The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-07
VESSELS OF THE ANcIENrs.
In the Matter Of Size They Were Up Wi
Our Modern Steamships.

Our Modern steamships.
We moderns are justly proud Of the Won
derful and magnificent specimens Of naval
architecture hat crowd the great ports OF
the world. If there is anything new under
the sun iiTst-class ocean steamer, IL j. be-
lieyed. is that rarity. In our cOnce,t we re-
call only the gaileys and tTiremes f the an
clients that scarce ever ventured beyond the
coast line, and the small barks in wbi h
Columbus and those that followed him con-
quered the New World and gave commerce
its greatest field. Bu' the ancients built
many goodly-sized craft, and made luxury q
study on some of them.
That much-cOntrOver,ed craft, the ark, Is
an example Of bigness. says tn Maritime
Register. Her tonnage is estimated at about
fifteen thousand tOus-smaller IT Is tue
than that Of the Great Eastern. NO less an
authority than Lindsay thinks that she was
simply a raft of stupendous size, having
upon it a structure resembling a huge
warehouse. As no means Of propulsion
were necessary this description may Dc
correct. The cargo. however, was unique
and probably the largest and most Nalu-
able ever carried.
The description Of the ark as given IN the
Scriptures. makes the vessel about 100 Ieet
in length - feet in breadth ana - ieet IN
depth-prOpOrtiOn similar 10 those now u
use TO-DAY for great vessels. But as the
agnOstic is not sure that this lileDoat oil. the
human race ever existed, and as the ma
terialist is sure she never was built, let Us
take for example OF big ancient Nessels
some other craft yOuched for upon the au-
thOrity OF prOfane and not sacred writers.
The Egyptians, fond Of large things and Big
dimensl ms, made the biz tonnage vessels
Of ancient times.
Ptolemy OPhilOpatOr) would have appre-
ciated the Great Eastern. lie was fond OF
building big boats. one Of these Is SAID 10
have been 400 feet long, ,, feet broad, ana
y feet deep from the highest point OF the
stern, This vessel had four rudders, OF
what some would call steering oars, as
they were not fastened, each - feet long.
She carried 1000 rOwers, besides 5000 ma
rines. large body OF servants under her
decks. and stores and provisions. Her oars
were - feet long. and the handles were
weighted with lead. There were 1000 row.
ers on a side, and 1t Is supposed that THESE
were divided into five banks. That this eX-
traordinary vessel ever put to sea Is doubt
ml, but that she was launched and used al
times, if only for display, several historians
are agreed.
Another ship" the ThalamOgus, built for
one of the PtOlemlcs, is said 10 nave Deeh
3 d feet long. 40 feet broad. and 90 feet deep.
This was "A far more magnificent vessel than
any previous one. An AleXandrian hlstO-
rian. too much CatliXcnus. IN describing her
speaksof her having c0lonnades. marDie
stairs, and gardens. Another great
vessel, historical by reason OF us size,
Is one built by Hero King OF
syracuse. Her Dimensions are estl-
f.. a.
her cargo and the number Of her decks and
houses. She is supposed to have been
sheathcd with lead, and accomplished al
least one success ,iul trip.
4 full description of her would read some
what like that Of one of our Long Island
sound or Hudson river steamboats,. she
had three entrances, the lowest leading 10
the hold, the second 10 the eating rooms
and the third was appropriated To the SOL
diers. There were thirty rooms, each hay
ing four cOuchcs for the soldiers; there
were fifteen c0uchos i'm the sailors supper
room, and there were three more cabins,
each having three cOuches. The iloofe I'D
all these rooms were laid in stone mosaic
work. There Wa. also temple Of cypress
inlaid with ivory ana dedicated TO Venus.
The mainmast was composed If single
tree. and the vessel carried four wooden
and eight iron anchors
As "a freight carrier she would rival the
largest of our ocean tramps. 1t is recorded
that one or Two Of the launches belonging TO
her would carry ahou; eighty tons. This
vessel is said 30 have carried "6O.OOO mea-
sures Of corn, 10000 jars ofa.cilian salth-h.
10000 talents weight q wool. and
OF other cargo 10000 talents, all
of which was in addition 10 the provision re-
quired for the crew." These IRE the nota-
bly, biz vessels OF ancient times. butth sup
position is that as rulers, wn ihcr king or
people. were as cmuious in those da}s as
these, other big craft were built. From the
foregoing scription tine thought Is sug-
70 sted that the first designers OF our own
river steamboats, may have heard Of the
Egyptian and Syracuse vessels and taken "A
hint from them in building floating palaces.
Chicago News.