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NAVAL to NO NEARER!
NAVAL
NAVE-LINE
NAVIGATION
NAVY
NEAPED
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NO MANS LAND to NUTS of the anchor
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NAVY
NAVY (from navis, Lat.) implies, in general, any fleet or assembly of ships. It is, however, more particularly understood of the fleet of vessels of war, that belong to kingdom or state, to be employed either in assaulting and destroying its enemies, or protecting its commerce, and defending its coasts against hostilities or invasion.The navy of Great-Britain, together with its civil and military departments, is governed by the lord high-admiral, or the lords commissioners for executing this office. It is divided into several classes, or orders, in proportion to the size of the ships, &c. See the article RATE.
If the only objects to be considered in the distribution of the navy, into different rates, were to improve ship-building, and facilitate the operations of the marine, it might appear expedient to multiply the rates, much beyond their present number, which would oblige the shipwrights to study the principles of their art with more diligence and application. But the simplicity of the service in our dock-yards, and the views, of oeconomy, which ought never to be neglected when they regard important objects, has rendered it convenient to arrange the masts, the yards, the sails, the rigging, and artillery, into six rates; which, besides that of sloops of war, answers all the purposes of the navy. See DOCK-YARDS.
NAVY is also the collective body of officers employed in his Majesty's sea service.
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© Derived from Thomas Cadell's new corrected edition, London: 1780, page 205, 2003
Prepared by Paul Turnbull
http://southseas.nla.gov.au/refs/falc/0889.html