The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-23

the vessels were carved and gilded, much
as it Is the custom To this day. IL was
also customary TO fix at the stern stan
or pole, to which were fastened strcamers
Of various colors.
Ancient Egyptian ships carried rams
head or a carved lotus Roman ships
had the head of lion, ram and dragon:
| Early Norman ships commonly carried
n dragons head 'or serpent's head, and
| sometimes an archer. Full length
figures Of Neptune, Mercury and other
| and the statues in carved wood OF great
men. The head of ST. Paul's ship was
decorated with Castor and Pollux. The
| Carthagenians carried small images To
sea To protect their ships. The placing of
| figures and emblems over the cutwater
| OF a ship is the result of an ancient
| superstition. The Cabiri, famous gods
| of learning and arts, were, in syrian
| legend, inventors OF navigation. There
| were three of them, and figure heads
| called pataikoi were placed on the prows
| of Phoenician vessels 10 represent them.
The sacred vessels or boats of the Nile
! were used for carrying the king on relig
| ious occasions. The lotus, eye and other
sacred symbols were painted on these
boats and on the sails, with the yulture,
| hawk and other sacred animals richly
| colored or gilded.
A great part Of tho inboard works Of
| vessels belonging To the ancients were
| frequently inlaid with ivory and at times
| studded with precious gems. The sails
| were not uncommonly striped with var
| ious colors, and more particularly on
| board the principal galleys they were en-
| tirely purple, fine, and there were figures
| IL cubits in size, both at the head and
the stern, and many parts. were lnlaid
and ornamonted with figures in war.
The space between the oars down TO the
~ l..nxv
When ready for sea IL held more than 1000
powers and 400 supernumcraries; and on
the deck were 1900 marines
Pliny records that tho sterns and
prows Of trading vessels and men-of-war,
without exception, were decorated with
colors. Gildings glistened on the vessels
of the rich. ana the sculptor chisel added
busts and figures 10 the decorations OF
their bows and sterns Red was the color
generally adopted for ships hulls in the
sixteenth century, though pattern in
black and white was sometimes added,
and occasionally the ground was painted
black, with figures in vermiiion.
The Knights of st. Stephens in the fif-
teenth century, hid the brilliant hues of
the principal galley of their squadron, and
painted its sails, pennants awnings oars
and hull with black, and swore never to
alter the somber hue till their order had
recaptured from the Turks n galley lost
by the Pisans. The Middle Ages made use
of all kinds of fanciful decorations for
their vessels. A galley was in those days
a work of art and was handed over for
establishment to the hands Of geniuscs
as piece of metal was given to Ben
yenuto Cellini.
1t was the custom in the sixteenth GEN.
tury To place at thesextremity OF the Prov
IA sculptured figure, which served to dis
tmguish vessels OF different Municipalities.
The Nenetians adopted "A bust OF one OF
their great men, the Spaniards a lion, the
English the figure of the reigning mon
arch, either on horseback or riding
lion. On the sterns of the Venetians,
Portuguese and Spanish ships the carved
image of some saint or hero was placed
Just as at the present time, spread eagle
Is the most common emblem on the stern
OF an American ship
The Prince Royal, built i'm 1910 ard
presented by the king TO his son, was
considered at the time one OF the most
wonderful efforts of human genius. The
ornamentation, curious carving, painting
and gliding, far exceeded in sumptuous-
ness anything that was afloat. The upper
deck and quarter deck ports were sur
rounded by richly carved garlands of
roses, and all along the quarter deck and
over the upper deck ports there was u
heavy band of elaborately carved scroll
work, extending around the ship. An
the break of the. forecastle and a lion
mounted by knight in armor supported
by row of shields, formed the figure
head. The catheads were distinguished
with the head of monstrous cat, sup
ported by "a figure of Hercules. The
quarter galleries had carved cherubim and
all around the stern and quarter galleries
was IA mass of heavy scroll work, % double
row of naked figures supporting them on
beams and brackets above. The top of
tAc stern was surmounted by three i'm
mense globular lanterns and naked
child holding unicorn. The center one
displayed the royal shield and arms with
supporters. A painting of the vessel was
discovered some years ago in Holland, and
was sold to Queen Victoria. 1t now forms
one of the most curious historical records
i'm the royal collection.
The question of the colors with which
the ships sides of the British and foreign
navies were painted early in the century
has been "a matter of dispute. And 1t
may be of interest To cite few facts
relating TO that subject in connection
with the decorations and adornments of
vessels. Admiral Lowell, of the British
navy, as midshipman, was on the
Neptune at Trafalgar lie says in his
journal: 'Some OF EN- (the enemy
were painted like ourselves, with double
yellow sides; some with broad single
or yellow streak; others in black, and
the noble Santissima Trinidda, 1885, with
four distinct lines OF rod, with white
ribbon between them. The Santa Anna
ll2 Gravina's flagship, was painted
black.
AT the present day in the British navy
all gliding and ornamental colors on
vessels hujls or officers quarters are fur
nished from the private resources of the
officers, usually the first lieutenant, or
tftttfla IN mi
allowance table does not recognize un-
necessary expense beyond the regulation
colors of black, white and yellow
On the occasion of IA launch among the
ancicnts the mariners We're crowned with
wrcaths and the ship bedecked with
streamers and garlands. Once safely
anoat sho was purified with lighted torch
an egg and birthstone, and solcmnly CON
secrated To the god whose image she
bore. With the lapse of years the bottle
of wine has superseded the more poetic
and graceful customs of the ancents.
Ihp lrpggut gvsfpm of christeniDn ShipS