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HE work at sea, which is now done by three services, the mercantile marine, the royal navy, and the much-neglected expeditions of discovery, was, in the whole earlier period of our maritime history, combined; our merchant ships going forth to trade peaceably, if this way was permitted, if not to fight, and always to explore and to discover. All distant lands, if unvisited and unexplored by Englishmen, were practically discoveries, so far as England was concerned, and the daring seamen who reached them were explorers and discoverers as well as traders. In the study of our maritime history we are checked at the outset by the want of records. It is certain that in early times many voyages were made to distant countries of which no acconnts are preserved, and that there was a spirit of enterprise abroad among our merchants, and great activity in our seaports. The foundations of our naval supremacy were laid in silence, so far as posterity is concerned; and it seems important that this should be borne in mind. Continuous efforts were made, and splendid work was done at sea of which we know little or nothing. Through casual sentences in some of the old chroniclers—of Botoner, of Fabyan, or of