The National tribune., 1894-12-27
VENETIAN BATTLE SHIP, 13sH CENTURY.


upon the single yard near the mast top. from
which it hung in five folds. These sails were
made Of linen cloth at times painted or en-
broidered, and were fastened with ropes made
from hemp or palm fiber.
Round each side of the vessel ran protective
bulwark made of wood intended TO shield the
roJScrs from the darts of tho enemy, and having
port holes through which the oars were worked.
When going into act ION singers stationed in
sort Of crows nest at the masthead hurdied vol
legs of stones at the enemy, while showers of
arrows and lances came from the soldiers stand
ing upon platform in the bow. While this
rain Of missiles was kept up the Captain OF the
vessel attempted to ram; his adversary. using
for that purpose the huge head covered with
metal. with which the PROV of his vessel was
armed.
The Egyptians were all sailors, and the ships
we're manned by those belonging to the stand
ing army, the men taking turns at rowing
fighting, and being provided with the same
arms and equipments.
The Nile gaIleys with which the Pharaohs
made their expeditions into Ethiopia were
much heavier than those Just described, and
were propelled by A oars. which would give
them calculated length Of 120 feet at least.
They, too were furnished with single sail,
but during the early dynaste5 a curious
method of rigging was in use, which consisted
in having a double mast, between which ran
the single yard.
in one representation of this class of ship
the sail looks like a Venetian blind. and ap-
pears to be made of papyrus In the same
picture the steering gear consists OF three long
oars worked from the port side of the vessel,
in place OF the single oar. which performed
that service at later date, or the double
ruddcr that belonged to a subsequent period
The Phgnicans were the greatest navigators
of ancient times aud as piracy was the curse
Of the ocean, their merchant fleets were always
accompanied by fighting ships. Unfortunately
there are but little data regarding any of their
vessels, but to them Is ascribed the invention
of the bircme. or war galley with double bank
of oars. and the ram that played such AN im
p0rtant part III subsequent naval engagements.
1t IS from tho pictured vases of the Greek
races, from the imprint OF Archaic coins, and
the chance reference OF early writers, that
chief knowledge of the first war vessels is OBJ
tained; but the information is incomplete, and
has resulted in any amount of controversy
among naval experts.
The first war vessel of the Greeks appears
to have been long, low galley, propelled by
oars and sails and steered by paddles two in
number, one each side The Homeric YES
sci is described as having black, sharp hull,
aud white. square sails. The sails were tied
together by the thwarts, which served as seats
for tho rowers aud length ways amidship ran
! gangway connected with the raised platform
at bow and stern, used for fighting pu rposes.
1t was picturesque but not very seawortby
craft; the latter quality not being improved
by the habit of pulling the vessels up on land
whenever suitable harbor was lacking. This
caused the planks to spring. aud nccesstated
considerable bailing during subsequent cruis-
ing. The PROV Of the vessel was carved, usu-
ally in the form of swans head, and bent
backward npon the boat, while the sternpost,
also covered with ornamental carving, curved
forward.
In the earlier times those who rowed were