Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1848-10-14

vessels adapted only to carry themselves, MANKIND
would proceed 10 the construction OF 'esSels "u"peu
10 carry cargo of commodities. Hence Navigation
would be employed as a means OF trade. IL woulo
soou be found that very heavy bodies couu DC hoa'
I'd down river in less time and at less expense
than il could be conveyed by land; trade would eN-
tend, and ship building and navigation would I'M
prove. Those families of mankind VINO resiaeu on
the sea-coasts would become habituated TO mari
time life and the sea would De reSaTaSu Us souiSS
of wealth and power.
Navigation has great influence on commerce.
Commerce consists in exchange oil the superaoun-
dant productions of different countries But TWO
countries situated to each other, having the
same climate and the soil, Will produce nearly
the same kind of commodities, and but lttle com
mcrcc may take place between them; while coun-
tries situated Il distance from each other ana IN
different climates will produce very different com
modtcs, and here is the foundation oil an extended
commerce. But commerce cannot very wen oc car
ricd on between two distant countries BY land
There would BE- great delay, and great expense, ana
great liability 10 interruption robbery from the
inhabitants of the lands through when you pass
All these Inconvenience are oONlatrd oy means vi
voyage. The transportation OF goods IS tnre'cu
with less expense in less time, and is less iiaoie 10
interruptions In consequence of these facilities, the
goods imported or exported can BE- sold at cheaper
rate. This tends to increase the demand Tor theh,
| and commerce is thus more widely extended.
In most cases, an island presents greater adVan'
tages for commerce than country situated on con-
tincnt. In proportion TO lis size, an isiahu mas "
larger extent OF sca-coast than any continental co"h
Z.
more even, so that the operations OF commerce are
not disturbed by the seasons. The sea Is a ha'urai
ratification, so that there is less danger OF an lnVa
sion from a foreign enemy, and less proportion VI
the population are required to be enlisted IN the
army. And, as all commerce with other nations Is
necessarily carried by sea- the inhabitants natu-
rally acquire maritime habits; snip ouiialg anu ia
vigaon are more generally studied, and the people
have more skill and courage IN maritime warfare.
In ancient history the islands OF Crete, Rhodes, and
Cyprus celebrated for their commerce.
Islands have also the advantage of being able to
carry on the trade between the several provinces by
sea What in other countries is inland trade and
is conducted bv means of roads and canals, Is, III
islands coaStihg trade. An interchange OF commo-
ditcs between the different parts OF the country 10
effected by of shipping, IN less tmt ana at
The vessels of the ancients were different from
those of modern times. The Grccan seas were land
locked filled with small islands, and subject TO vIo-
lent storms and frequent Gains; hence sails were not
generally used. Their ships were rowcd by oars,
and in sailing, the mariners kept near TO the coasts
Ships of var were called long ships-thosc OF Dur-
den were called round ships. The ships OF the Ph~-
ncians being adapted for commerce, were broader
and deeper than those intended Tor war In the time
of Homer, hcmpcn cprdage seems 10 have been IN
known; eathcrn thongs were used instead; and the
ships had only mast, and that moVeaDle on =
The greatest number OF men on board any one snip
was one hundred and twenty. Navigation was IN lis
infancy; but the principal considerations hau pto"
Observed and by means Of these the Greeks had ma
vigated as far as Cyprus, PhGnicla, and Egypt.
Ships had usually several banks of oars rising one
above another, in the manner OF stars On gong on
board a ship, you would first step on the side ms
was the first bank Of oars. Here the rowcrs had
short oars The next step higher, and farther
from the sea. This was the second bank OF oars
Here the rowers had longer oars. The next step
was the third bank Of oars. Here the rowcrs had
still longer oars; and, consequently, the work was
harder and the had higher pay. Some OF the
ancient ships had rudders on each slde-after'
wards they had rudder at each end; but at length
they had rudder only in the stern, and the prov or
bow of the ship became ornamentcd WIN a inquire
head. The ships of were not adapted tor car
ryng any cargo; the chief object was swIitnesS III
rowing. The could never sleep, nor even con-
vcniently Eat board. In their naval expeditions
they kept close TO the shore, and landed TO take
their meals as stage coaches stop for passengers to
take their dinner. When about to engage. they
took down their SAIL and depended entirely on their
oars as they could then advance retreat, accord
ing to circumstances. The ships OF war being long
| aud narrow, and crowded with men, could not bear
up against high wind; but the ships oil burden or
the round ships, they were called, were adapted
for the wind: thew ere worked by fewer hands, and
fit for long voyages. The principal vessels used at
first, triremes, or ships with three banks OF
oars; but the Phenicians or the Carthaglnans con-
struced vessels OF four and even hYe banks OF oars
vessels built for staeness and show had sometimes
greater number. Ships OF war had, usually, a
beak of wood covered with brass placed on their
prows, for the purpose OF annoying the ships OF the
! enemy.
The ships of Tyre are thus described BY the Pro-
phct Ezekiel:-"They have made all thy ship boards
| Of fr-trees of Senir they have taken cedars IRON
7 Lebanon to make masts for thee OF the oaks ot
Bashan have they made thine oars. The company
Of the Ashures have made thy benches OF ivory,
brought of the isles Of Chittm. Fine linen, with
brodcred work from Egypt was that which thou
| spreadest forth TO be thy saI-bue and purple IRON
/ the isles of Elishah that which covered thee
The inhabitants of Zidon and Arpad were thy mari
ncrs-thy wise men, o Tyre, that were in thee,
/ were thy pilots
The Greeks confined their navigation entirely to
their own seas Even Sicily was, for many ages,
the land of fable and monsters with which they were
utterly unacquainted. But the PbenicIanS extended
their voyages throughout the whole OF the Mcdltcr-
ranean; they passed through the Straits Of Gibraltar
and visited the coasts Of Britain. These voyages
required ships Of larger size, and also superior
knowledge OF navigation. 1t seemed, however, that
whenever they could they kept to the shore.
You are aware that in the Mediterranean sea there
tides but a current is always running INTO the
German Ocean. On passing into the ocean, differ
cnt kind Of navigation might become necessary. A
trade that will pay the expense of a long voyage
must be profitable one, as there mist De greater
outlay of capital in the equipment, and longer Pc
Rod before ii can be realized In trading with the
uncivlizcd nations Of Britain, the Phenicans appear
TO have exchanged commodities of but comparatively
little value, for those which to them were OF consi-
dcrable worth They brought to England salt, and
carthcnwarc, and trInkets made OF brass; and took
tin, hides, and wool The trade so valuable
that the Carlhignans kept il TO themselves. 10.
man ship followed a Carthaginian ship to discover
the place to which she sailed. Inc CarthaSIhidn
captain desgnedly his ship aground, the Roman
ship followed, and aground also. The Carthage
nian captain threw out his cargo, and got his ship Off
The Senate OF Carthage commended his conduct and
made good his loss.
The Carthaginians not only directly traded with
the places they visited, but they also conducted the
trade between those places, buying at one place and
selling the others. This is usually called the car
rying trade Countries may have commodities suf
fcicnt to form the basis OF extensive commerce,
and yet may not have sufficient capital to export
them. Thus, the American Indians could furnish
abundance Of fur, but had ships; and if there be
nations in this state, II is great advantage to
both third nafinn LII carry fhnr