12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 
B. C. 1046, Eupolemus says David built ships in Arabia, wherein he sent 
men skilled in mines and metals to the island of Ophir. 
B. C. 1012 and 975, Solomon extended his territories to the Red Sea, and 
despatched ships to the rich countries of the South and far East. Hiram, 
king of Tyre, wishing an opening to the rich commerce of the Orient, either 
acted in partnership or concert with him. 
Previously all Oriental products had been received at second-hand through 
the Arabians. Solomon’s ships, built and conducted by the Tyrians, sailed in 
company with those of Hiram to the rich land of Ophir and Tarshish. A 
voyage required three years to accomplish, and the returns were prodigiously 
profitable, consisting of gold, silver, precious stones, ivory, woods, apes and 
peacocks. They probably availed of the monsoons to visit Ceylon, Sumatra, 
India, and possibly communicated with China and Japan. The Phcenicians, 
when in the Indian Ocean in company with Solomon’s fleet, doubtless saw 
the beautiful Malay prows, and reported and improved upon the former 
models of their vessels, and multiplied their oars or paddles. 
B. C. 916, the Rhodians composed a Code of Maritime laws, which was 
copied by the Romans, and ingrafted into the law of Oberon, which is in a 
great measure in force to this day. They were of Phoenician origin. 
B. C. 890, the Greeks received from Asia coined silver money, weights and 
measures. 
B. C. 717, the commercial city of Tyre was attacked by Salmanasar, king 
of Assyria, who brought against it a fleet of 70 vessels, furnished and manned 
by Phoenicians. The Tyrians defeated this fleet with only 12 ships, and took 
500 prisoners. This is the most ancient naval battle recorded in European 
histories. 
B. C. 700, great improvements were introduced into shipbuilding by the 
Corinthians. 
B. C. 641, Coleus, of Samos, sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar to Tar- 
tessus on the southwestern coast of Spain, and was the first Greek who ever 
saw the Atlantic. 
B. C. 616, Necos, king of Egypt, sent a fleet of discovery to circumnavigate 
Africa, engaging therefor Pheenician navigators who sailed by the Red Sea, 
and following the coast of Africa, returned by the Mediterranean, reaching 
home the third year after their departure. 
B. C. 594, according to Diodorus Siculus, Apries, king of Egypt, had a 
fleet on the Mediterranean, and fought a naval battle against the maritime 
cities of Sidon and Tyre, the former of which he captured, beating the fleets 
of Phoenicia and Cyprus, and returned to Egypt loaded with spoils. As 
Egypt had no ship timber, most of the Egyptian fleets were built by, and pur- 
chased of, the Phoenicians. 
B. ©. 588, The Tyrians employed workmen from all neighboring countries 
to labor in building and navigating their ships, which were magnificently 
adorned with ivory, purple and fine linen; their commanders were most re- 
spected, and every commercial and maritime calling was esteemed honorable. 
About this time, Thales, a Greek philosopher descended of Phcenician par- 
entage, pointed out to the Greeks the Ursa minor, by which Phoenicians 
steered their course at night; instructed them in the rotundity of the earth; 
fixed the year into 365 days, and predicted the year of an eclipse. 
