THE OCEAN AS A BATTLE-FIELD 279 



insular position, possesses also a supreme safeguard 

 against the most powerful and malignant enemy with- 

 out those advantages. 



But this is by the way. I have chosen the battle 

 of Lepanto to begin this chapter with, because it 

 marks the passing of the old hybrid methods of 

 maritime warfare. In all essential details Lepanto 

 was the same as Salamis or Actium. It was fought 

 by soldiers on board of the galleys propelled by slaves, 

 and although artillery was used, the main object on 

 either side was to get to hand-grips, as in the ancient 

 times ; to lock the ships together, and to fight as if 

 on land. Sails were used, but very sparingly, since 

 there was a far more reliable method of propulsion 

 below, and the hamper of gear aloft was likely to fall 

 and obstruct the fighting platform. It was, as all 

 such conflicts have been, an exceedingly bloody battle, 

 the Muslim losing 25,000 killed and 5000 prisoners, 

 and the Christians approximately 8000. It is signifi- 

 cant that no mention is made of the wounded, they 

 were not accounted of in those days, for to be wounded 

 was usually to die, unless, indeed, the wound was so 

 superficial as to be tended by the recipient. And it 

 is worthy of notice, too, that in sea conflicts, as on 

 land, the advance in the perfection of weapons of war 

 has resulted in an amazing diminution of the loss of 

 life. In the most tremendous naval conflict of modern 

 times, where the monetary value and offensive power 

 of one ship probably equalled that of the whole fleet 

 on either side at Lepanto I allude to the battle of 

 Tsu Tshima the loss of life was not more than one- 

 sixth of what it was at the former battle. 



Now, tempting as the subject is, I feel that, in view 



