Sands increased, and now a Ship of fifty Guns cannot go in or out without Camels, as at the Pampus; fo that it cannot ferve for a Retreat from an Enemy, or in bad Wheather.

The Palus Mæotis is about three hun

dred English Miles long, and generally Palus Mastis. about an hundred broad; it ebbs and flows as the Mediterranean; the Water is very fhallow towards the Shores, and subject to great Storms, and short Waves.

The Czar's Ships for the Baltic are built at Ladinopole, and Olonitz, or Olo- Ladinopole and nec, Villages lying on two fmall Rivers

on the North-Eaft of the Ladoga-Sea.

Olonitz.

The

At Peterburgh there is a little Yard, where all Sorts of Boats and small Craft are built and fome of the Frigates are repaired: Petersburgh This is the Czar's favorite Town and Haven built on two fmall Islands in the River Nieva, which is there large and deep enough to receive fixty Gun Ships close to the Walls of the Fortress: Foundation of this new Town was laid foon after the taking of Nyenfehantz, which the Czar demolifhed, in hopes it might one Day prove a fecond Amfterdam or Venice? to people it the Nobility were ordered to remove hither from the farthest Part of the Country, though with no small Difficulty, fince the Climate is too cold, and the Ground too marfhy, to furnish the Conveniences

of

1

of Life, which are all brought from the neighbouring Countries; however, the Czar is charmed with this new Production, and would lofe the beft of his Provinces fooner than this barren Corner. The Fortress is built on a feparate Inland with good Stone Baftions laid on Piles, but of much too narrow an Extent to make any confiderable Defence, in cafe of an Attack. The Floods in Autumn are very inconvenient, fometimes rifing fuddenly in the Night the first Floors, fo that the Cattle are often fwept away, and the Inhabitants fcarce faved by their upper Stories; on which Account they can have no Magazines or Cellars, nor is the Ground practicable for digging, the Water coming in at two Feet Depth; the River is feldom or never clear of the Ice before the Middle of May, and the Ships cannot hold the Sea any longer than the End of September, without great Danger.

At Archangel, the Royal Transport lies in very good Condition, with a Frigate of fixArchangel. teen Guns and another of twenty; some Merchant Ships are built almost Yearly here, by a Dutch Builder, with Ruffian Carpenters under him.

At Cafan, about forty Frigates from eight to fourteen Guns, which were built there, but

Cafan. very ill proportioned, lye rotting on the

Shore.

Number

Number of SHIPS on the DON that are finished:

One by his Czarish Majesty of

Two by Mr. Cofens of

GUNS.
80 decayed.

70

Two by Mr. Nye of

Three by Mr. Nye of

Two of thefe have been decayed, and and}

are repaired.

Two by the Czar of

One of thefe has been decayed, the other has been repaired.

70

50

50

}

Two Dutch Ships re-built at Stupena of 48

One by Mr. Nye of

The last in Imitation of the Transport.

16

In all, 13

In which Mr. Cofens has been employed eight and Mr. Nye eleven Years.

The Frames of thefe are up; but, on Reprefentation of their being too large, only one is to be finished for a Trial.

The Czar has Timber lying ready there for two more of eighty Guns; but none of these will carry

2

fo

so many Guns as they are rated at, by fix or ten each.

The laft is defigned for a Battery Ship, to carry one Tire only, 24 Pounders.

These last Ships now in Hand are to be built on Chefts, for the easier floating them down the Don, and over the Flats at Afopb.

On the Don, at feveral Places, are thirty-fix Sail of Dutch Ships from eighty to thirty Guns, all rotten, and only planked on the Out-fide to keep above Water for a Show; but, as the new Ships can be got ready, will be broke up and used for Firing, the two lately re-built having not proved worth the Expence of Time and Charge,

In the Palus Maotis; at Afoph are two Men of War British-built, and carried down thither in 1709; the reft are Brigantines and half Gallies.

At Taganrok are fix or seven Dutch-built Ships. quite decayed; two are ufed every Year to fetch Salt from one of the Iflands in the Palus Maotis, on the Coast of Georgia, and are all fit for no other Service.

The

Dimenfion.

The Dimenfions of the eighty Gun Ships are fifty Feet broad, and one hundred and fixtyeight Feet long, and feventeen Feet and a half is to be their greatest Draught of Water; but they being built too fhallow for the Length and Breadth, the Shipwrights were of Opinion, their Backs would be in danger of breaking in bad Weather, that they had not Hold enough in the Water to fave themselves from a Lee-fhore, and were of too great Bulk for the Palus Maotis. The other Rates are after the fame Proportion.

All the Ships, by the Fault of the Timber (fome being green, others over-grown, and a great Part cut in the Spring after the Sap is run up, which makes the Wood spungy), Moistness of the Air, and Damps of the Earth, rot as fast as they are built; to prevent which, a Propofal was made by Captain Perry, three Years ago, to lay them up in a dry Haven, and cover them with Sheds; the Timber for the Project was cut down, but the Work not yet begun; a Copy of the Proposal was sent by me to Great Britain fome Time ago.

The Fleet at Petersburgh, confifts of twelve Frigates, eight Gallies, fix Fire-fhips, and two Bomb-veffels, befides fmall Craft. Of the Frigates only three are in a

Ships at Petersburgh.

Condition of Service; the reft, being decayed, will fcarce endure the Sea, and much less an Engagement, before they are re-built.

At