men of invention and industry-第9章

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cheered　with　the　presence　of　his　〃Master〃　Prince　Henry；　who

specially　travelled　out　of　his　way　from　Essex　to　visit　him　at

Woolwich；　to　see　with　his　own　eyes　what　progress　he　was　making

with　the　great　ship。　　After　viewing　the　dry　dock；　which　had　been

constructed　by　Pett；　and　was　one　of　the　first；　if　not　the　very

first　in　England；his　Highness　partook　of　a　banquet　which　the

shipbuilder　had　hastily　prepared　for　him　in　his　temporary

lodgings。



One　of　the　circumstances　which　troubled　Pett　so　much　at　this

time；　was　the　strenuous　opposition　of　the　other　shipbuilders　to

his　plans　of　the　great　ship。　　There　never　had　been　such　a

frightful　innovation。　　The　model　was　all　wrong。　　The　lines　were

detestable。　　The　man　who　planned　the　whole　thing　was　a　fool；　a

〃cozener〃　of　the　king；　and　the　ship；　suppose　it　to　be　made；　was

〃unfit　for　any　other　use　but　a　dung…boat！〃　　This　attack　upon　his

professional　character　weighed　very　heavily　upon　his　mind。



He　determined　to　put　his　case　in　a　staightforward　manner　before

the　Lord　High　Admiral。　　He　set　down　in　writing　in　the　briefest

manner　everything　that　he　had　done；　and　the　plots　that　had　been

hatched　against　him；　and　beseeched　his　lordship；　for　the　honour

of　the　State；　and　the　reputation　of　his　office；　to　cause　the

entire　matter　to　be　thoroughly　investigated　〃by　judicious　and

impartial　persons。〃　　After　a　conference　with　Pett；　and　an

interview　with　his　Majesty；　　the　Lord　High　Admiral　was　authorised

by　the　latter　to　invite　the　Earls　of　Worcester　and　Suffolk　to

attend　with　him　at　Woolwich；　and　bring　all　the　accusers　of　Pett's

design　of　the　great　ship　before　them　for　the　purpose　of

examination；　and　to　report　to　him　as　to　the　actual　state　of

affairs。　　Meanwhile　Pett's　enemies　had　been　equally　busy。　　They

obtained　a　private　warrant　from　the　Earl　of　Northampton＇25＇　to

survey　the　work；　〃which　being　done；〃　says　Pett；　〃upon　return　of

the　insufficiency　of　the　same　under　their　hands；　and　confirmation

by　oath；　it　was　resolved　amongst　them　I　should　be　turned　out；　and

for　ever　disgraced。〃



But　the　lords　appointed　by　the　King　now　interfered　between　Pett

and　his　adversaries。　　They　first　inspected　the　ship；　and　made　a

diligent　survey　of　the　form　and　manner　of　the　work　and　the

goodness　of　the　materials；　and　then　called　all　the　accusers

before　them　to　hear　their　allegations。　　They　were　examined

separately。　　First；　Baker　the　master　shipbuilder　was　called。　　He

objected　to　the　size　of　the　ship；　to　the　length；　breadth；　depth；

draught　of　water；　height　of　jack；　rake　before　and　aft；　breadth　of

the　floor；　scantling　of　the　timber；　and　so　on。　　Then　another　of

the　objectors　was　called；　and　his　evidence　was　so　clearly　in

contradiction　to　that　which　had　already　been　given；　that　either

one　or　both　must　be　wrong。　　The　principal　objector；　Captain

Waymouth；　next　gave　his　evidence；　but　he　was　able　to　say　nothing

to　any　purpose；　except　giving　their　lordships　〃a　long；　tedious

discourse　of　proportions；　measures；　lines；　and　an　infinite　rabble

of　idle　and　unprofitable　speeches；　clean　from　the　matter。〃



The　result　was　that　their　lordships　reported　favourably　of　the

design　of　the　ship；　and　the　progress　which　had　already　been　made。



The　Earl　of　Nottingham　interposed　his　influence；　and　the　King

himself；　accompanied　by　the　young　Prince；　went　down　to　Woolwich；

and　made　a　personal　examination。＇26＇　　A　great　many　witnesses　were

again　examined；　twenty…four　on　one　side；　and　twenty…seven　on　the

other。　　The　King　then　carefully　examined　the　ship　himself：　　〃the

planks；　the　tree…nails；　the　workmanship；　and　the　cross…grained

timber。〃　　〃The　cross…grain；〃　he　concluded；　〃was　in　the　men　and

not　in　the　timber。〃　　After　all　the　measurements　had　been　made　and

found　correct；　〃his　Majesty；〃　says　Pett；　〃with　a　loud　voice

commanded　the　measurers　to　declare　publicly　the　very　truth；　which

when　they　had　delivered　clearly　on　our　side；　all　the　whole

multitude　heaved　up　their　hats；　and　gave　a　great　and　loud　shout

and　acclamation。　　And　then　the　Prince；　his　Highness；　called　with

a　high　voice　in　these　words：　　'Where　be　now　these　perjured

fellows　that　dare　thus　abuse　his　Majesty　with　these　false

accusations？　　Do　they　not　worthily　deserve　hanging？〃'



