Thispoemisnowveryrare。ItisnotintheBritishMuseum。
Therearethreecopiesextantoftheautobiography，allofwhichareintheBritishMuseum。Inthemain，theydifferbutslightlyfromeachother。Notoneofthemhasbeenpublishedinextenso。InDecember，1795，andinFebruary，1796，Dr。SamuelDennecommunicatedtotheSocietyofAntiquariesparticularsoftwooftheseMSS。，andsubsequentlypublishedcopiousextractsfromthemintheirtransactionsArchae。xii。anno1796，inaveryirregularandcarelessmanner。ItisprobablethatDr。
Denneneversawtheoriginalmanuscript，butonlyagarbledcopyofit。Theabovenarrativehasbeentakenfromtheoriginal，andcollatedwiththedocumentsintheStatePaperOffice。
[18]See，forinstance，theIndextotheJournalsofRecordsoftheCorporationoftheCityofLondonNo。2，p。346，15901694
undertheheadof“SirWalterRaleigh。“Thereisadocumentdatedthe15thNovember，1593，inthe35thofElizabeth，whichrunsasfollows:——“CommitteeappointedonbehalfofsuchoftheCityCompaniesashaveventuredinthelateFleetsetforwardbySirWalterRaleigh，Knight，andothers，tojoinwithsuchhonourablepersonagesastheQueenhathappointed，totakeaperfectviewofallsuchgoods，prizes，spices，jewels，pearls，treasures，&c。，latelytakenintheCarrack，andtomakesaleanddivisionJor。23，p。156。SuittobemadetotheQueenandPrivyCouncilforthebuyingofthegoods，&c。，latelytakenatseaintheCarrack；acommitteeappointedtotakeorderaccordingly；thebenefitorlossarisingthereontobedividedandbornebetweentheChamber[oftheCorporationoftheCity]
andtheCompaniesthatadventured157。TheseveralCompaniesthatadventuredatseawithSirWaiterRaleightoacceptsomuchofthegoodstakenintheCarracktothevalueof12，000L。
accordingtotheQueen’soffer。AcommitteeappointedtoacquainttheLordsoftheCouncilwiththeCity’sacceptancethereof167。CommitteeforsaleoftheCarrackgoodsappointed174。Bondsforsaletobesealed196……Committeetoauditaccountsofaformeradventure224b。。“
Therewerethreesistersinall，theeldestofwhomAbigailfellavictimtothecrueltyofNunn，whostruckheracrosstheheadwiththefire-tongs，fromtheeffectsofwhichshediedinthreedays。Nunnwastriedandconvictedofmanslaughter。Hediedshortlyafter。Mrs。Nunn，Phineas’smother，wasalreadydead。
Itwouldseem，fromapaperhereaftertobemoreparticularlyreferredto，thatthegovernmentencouragedtheownersofshipsandotherstocleartheseasofthesepirates，agreeingtopaythemfortheirlabours。In1622，Pettfittedoutanexpeditionagainstthesepestsofnavigation，butexperiencedsomedifficultyingettinghisexpensesrepaid。
SeegrantS。P。O。，29thMay，1605。
AnengravingofthisremarkableshipisgiveninCharnock’sHistoryofMarineArchitecture，ii。p。199。
ThestoryoftheThree，orratherTwoRavens，isasfollows:——ThebodyofSt。VincentwasoriginallydepositedattheCape，whichstillbearshisname，onthePortuguesecoast；
andhistomb，saysthelegend，waszealouslyguardedbyacoupleofravens。Whenitwasdetermined，inthe12thcentury，totransporttherelicsoftheSainttotheCathedralofLisbon，thetworavensaccompaniedtheshipwhichcontainedthem，oneatitsstemandtheotheratitsstern。TherelicsweredepositedintheChapelofSt。Vincent，withintheCathedral，andtherethetworavenshaveeversinceremained。Themonkscontinuedtosupporttwosuchbirdsinthecloisters，andtillverylatelytheofficialsgravelyinformedthevisitortotheCathedralthattheyweretheidenticalravenswhichaccompaniedtheSaint’srelicstotheircity。ThebirdsfigureinthearmsofLisbon。
