Excerpt from British Naval Biography: Comprising the Lives of the Most Distinguished Admirals, From Howard to Codrington; With an Outline of the Naval History of England From the Earliest Period to the Present Time
"Defend your country with wooden bulwarks!" is a command delivered to Britons, by a more authoritative voice than that of the oracle of Delphos. It is the dictate of reason and strong necessity; and it was enforced by many a disastrous invasion, in which Britain was repeatedly overrun by an enemy. The warning, although so long disregarded, was at length happily adopted, and ages have now passed away since our country discovered, that her independence and power reposed upon her naval supremacy; and for ages to come, we trust, the same principle will continue to be recognised, as the foundation of our national politics, and the same security and glory be evolved from it, which have enabled us to advance in wealth and civilization so as to render our island the envy of the world.
While, on these accounts, it is universally felt that the nautical spirit of our countrymen should be cherished, as the most valuable of their national characteristics, it is important to mark how little, comparatively, has been done for such a desirable purpose.
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