The whole navy mounting about 9300 guns, and to completely man the ships, it would take 52,000 men; the sum allowed per annum for the navy, was 1,046,397 pounds sterling, equal to 4,650,653 dollars, 30 cents. Thus in one century, it increased in vessels and men six fold, and in expence twenty fold.
| In | 1801, | the royal navy consisted of | ||
| 192 | ships of the line |  | Principal force for combat, 760 | |
| 28 | ships of 50 guns | |||
| 227 | frigates | |||
| 181 | sloops | |||
| 96 | gun vessels | |||
| 11 | gun barges | |||
| 15 | bombs | |||
| 10 | fire ships | |||
| 11 | store ships | |||
| 8 | yachts | |||
| 9 | tenders | |||
| 2 | advice boats | |||
| 5 | armed transports | |||
| 13 | Dutch hoys | |||
| 6 | river barges | |||
| 1 | convalescent ship | |||
| 130 | hired ships and cutters. | |||
| Total 945 | ||||
Annual expence, 13,654,013 pounds sterling, equal 60,684,502 dollars, 40 cents; at present, I have not time to ascertain the exact number of men, which however amount to more than one hundred thousand.
From 1701 to 1801, the number of vessels have been increased four fold, and the expence twelve fold; the expence is now two hundred and seventy times greater than at the death of King James I, one hundred and eighty-five years ago.
STATE OF THE MARITIME POWER OF NATIONS ABOUT THE YEAR 1790
Taken from Arnauld
| Nations | Ships of the Line | Frigates | Sloops | Total Vessels | Total Cannon | Total Seamen | |||||||||
| ships | guns | guns | |||||||||||||
| Spain | 72 | from | 112 | to | 58 | 41 | 109 | 222 | 10,000 | 50,000 | |||||
| Portugal | 10 | 80 | - | 58 | 14 | from | 44 | to | 30 | 29 | 53 | 1,500 | 1,000 | ||
| Naples | 10 | 74 | - | 50 | 10 | 12 | 32 | 1,000 | 5,000 | ||||||
| Venice | 20 | 88 | - | 16 | 10 | 58 | 88 | 1,000 | 14,000 | ||||||
| Ottoman Empire | 30 | 74 | - | 50 | 50 | from | 50 | to | 10 | 100 | galliots | 180 | 3,000 | 50,000 | |
| Holland | 44 | 74 | - | 56 | 43 | 40 | - | 24 | 100 | 187 | 2,300 | 15,000 | |||
| Denmark | 38 | 90 | - | 50 | 20 | 42 | - | 20 | 60 | chebecks | 118 | 3,000 | 12,000 | ||
| Sweden | 27 | 74 | - | 50 | 12 | 38 | - | 20 | 40 | gallies | 79 | 3,000 | 13,000 | ||
| Russia | 67 | 110 | - | 66 | 36 | 44 | - | 28 | 700 | various | 803 | 9,000 | 21,000 | ||
| France | 81 | 118 | - | 64 | 69 | 40 | - | 30 | 141 | various | 291 | 14,000 | 78,000 | ||
| England | 195 | 100 | - | 50 | 210 | 256 | 661 | 12,000 | 100,000 | ||||||
| 2714 | 59,800 | 359,000 | |||||||||||||
Taking the whole of these fleets, and estimating their expence by that of the British marine, it must amount to about twenty-six millions of pounds sterling per annum, equal to 115,555,555 dollars, 50 cents. Can we reflect on this table and not feel, in the most sensible manner, the folly of the eleven European nations, who support such establishments for their mutual oppression? Is there an American who, after viewing these horrid consequences of divided Europe and her barbarous policy, that can for a moment harbour a wish, that these happy States should be divided, and each petty government, in proportion to its resources, augment its fleets and armies either for defence or to gratify a mad ambition, by depredating on its neighbours? If there be such men, they are in a state of political insanity, and the worst enemies to the American people. The humane and excellent Dean Tucker, in his work on political economy, published during the American revolution, has observed, "That the wars of Europe, for the last two hundred years, have, by the confession of all parties, really ended in the advantage of none, but to the manifest detriment of all. Suffice it to remark, that had each of the contending powers employed their subjects in cultivating and improving such lands as were clear of all disputed titles, instead of aiming at more extended possessions, they had consulted both their own and their people's greatness much more efficaciously, than all the victories of a Cesar or an Alexander." This important truth should be deeply impressed on the mind of every American.
But I will return to the fleets of Europe, and endeavour to point out the principal causes of the great increase of those engines of oppression, and from whence the wealth has arisen to support such expences. I will also shew the increasing resources which will, if science does not check it, enable England hereafter to support a marine of fifteen hundred armed ships, with as much ease as she now does seven hundred and sixty.