ly safe sea-port on the west coast of Great
Britain for commerce, as well as a port of refuge and of call: but, when
viewed in relation to Ireland, it became the central port of the empire;
particularly, as a bonding port. The American settlers, by their
character and ability, had been enabled to send eight ships to the South
Seas, and thus established the whale fishery. He had, himself, he
acknowledged, supposed that the danger and natural defects of this port
justified the official prejudice which, since the year 1757, has been
attached to Milford Haven; but, the fortifications being now properly
abandoned, as incapable of defending the harbour, the qualities of the
port, stated in the petition of British merchants, and in the report of
the Committee of the House of Commons, he had, on his own view,
ascertained to be correct. He applauded the wise measure of Earl
Spencer, to improve naval architecture at Milford; and was of opinion
that, to apply, with oeconomy, the supply of timber on the sides of
the Severn, for the purpose of building ships on the draughts of Mr.
Barralleer at Milford, would do honour to the earl's views, and benefit
to the service. He had critically examined the ships on the slips; and
declared, that they ought to be models, of their class, for the British
navy. Mr. Barralleer, an ingenious French ship-builder, who quitted
Toulon, on it's evacuation by our forces, was well known to Lord
Nelson. He had been fourteen months on board Admiral Goodall's ship; and
his observations, during all that time, in British practice, had
perfected Mr. Barralleer's principles of construction. At his lordship's
suggestion, this ingenious naval architect has since prepared draughts
for the largest classes of ships, the usual defects of which had been
pointed out by Lord Nelson, and are there effectually remedied. The high
tides of Milford Haven, it's vicinity to the forest of Dean, and the
dock-yard being exempt from those interruptions by repairs to which
Portsmouth and Plymouth must ever be devoted during war, are
circumstances which, his lordship remarked, ought to render Milford
Haven of the greatest use. Earl Spencer, indeed, had established the
utility of the situation; and Mr. Barralleer, aware of prejudices among
workmen who are required to deviate from their accustomed methods, had
the precaution to initiate young natives of South Wales in his own modes
of construction, and thus contrived to raise a sufficien