Station. Number. Station. Number. East Indies 6 East Indies 5 Jamaica 22 Jamaica 21 Leeward Islands. 19 Leeward Islands 10 North America 92 North America 85 Mediterranean 6 Mediterranean 5 Newfoundland 13 Newfoundland 15 Convoy and Cruising 22 Convoy and Cruising 36 Ships at home 94 Ships at home 97 —— Western Squadron 43 274 —— 317 The difference between the two lists is partly accounted for by transfer of vessels from one station, or duty, to another. The high figure of the North American station came from the use of numbers of small craft to co-operate with the troops employed against the insurgents from 1775 onwards. In the main, however, the second list differs from the first by the addition of the Western Squadron—that is, the great force of battleships collected under Keppel to meet the French at Brest. It will be seen that there is an increase in the vessels employed on “Convoy and Cruising.” We tell only half the service of a navy in war when we confine ourselves to the movements of the squadrons and the battles. The other half consists in the patrol duty done to protect trade and keep down the enemy’s attacks on commerce. To explain it by narrative would be tedious and confusing to the reader, but the following list of the warships of various classes employed in this way at and about home when the war began will help the reader to realise how the duty was provided for:— CRUISERS Ship. Guns. Disposition.