. The library of American history, literature and biography .. . 152 VIEW OF THE CAPITOL, WASHINGTON. CHAPTER VIII. OUR KLAQ AT Prior to the break-ing out of the Revolution-^ ary War, America had nonavy. The colonists hadbefore this time lookedto the mother country forprotection on the in the fall of 1775,when war seemed im-minent, the building of\ thirteen war-cruisers was• begun. Only one ofthese ships-of-the-line wasbuilt—the America—and she was given toFrance before she waslaunched. During thewhole war, a total oftwenty small frigates andtwenty-one sloops flewthe American fl
. The library of American history, literature and biography .. . 152 VIEW OF THE CAPITOL, WASHINGTON. CHAPTER VIII. OUR KLAQ AT Prior to the break-ing out of the Revolution-^ ary War, America had nonavy. The colonists hadbefore this time lookedto the mother country forprotection on the in the fall of 1775,when war seemed im-minent, the building of\ thirteen war-cruisers was• begun. Only one ofthese ships-of-the-line wasbuilt—the America—and she was given toFrance before she waslaunched. During thewhole war, a total oftwenty small frigates andtwenty-one sloops flewthe American flag; andfifteen of the former andten of the latter wereeither captured or de-stroyed. What cockle-shells they were, and how slight in armament, comparedwith the floating fortresses of to-day, may be reckoned from the fact that twelve-pounders were their heaviest guns. Beside these, of course, there were manyprivateers, sent out to prey upon the enemys commerce. These swift fishingcraft ventured even to cruise along the very coast of England, and down to thetime of the French alliance captured more than six hundred English
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