on Naval Tactics. . 161 



The plan, therefore, of breaking the enemy's line, by a superior 

 force, has been frequently practised by the commanders of armies 

 from the earliest ages, and in this stratagem there is no novelty. 



The naval tactics of the ancients were generally of the most 

 simple description, 'and closely allied, in point of form, to those 

 of the land-service. The war-gallies, preparatory to battle, 

 formed such different lines as were thought desirable. A form 

 generally employed was that of the letter V, called the plialanx, 

 or wedge. 



When a fleet of transports, or merchant-vessels, was under 

 the protection of the war-gallies, the latter frequently formed a 

 circle round the former, in order to secure them from the at- 

 tacks of the enemy, as in the battles of the Pelasgian and Cris- 

 saean Gulfs, recorded by Herodotus and Thucydides. In the 

 war between the Romans and Carthaginians there were several 

 naval engagements ; and the first Punic war was terminated, in 

 a complete victory gained at sea by the Roman commander Ca- 

 tulus, over Hanno the Carthaginian. There is little known, 

 however, with certainty relative to their tactics, which, without 

 the use of artillery, must have been very different from those 

 of modern Europe. The bows or beaks of their ships were for- 

 tified with brass, and with these they attacked each other when 

 put in rapid motion, by sails or oars, accompanied with a dis- 

 charge of missiles from the crews. In this kind of conflict, they 

 endeavoured to throw the opposing fleet into disorder, by pass- 

 ing through their lines ; but from the imperfect knowledge we 

 have of their naval battles, complete information on the different 

 manoeuvres is not now easily obtained. 



The modern method of working and manoeuvring ships de- 

 pends upon mathematical and philosophical principles. The 

 Essays of Paul Hoste, of Bouguer, and of Euler, have been 

 long known, and justly appreciated, though most of their de- 

 ductions were drawn from principles too difficult for general use 

 among ordinary seamen. They afforded materials, however, 

 for more popular works, such as those of M. Bourde de Ville- 

 huet, whose treatise, entitled Le Manwuvrier^ contains an ex- 

 tensive collection of practical directions for the management of 

 ships in different circumstances. 



Nava tactics, and nautical evolutions, are circumscribed by 



VOL. XIV. NO. XXVII. JANUARY 1833. L 