TheevidencetakenbytheCommissionersisembodiedinavoluminousreport。StatePaperOffice，Dom。JamesI。，vol。xli。
1608。
TheEarlofNorthampton，PrivySeal，wasLordWardenoftheCinquePorts；hencehismovinginthematter。Pettsayshewashis“mostimplacableenemy。“ItisprobablethattheearlwasjealousofPett，becausehehadreceivedhiscommissiontobuildthegreatshipdirectlyfromthesovereign，withouttheinterventionofhislordship[26]ThisRoyalinvestigationtookplaceatWoolwichonthe8thMay，1609。TheStatePaperOfficecontainsareportofthesamedate，mostprobablytheonepresentedtotheKing，signedbysixship-buildersandCaptainWaymouth，andcountersignedbyNorthamptonandfourothers。TheReportisheaded“ThePrinceRoyal:imperfectionsfounduponviewofthenewworkbegunatWoolwich。“Itwouldoccupytoomuchspacetogivetheresultshere。
Alas！fortheuncertaintiesoflife！Thisnobleyoungprince——thehopeofEnglandandthejoyofhisparents，fromwhomsuchgreatthingswereanticipated——forhewasgraceful，frank，brave，active，andaloverofthesea，——wasseizedwithaseriousillness，anddiedinhiseighteenthyear，onthe16thNovember，1612。
Pettsaysshewastobe500tons，butwhenheturnedheroutherburthenwasratedat700tons。
ThisconductofRaleigh’swasthemoreinexcusable，asthereisintheStatePaperOfficeawarrantdated16thNov。，1617，forthepaymenttoPettof700crowns“forbuildingthenewship，theDestinyofLondon，of700tonsburthen。“Theleasthecouldhavedonewastohavehandedovertothebuilderhisroyalandusualreward。Intheabovewarrant，bytheway，thetitle“ourwell-belovedsubject，“theordinaryprefixtosuchgrants，haseitherbeenleftblankoreraseditisdifficulttosaywhich，butwasverysignificantoftheslipperyfootingofRaleighatCourt。
SirGilesOverreach，intheplayof“Anewwaytopayolddebts，“byPhilipMassinger。Itwasdifficultforthepoet，oranyotherperson，tolibelsuchapersonageasMompesson。
Pett’smethodisdescribedinapapercontainedintheS。P。O。，dated21stOct。，1626。TheTrinityCorporationadoptedhismethod。
MemoirsoftheLifeandServicesofRear-AdmiralSirWilliamSymonds，Kt。，p。
Pett’sdwelling-houseatRochesteristhusdescribedinananonymoushistoryofthattownp。337，ed。l817:——“BeyondtheVictuallingOffice，onthesamesideoftheHighStreet，atRochester，isanoldmansion，nowoccupiedbyaMr。Morson，anattorney，whichformerlybelongedtothePetts，thecelebratedship-builders。Thechimney-pieceintheprincipalroomisofwood，curiouslycarved，theupperpartbeingdividedintocompartmentsbycaryatydes。Thecentralcompartmentcontainsthefamilyarms，viz。，Or，onafesse，gu。，betweenthreepellets，alionpassantgardantofthefield。OnthebackofthegrateisacastofNeptune，standingerectinhiscar，withTritonblowingconches，&c。，andthedate1650。“
“ThespiritofPaley’smaximthat’healonediscoverswhoproves，’isapplicabletothehistoryofinventionsanddiscoveries；forcertainlyhealoneinventstoanygoodpurpose，whosatisfiestheworldthatthemeanshemayhavedevisedhavebeenfoundcompetenttotheendproposed。“——Dr。SamuelBrown。
“Toooftentherealworkeranddiscovererremainsunknown，andaninvention，beautifulbutuselessinoneageorcountry，canbeappliedonlyinaremotegeneration，orinadistantland。
Mankindhangstogetherfromgenerationtogeneration；easylabourisbutinheritedskill；greatdiscoveriesandinventionsareworkeduptobytheeffortsofmyriadserethegoalisreached。“——H。M。Hyndman。