Thus　Pett　triumphed　over　all　his　enemies；　and　was　allowed　to

finish　the　great　ship　in　his　own　way。　　By　the　middle　of　September

1610；　the　vessel　was　ready　to　be　〃strucken　down　upon　her　ways〃；

and　a　dozen　of　the　choice　master　carpenters　of　his　Majesty's　navy

came　from　Chatham　to　assist　in　launching　her。　　The　ship　was

decorated；　gilded；　draped；　and　garlanded；　and　on　the　24th　the

King；　the　Queen；　and　the　Royal　family　came　from　the　palace　at

Theobald's　to　witness　the　great　sight。　　Unfortunately；　the　day

proved　very　rough；　and　it　was　little　better　than　a　neap　tide。　

The　ship　started　very　well；　but　the　wind　〃overblew　the　tide〃；　she

caught　in　the　dock…gates；　and　settled　hard　upon　the　ground；　so

that　there　was　no　possibility　of　launching　her　that　day。



This　was　a　great　disappointment。　　The　King　retired　to　the　palace

at　Greenwich；　though　the　Prince　lingered　behind。　　When　he　left；

he　promised　to　return　by　midnight；　after　which　it　was　proposed　to

make　another　effort　to　set　the　ship　afloat。　　When　the　time

arrived；　the　Prince　again　made　his　appearance；　and　joined　the

Lord　High　Admiral；　and　the　principal　naval　officials。　　It　was

bright　moonshine。　　After　midnight　the　rain　began　to　fall；　and　the

wind　to　blow　from　the　southwest。　　But　about　two　o'clock；　an　hour

before　high　water；　the　word　was　given　to　set　all　taut；　and　the

ship　went　away　without　any　straining　of　screws　and　tackles；　till

she　came　clear　afloat　into　the　midst　of　the　Thames。　　The　Prince

was　aboard；　and　amidst　the　blast　of　trumpets　and　expressions　of

joy；　he　performed　the　ceremony　of　drinking　from　the　great

standing　cup；　and　throwing　the　rest　of　the　wine　towards　the

half…deck；　and　christening　the　ship　by　the　name　of　the　Prince

Royal。＇27＇



The　dimensions　of　the　ship　may　be　briefly　described。　　Her　keel

was　114　feet　long；　and　her　cross…beam　44　feet。　　She　was　of　1400

tons　burthen；　and　carried　64　pieces　of　great　ordnance。　　She　was

the　largest　ship　that　had　yet　been　constructed　in　England。



The　Prince　Royal　was；　at　the　time　she　was　built；　considered　one

of　the　most　wonderful　efforts　of　human　genius。　　Mr。　Charnock；　in

his　'Treatise　on　Marine　Architecture；'　speaks　of　her　as　abounding

in　striking　peculiarities。　　Previous　to　the　construction　of　this

ship；　vessels　were　built　in　the　style　of　the　Venetian　galley；

which　although　well　adapted　for　the　quiet　Mediterranean；　were　not

suited　for　the　stormy　northern　ocean。　　The　fighting　ships　also　of

the　time　of　Henry　VIII。　and　Elizabeth　were　too　full　of

〃top…hamper〃　for　modern　navigation。　　They　were　oppressed　by　high

forecastles　and　poops。　　Pett　struck　out　entirely　new　ideas　in　the

build　and　lines　of　his　new　ship；　and　the　course　which　he　adopted

had　its　effect　upon　all　future　marine　structures。　　The　ship　was

more　handy；　more　wieldy；　and　more　convenient。　　She　was

unquestionably　the　first　effort　of　English　ingenuity　in　the

direction　of　manageableness　and　simplicity。　　〃The　vessel　in

question；〃　says　Charnock；　〃may　be　considered　the　parent　of　the

class　of　shipping　which　continues　in　practice　even　to　the　present

moment。〃



It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　pursue　in　detail　the　further　history

of　Phineas　Pett。　　We　may　briefly　mention　the　principal　points。　

In　1612；　the　Prince　Royal　was　appointed　to　convey　the　Princess

Elizabeth　and　her　husband；　The　Palsgrave；　to　the　Continent。　　Pett

was　on　board　the　ship；　and　found　that　〃it　wrought　exceedingly

well；　and　was　so　yare　of　conduct　that　a　foot　of　helm　would　steer

her。〃　　While　at　Flushing；　〃such　a　multitude　of　people；　men；

women；　and　children；　came　from　all　places　in　Holland　to　see　the

ship；　that　we　could　scarce　have　room　to　go　up　and　down　till　very

night。〃



About　the　27th　of　March；　1616；　Pett　bargained　with　Sir　Waiter

Raleigh　to