MR. WILTON.  “That was the first double-decked ship built in England; it cost L14,000, and was completed in 1509.  Before this, twenty-four gun-ships were the largest in our navy; and these had no port-holes, the guns being on the upper decks only.  Port-holes were invented by Descharges, a French builder at Brest, in the year 1500.”

CHARLES.  “That was a useful and simple invention enough:  it must have been very inconvenient to have all the guns on the upper decks; besides, there could not be space for so many as the vessels of war carry now.  Pray what is the size of a first-rate man-of-war, and how many guns does she carry?”

MR. BARRAUD.  “The ‘Caledonia,’ built at Plymouth in 1808, is 2616 tons burthen, carries 120 guns, and requires 875 men without officers.  You can imagine the size of a vessel that could contain so many men.  But all are not so large:  that is a first-rate:  there are some sixth-rate, which only carry twenty guns, are not more than 400 tons burthen, and their complement of men is only 155.  The intermediate ships, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th rate, vary in every respect according to their size, and are classed according to their force and burthen.  Only first and second-rate men-of-war have three decks.  Ships of the line include all vessels up to the highest rate, and not lower than the frigate.”

GEORGE.  “How I should like to have a fleet of ships.  Will you buy me more, dear papa, when I have rigged the ‘Stanley?’ I am getting on very fast with her; Emma has stitched all the sails, and only three little men remain to be dressed; while I have cut the blocks, and set the ropes in order.  It will look very handsome when it is quite finished; but a miniature fleet would be beautiful to launch on the lake at Horbury next summer.  If I rig this vessel properly, may I have some others of different sizes, with port-holes to put cannon in?  The ‘Stanley,’ you know, is a merchantman; but now I want some men-of-war.”

MR. WILTON.  “My dear, when your friend sent you the ‘Stanley,’ do you remember how delighted you were, and the remark you made at the time? I have not forgotten your exclamation—­’Now I am a ship-owner!  I should be quite satisfied if I were a man to possess one vessel to cross the great ocean, and bring all sorts of curiosities from foreign lands.  I should not care to have half a dozen, because they would be a great deal of trouble to me, and would make me anxious and unhappy.’  How quickly you have changed your opinion.  I fear that if you had a little fleet, your desires would not be checked, for you would, after a while, be wishing for large ships, and real men, and, instead of being a contented ship-owner, would not be satisfied with any station short of the Lord High Admiral.  I do not think it would be wise in me to gratify your desires in this matter, for then I should be like the foolish father of whom Krummacher relates a story.”

“Oh! what is it, papa,” inquired George:  “will you tell us?”