, scarcely 10 to each ship ; 1 from
Guelderland, with 24 mariners. 15 of these were called
the King's own ships, and were manned by 419 mari-
ners. It would thus be seen that the British vessels of
that period were of a small size. About the middle of
the 15th century ships of larger proportions began to be
constructed. William Canning, the eminent merchant,
who was five times mayor of Bristol, A.D. 1474, having
forfeited the King's peace, was condemned to pay
300 marks—in lieu of which sum Edward VI.
took of him 2,470 tons of shipping, amongst which
there were one ship of 900 tons burden, one of
500 tons and one of 400 tons. In 1506 James IV. of
Scotland built a large ship, which was lost on her way
to France. In the fleet fitted out by Henry VIII. there
was one ship, the Regent, of 1,000 tens. The Henri
Grace Dieu, was of a still larger size, and said to have
been the first vessel which accomplished a voyage round
the world. At the present time, when so much atten-
tion is directed to naval affairs, it may not be without
interest to give the following particulars of our navy of
former days, and which in 1575 consisted of only 24
ships, and the number of merchant ships belonging to
England amounted to no more than 135 vessels of above
100 tons, and 656 between 40 and 100 tons. At-Queen
Elizabeth's death, in 1603, there were not above four
merchant ships of 400 tons each. The largest of Queen
Elizabeth's ships of war was 1,000 tons, and carried 340
men and 40 guns, and the smallest 600 tons, carrying
150 men and 30 guns. The account given by Si!. Wm.
Monsen, about the time of the death of Queen Elizabeth
is as follows :-
2 ships of 1,000 tons, carrying each
550000 men.
900 ~ p, 400 „
400 ~
350 „
400 „
350 „
300 „
250 „
200 „
160 „
100

3 If

3 ,9

800 ~

2 7,

700 ~

4 ~

600 ,

4 ~ 500 „ PP
2 ~ 400 „ ~
350 „ IP
Jo ~ / 200 ,
'
9 smaller vessels : 39 in the whole.

THR TURKISH EXHIBITION.—The directors of this
exhibition benevolently announce that they intend to de-
vote the receipts of admission on Monday, Dec. 11, for
the benefit of the Patriotic Fund, which will be paid
over free of every expense.
The Right Rev. Dr. Burgess, one of the Romaa
Catholic prelates in this country, died somewhat suddenly
adne asffaelcetei,o ne
tofwtheeethbuearyrt.,onat.•
tohneFeroindvaeynetveonf insgt.laFstr,anfrooems
Trim, whither he had arrived in the afternoon of the
same day on some ecclesiastical business. Dr. Burgess
was in the 64th year of his age, having been born in the
year 1791. He wag formerly president of Prior Park
College, near Bath, and is reported to have been a pre-
late of amiable character and moderate opinions. He
was appointed Bish(p of Clifton in 1851, succeeding
Dr. -Hendren, whose name was brought before the world
in connection with the case of Miss Talbot in that year,
and who has retired to a monastery at Nottingham.
DEATH op s CKNTEIeARIAN.—Died at Nairn, on
May last, the 27th inst., Donald Ross, at the patriarchal
age of 108 years. This is the age which his friends
directed to be inscribed on his coffin, but we believe he
was several years older. It is said he was employed,
when about 16 years of age, as one of the boat's
Firth to
t e
in
carrying stones from the opposite side of Moray
Fort George, when that fortress was in course of erect
Rom-
tion. Ho was a native of the parish of N
PFlKin 'a
Ross-
shire, and came to reside on the small farm o
Steps" about 25 years ago. Re occupie
dit for soormge.
time, .butw
till
s withins bseq uaa ntly
montha caofrte hieindeNatahirn,
Nairn. Rosa e
wtaained on foot
all his mental faculties to the latest hour of his
life —lnverniss Courier.
EW GRANADA.—The advises received yesterday from
New Granada, both from the coast and the interior, re-
present the insurrectionary movement as drawing rapidly
to a close. The Constitutional Government was holding
its sittings at lbagui, where the Congress was installed.