December, 1912 
upon land, as well as vessels afloat, and the “‘navy” is made 
representative by including models of much later vessels, 
such as the “Constitution,” which have had more direct rela- 
tionship with the history of our own times. 
Many very successful models of ancient ships, some of 
which are here illustrated, have been built by Mr. Henry B. 
Culver, of New York, in his hours of recreation. For years 
Mr. Culver has devoted many of his leisure hours to the 
study of the vessels of different kinds which have played so 
important a part in the history of sea-faring nations. Be- 
sides being of great interest as studies in the development 
of shipbuilding, the models themselves are exceedingly pic- 
turesque and possess a high decorative value. It is ex- 
tremely interesting to watch the building of one of these 
little models, for which ingenuity of the highest order is 
required. The designs of the oldest vessels must be studied 
from old coins and manuscripts and even illuminations have 
a certain value. When one comes to a later period of his- 
tory, where the vague help of coins and drawings upon 
vellum may be exchanged for the more tangible aid of 
printed books of any kind, the task becomes somewhat less 
dificult, but even there a vast amount of work is required if 
the model is to be built to scale. The tiniest detail must be 
laboriously carved of wood and fitted into place, and the 
intricacies of rigging or deck arrangement be puzzled out. 
Let us follow the building of a British war vessel of the 
kind which was constructed during the reign of Queen Eliza- 
beth, say about the year 1550. A long study of the subject 
has brought Mr. Culver to decide upon the merits of a ship 
of this date as most effective as a medium of decoration. 
The hull of the ship is first built up by constructing a frame 
or skeleton of small fragments of wood designs, of each of 
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Model in miniature of a Viking ship of the tenth century 
421 
which must first be drawn and then the wood cut into the 
precise shape and size required. The framework being 
joined, it must be covered with tiny timbers to represent the 
stout planks of the sturdy oak which covered the sides. 
These boards must be of many different shapes, with the 
most minute variations of thickness to enable them to con- 
form to the shape of the skeleton or frame which they are to 
cover. All this is merely the beginning of the task, for now 
the decks must be placed at their various levels inside of 
the hull, and the tiny hatchways covered with gratings made 
of the smallest possible fragments of wood. Then comes 
the coloring and decoration of the hull for a British man-of- 
war sailing under the ensign of Elizabeth for ships of this 
period, like the “Royal Harry” and ‘Henri Grace a Dieu,” 
built in the former reign and inherited by Elizabeth; or the 
famous ‘“‘Revenge,” which alone and unaided fought fifty- 
three ships of the “Spanish Armada,” sinking gloriously with 
all on board. ‘These were no simple work, but tasks which 
demanded and secured the most earnest efforts of the most 
skillful of ship architects and decorators of the day. The 
bows of these vessels were a mass of very rich and decor- 
ative carvings elaborately colored and gilded, where amid 
festoons and wreaths the British lion carried the shield with 
the cross of the empire in his forepaws and on his head was 
set the regal crown. Let us suppose that the ship under 
construction carries sixty guns, fitted behind portholes in 
tiers in the hull or upon deck. Each of these tiny port- 
holes must be embellished with a wreath, also carved and 
gilded, and these wreaths must be connected with festoons 
carried along both sides of the vessel. The richest decora- 
tion of all, however, must be about the stern or poop, built 
up upon many levels and covered with the most intricate 
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