DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20917#0026
iS ROCHESTER.
Maiesty's shipping can be brought about to
recover any of those places, as that much mis-
chief may be done the while ; for the same wind
that brings in the enemy binds our shipping, in
such sort that ostentimes in a month's space they
are not able to recover the nearest of the above-
named coasts. And how perilous a course that is
is easily discerned, and as easily remedied, seeing
there are besides so many safe and good harbours
to difpense and bestow some of the Navy in,
whereby they may ever lie fit for all services, at
Portsmouth, Dartmouth, Plymouth, Falmouth,
Milsord, and divers others, all os them being har-
bours very capable and convenient for shipping,
But perhaps it will be alledged that they cannot
ride in any of these so safe as in Rochester water,
becaufe it reacheth far within the land, and is under
ihe protection of some block-houfes. To which
I answer this, that with very easy care and provi-
sion they may in raost os these places ride suffici-
ently secure from any foreign practices. And I
do not mean that all the whole Navy lhould be
subdivided into all these parts ; but that some
hals dozen or eight of the middling ships, and
some pinnaces, ihould lie in the West; and not
In any port so near the sea as that in a dark night
they may be endangered by fire or otherwise ;
but in some such places as Ashwater is, by Ply-
mouth,
Maiesty's shipping can be brought about to
recover any of those places, as that much mis-
chief may be done the while ; for the same wind
that brings in the enemy binds our shipping, in
such sort that ostentimes in a month's space they
are not able to recover the nearest of the above-
named coasts. And how perilous a course that is
is easily discerned, and as easily remedied, seeing
there are besides so many safe and good harbours
to difpense and bestow some of the Navy in,
whereby they may ever lie fit for all services, at
Portsmouth, Dartmouth, Plymouth, Falmouth,
Milsord, and divers others, all os them being har-
bours very capable and convenient for shipping,
But perhaps it will be alledged that they cannot
ride in any of these so safe as in Rochester water,
becaufe it reacheth far within the land, and is under
ihe protection of some block-houfes. To which
I answer this, that with very easy care and provi-
sion they may in raost os these places ride suffici-
ently secure from any foreign practices. And I
do not mean that all the whole Navy lhould be
subdivided into all these parts ; but that some
hals dozen or eight of the middling ships, and
some pinnaces, ihould lie in the West; and not
In any port so near the sea as that in a dark night
they may be endangered by fire or otherwise ;
but in some such places as Ashwater is, by Ply-
mouth,