ThoughalongperiodelapsedbetweenthetimesofPhineasPettand“Screw“Smith，comparativelylittleimprovementhadbeeneffectedintheartofshipbuilding。TheSovereignoftheSeashadnotbeenexcelledbyanyshipofwarbuiltdowntotheendoflastcentury。[1]Atacomparativelyrecentdate，shipscontinuedtobebuiltoftimberandplank，andimpelledbysailsandoars，astheyhadbeenforthousandsofyearsbefore。
Butthiscenturyhaswitnessedmanymarvellouschanges。Anewmaterialofconstructionhasbeenintroducedintoshipbuilding，withentirelynewmethodsofpropulsion。Oldthingshavebeendisplacedbynew；andthemagnitudeoftheresultshasbeenextraordinary。Themostimportantchangeshavebeenintheuseofironandsteelinsteadofwood，andintheemploymentofthesteam-engineinimpellingshipsbythepaddleorthescrew。
Solongastimberwasusedfortheconstructionofships，thenumberofvesselsbuiltannually，especiallyinsosmallanislandasBritain，mustnecessarilyhavecontinuedverylimited。
Indeed，solittlehadthecultivationofoakinGreatBritainbeenattendedto，thatalltheroyalforestscouldnothavesuppliedsufficienttimbertobuildoneline-of-battleshipannually；whileforthemercantilemarine，theworldhadtoberansackedforwood，oftenofaveryinferiorquality。
Take，forinstance，theseventy-eightgunship，theHindostan，launchedafewyearsago。Itwouldhaverequired4200loadsoftimbertobuildashipofthatdescription，andthegrowthofthetimberwouldhaveoccupiedseventyacresofgroundduringeightyyears。[2]Itwouldhaveneededsomethinglike800，000acresoflandonwhichtogrowthetimberfortheshipsannuallybuiltinthiscountryforcommercialpurposes。Andtimbershipsarebynomeanslasting。Theaveragedurabilityofshipsofwaremployedinactiveservice，hasbeencalculatedtobeaboutthirteenyears，evenwhenbuiltofBritishoak。
Indeed，yearsago，thebuildingofshippinginthiscountrywasmuchhinderedbythewantofmaterials。
ThetradewasbeingrapidlytransferredtoCanadaandtheUnitedStates。Someyearssince，anAmericancaptainsaidtoanEnglishman，CaptainHall，wheninChina，“Youwillsoonhavetocometoourcountryforyourships:yourlittleislandcannotgrowwoodenoughforalargemarine。““Oh！“saidtheEnglishman，“wecanbuildshipsofiron！““Iron？“repliedtheAmericaninsurprise，“why，ironsinks；onlywoodcanfloat！““Well！youwillfindIamright。“Theprophecywascorrect。TheEnglishmaninquestionhasnowafleetofsplendidironsteamersatsea。
Theuseofironinshipbuildinghadsmallbeginnings，likeeverythingelse。Theestablishedprejudice——thatironmustnecessarilysinkinwater——longcontinuedtoprevailagainstitsemployment。ThefirstironvesselwasbuiltandlaunchedaboutahundredyearssincebyJohnWilkinson，ofBradleyForge，inStaffordshire。Inaletterofhis，datedthe14thJuly，1787，theoriginalofwhichwehaveseen，hewrites:“Yesterdayweekmyironboatwaslaunched。Itanswersallmyexpectations，andhasconvincedtheunbelievers，whowere999in1000。Itwillbeonlyaninedays’wonder，andafterwardsaColumbus’segg。“Itwas，however，morethananinedays’wonder；forwoodlongcontinuedtobethoughttheonlymaterialcapableoffloating。
AlthoughWilkinson’sironvesselscontinuedtoplyupontheSevern，morethantwentyyearselapsedbeforeanothershipbuilderventuredtofollowhisexample。Butin1810，OnionsandSon，ofBrosely，builtseveralironvessels，alsoforuseupontheSevern。Then，in1815，Mr。Jervons，ofLiverpool，builtasmallironboatforuseontheMersey。Sixyearslater，in1821，Mr。
