NAVITACTICS. 509 



These consisted of balistsc, for hurling stones heavy enough to pierce 

 the bottom of the opposing ship, and sink it, as they fell ; dolphins, 

 or battering rams, of iron, suspended from the mast, and made to 

 swing, with heavy blows, against the sides of the enemy ; or crows, 

 which were long beams with iron hooks at the prows, first used by 

 the Roman consul Duillius, to grapple with the Carthaginian fleet ; 

 by means of which the Romans were at once enabled to board their 

 enemy. Ignited combustibles were sometimes thrown upon the foe, 

 to burn his vessels; and the Greek fire, invented at a late period, 

 served this purpose most effectually, as it could not be extinguished. 

 The ancient mode of drawing up a fleet, was in the form of a trian- 

 gle : the admiral's ship being in front ; the others extending from his, 

 in two diverging lines ; and the store ships forming a connecting line 

 in the rear. 



With the general introduction of fire arms, and improvement of 

 navigation and ship-building, naval warfare assumed a new aspect. 

 Ships of war were built so large that oars became insufficient to move 

 them ; and they were propelled by means of sails alone. Port holes, 

 were invented by Decharges, a French navitect at Brest, in 1500; 

 and the Great Harry, of 1000 tons burthen, built in 1509, under 

 Henry VII., was the first British ship of war which carried guns on 

 two decks. In the reign of James I., ten ships were built, of 1400 

 tons burthen, and 64 guns each ; but they, were still inferior in size 

 to the ships of the Spanish and Portuguese. The earlier ships of 

 war were greatly encumbered by lofty forecastles and quarterdecks, 

 forming as it were, towers at the ends of the ship, but greatly impeding 

 her sailing, increasing her exposure, and diminishing her force. The 

 use of naval signals, is said to have been improved and extended by 

 the Duke of York ; but it is only within the last century that the 

 evolutions of fleets have been reduced to anything like system. The 

 invention of the mode of attack by breaking the enemy's line, is 

 claimed by Mr. Clerk ; who wrote on this subject in 1779 : but its 

 originality has been strongly disputed by Sir Howard Douglass. 



Our own country may claim to have made some decided improve- 

 ments, both in naval architecture, and naval tactics ; as the results of 

 former wars abundantly testify. The introduction of Paixhan guns, 

 throwing shells of great, weight horizontally, is likely to render naval 

 warfare more hazardous, and its results more decisive than they have 

 hitherto been deemed. This we regard as a happy omen : for the 

 more dangerous war becomes, the less disposed will nations be to 

 engage in it. The use of steam, for propelling large vessels, is also 

 likely to make some change in naval warfare ; though it will not 

 probably turn the balance of power, unless it be against those who 

 neglect it. The idea has been entertained by some persons, that 

 the use of steam batteries, for harbor defence, will supersede the 

 necessity of fortifications on shore. This opinion we cannot adopt : 

 but considering the great advantage which forts possess over floating 

 batteries, in regard to safety, certainty of aim, and permanency, 

 where they are well planned and constructed, we think they must 

 continue to be regarded as an essential element of coast and harbor 

 defence. 



2 US 



