Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-01
BIC WARSH|P OF TO-DAY
GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT
Gigantic Queen Elizabeth Only
Growth From Roman Galley
Of Caesars Time.
FIRST IRON SHIP IN 1861
Notwithstanding Battle Dooms Yes
sci OF Wood-Civil War Forced
Building OF Fighting Craft to As.
tonishing Degree.


Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch. !
LONDON. October 3I.--When tho
gigantic Queen Elizabeth took the sea
against the Germans. the British were
but continuing line Of succession
which can be traced by small grada
tons right back to the gallcys in which
Julius Caesars admirals ruled the Eng
fish Channel 1900 years ago.
In the wake OF Caesars ships with
their gray-blue sails and twenty
chained oarsmen on each side, came tho
high-prowed Saxon long ships" and
"ceols" carrying a single mast These
eliminated I'm Alfreds Kings sI,ips.'
which the chronicler writes were full =
twice as long aa the others" They
were propelled by as many as sixty
oars.
King Cnnute produced what his poo
pie considered wonderful warships: in
fact. tho men OF every period have been
dazzlcd by the great mem war Of that
period. These ships ranged from 100
10 200 feet long. their sides were
adorned with dragons and scrpents'
| heads, their sails were painted in rain
DOW hues and along their rails were
! rows Of many colored shields
The Normans built still larger craft.
and, In imitation OF land warfare, con-
| structed high castles" on bow and
stern. These were sturdy square struc-
lures for the fighting, much like the
| atone keep.
Nor did the Norman fleet lack for
picturcsauencss The sides of their
! "arshins were painted in bands of blue.
yellow. red and brown. and the sails
! were striped with the same bright
coiors.
! Win the PiantaHenets the vessels OF
/ war became more busnesslike and
| more formidable. The Norman bonts
were under fifty tons. while now many
were Of eighty tons Each carried
! thirty scamen and az equal numbe
OF crosshowmen and other soldiers. In
/ the castles fore and aft we're fighters
armed with spears long enough TO
spit man on the deck Of n shin along
side
! Sings and javelins were also used
I with axes and bills to cut the enemy.s
rigging at close quarters on meeting
! hostile ship. u war vessel ran along
side under the fire OF crossbowmen and
rolieys Of heavy stones. darts and in :
cendihry projectiles and then ernppled
and boarded her
OAR-PROPELLED GALLEY
BEGINS TO DISAPPEAR
The oar-propellod galley disappeared
about this time. In Edward Ills reign
naval architecture had progressed TO
the cog" vessel Of 200 tons and
| more. She carried from l2O TO $50 sea-
/ men. soldiers and archers. From the
castles" At stem and stern and on the
mast amidship the archers fired their
arrows and bolts at the enemy until
+ the moment arrived TO run alongside
and board her
a great new departure must also be
noted. From the castles crude cannon
OF hoped iron bars hurled stone pro-
} jcctilcs. The weapon which had so as
tonished the French at Greasy had been
adapted TO the sea.
! BY tho end OF the fourteenth century
the cog" had been rclegatcd to the
scrap heap by the great ship" OF 501
tons burden, carrying 2S0 sailors
archers and spearmen.
The hulls were orna,ncntcd w.ti,
hera!dic carvings. and some had pur-
pie sails. embroidered in gold and EN-
I blazOned with bright colors"
The method of fighting still remained
III. same. The long bow and the cross
bow were the principal arms of attack.
and the primitive cannon were used
more for their demoralzing effect on
the enemy than for their distruct!ve-
ness.
With the coming OF the fifteenth CEN
fury the growth Of the warship became
more rapid. Vessels of 1000 tons Will,
two masts were not uncommon. Heavy
. cannon of east iron were mounted on
The fore and af; castles. which had
now become permanent structures
wrought strongly into the framework
% Tie hull.
We also hear for the first time OF
hand cannon" the muskets ana pistols
OF later days. The little primitive
muskcts popped side by side With the
twane Of the bows. \ li:tle later
light cannon We're fired through loon.
holes in the bulwarks.
Under the Tutlors. warships took n
great leap forward. We come to the
Great Harry. thet celebrated vessel OF
/ King Henry VII. which cost $4,000.
This and the Great Michael We're each
2+0 feet long and thirtv-siX feet broad
They could fire 4 broadside of eight
-