AaronManbydesignedanironsteamvessel，whichwasbuiltattheHorsleyCompany’sWorks，inStaffordshire。ShesailedfromLondontoHavreafewyearslater，underthecommandofCaptainafterwardsSirCharlesNapier，RN。Shewasfreightedwithacargooflinseedandironcastings，andwentuptheSeinetoParis。Itwassometime，however，beforeironcameintogeneraluse。Tenyearslater，in1832，MaudslayandFieldbuiltfourironvesselsfortheEastIndiaCompany。Inthecourseofabouttwentyyears，theuseofironbecamegeneral，notonlyforshipsofwar，butformerchantshipsplyingtoallpartsoftheworld。
Whenshipsbegantobebuiltofiron，itwasfoundthattheycouldbeincreasedwithoutlimit，solongascoal，iron，machinery，andstrongmenfullofskillandindustry，wereprocurable。ThetradeinshipbuildingreturnedtoBritain，whereironshipsarenowmadeandexportedinlargenumbers；themercantilemarineofthiscountryexceedinginamountandtonnagethatofalltheothercountriesoftheworldputtogether。The“woodenwalls“[3]ofEnglandexistnomore，forironhassupersededwood。Insteadofconstructingvesselsfromtheforest，wearenowdiggingnewnaviesoutofthebowelsoftheearth，andour“walls，“insteadofwood，arenowofironandsteel。
Theattempttopropelshipsbyothermeansthansailsandoarswentonfromcenturytocentury，anddidnotsucceeduntilalmostwithinourowntime。ItissaidthattheRomanarmyunderClaudiusCodexwastransportedintoSicilyinboatspropelledbywheelsmovedbyoxen。Galleys，propelledbywheelsinpaddles，wereafterwardsattempted。TheHarleianMS。containsanItalianbookofsketches，attributedtothe15thcentury，inwhichthereappearsadrawingofapaddle-boat，evidentlyintendedtobeworkedbymen。Paddle-boats，workedbyhorse-power，werealsotried。BlascoGaraymadeasupremeeffortatBarcelonain1543。
Hisvesselwaspropelledbyapaddle-wheeloneachside，workedbyfortymen。Butnothingcameoftheexperiment。
Manyothereffortsofasimilarkindweremade，——bySaveryamongothers，[4]——untilwecomedowntoPatrickMiller，ofDalswinton，who，in1787，inventedadouble-hulledboat，whichhecausedtobepropelledontheFirthofForthbymenworkingacapstanwhichdrovethepaddlesoneachside。Themensoonbecameexhausted，andonMillermentioningthesubjecttoWilliamSymington，whowasthenexhibitinghisroadlocomotiveinEdinburgh，Symingtonatoncesaid，“Whydon’tyouemploysteam-power？“
Thereweremanyspeculationsinearlytimesastotheapplicationofsteam-powerforpropellingvesselsthroughthewater。DavidRamsayin1618，Dr。Grantin1632，theMarquisofWorcesterin1661，wereamongthefirstinEnglandtopublishtheirviewsuponthesubject。ButitisprobablethatDenisPapin，thebanishedHugnenotphysician，forsometimeCuratoroftheRoyalSociety，wasthefirstwhomadeamodelsteam-boat。DaringhisresidenceinEngland，hewaselectedProfessorofMathematicsintheUniversityofMarburg。Itwaswhileatthatcitythatheconstructed，in1707，asmallsteam-engine，whichhefittedinaboat——unepetitemachined’un，vaisseauaroues——anddespatchedittoEnglandforthepurposeofbeingtriedupontheThames。
ThelittlevesselneverreachedEngland。AtMunden，theboatmenontheRiverWeser，thinkingthat，ifsuccessful，itwoulddestroytheiroccupation，seizedtheboat，withitsmachine，andbarbarouslydestroyedit。Papindidnotrepeathisexperiment，anddiedafewyearslater。