The division of the British navy into rates appears, for the first time, in a table drawn up, by order of Charles I., in the year 1626, and styled, "The new rates for seamen's monthly wages, confirmed by the commissioners of his majesty's navy, according to his majesty's several rates of ships, and degrees of officers." * Those rates were, as now, in number six, and consisted each of two classes, to which different complements of men were assigned; but the armaments of the classes are not specified, they having probably been described in some preceding order, which has not been preserved. One fact is obvious, that the division into rates was adopted, rather to regulate the pay of the officers and seamen, than to mark any distinction in the force or construction of the ships. Hence, at this day, the captain of every rate is paid differently. The same is also the case with many of the subordinate officers.

The first appearance of a classification by guns occurs in what purports to be " A list of all shippes, frigats, and other vessels belonging to the State's navy, on 1st March, 1651," � (new style) 1652. The number of classes, or subdivisions by guns, comprised within the six rates, amounts to 23, exclusive of two, which may be called, unrated classes. These were hulks and shallops. The latter were simply row-barges; the former, stationary vessels, fitted with sheers to erect or remove masts, and also, it is probable, with accommodations to lodge the officers and crews of vessels under repair. Although the hulks were generally old and unseaworthy ships, one of them appears to have been "building at Portsmouth."

In the course of about 30 years several other unrated classes were added. Those only of which any notice need be taken are, sloops, bombs, fireships, and yachts. A list of November, 1658, shows that the sixth rate then comprised vessels mounting as few as two guns. Between that year and 1675, however, vessels of this small description appear to have been detached from the sixth rate, and to have been classed by themselves as sloops. The 13 individuals named in a list of the year 1675, mounted each four guns, and averaged in size 42 tons. In what way the latter were rigged cannot now be ascertained, because the mast and rigging books of the navy do not extend so far back; but it is probable, from their diminutive size, that they, had only one mast, and were sloops in the proper sense, or that to which the term, in marine language, is restricted � .

Bombs, which are vessels carrying, besides six or eight light guns, one or two heavy mortars, from which shells are thrown into a town or fortification, appear, for the first time, in a list of 1688, and are said to have been invented by M. Reyneau, a

* Charnock, vol. ii., p. 277.

� Pepys's Miscellanies, vol. v., p. 595.

� Falconer, p. 485.