century the only difference between a cutter and a sloop in England was that, while a cutter carried a running bowsprit and her jib was set flying, a sloop had a standing bowsprit and her jib was set on a stay. The evolution of the cutter rig in England we shall deal with later.
In the eighteenth century a large number of sloops were built in America, both for trading and the fisheries. Some of the larger sloops carried a square topsail, topgallant-sail and flying jib.
In 1714 the sloop Hazard was sent from England to America to carry the news of the accession of King George I. to the throne, and orders for the Colonial Government. After crossing the Atlantic, she was wrecked and lost off Cohasset, Massachusetts, November 12th of the same year. Before the Revolution, England allowed lumber to be imported from her American colonies in sloops only. This naturally led to the building of sloops of large tonnage; consequently, in 1772, a sloop of 140 tons register was built on the Kennebec River for the timber trade. No doubt, too, there were other sloops of almost the same tonnage engaged in the Atlantic trade.
In 1771 there were 125 sloops sailing on the Hudson River between New York and Albany, engaged in carrying freight and passengers.
In 1774 Captain John Schank, R. N. (afterward admiral), while stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, "in consequence of a hint from his Grace the Duke of Northumberland" (Naval Chronicle), built the first boat, or vessel, fitted with a sliding keel, as he
