HISTORY OF NAVIGATION. 11 



in the prow than in the stern. The steering oar was of the Greek fashion, 

 with a handle. The mast stood more towards the prow, and bore sails and 

 a flag with the Norman arms. The war barques from the year 1377 were 

 almost round, with a regular keel. They had a kind of wall or breastwork 

 fore and aft, the sails were stitched, and the mast, stayed by a rope, stood 

 amidships. A war ship of the same time was high in the sides, rather short 

 and round, with a quarter-deck forward ; a rudder, similar to the modern 

 rudder, at the stern ; the mast with shrouds and a basket. The galleys had 

 a similar construction, but were less round forward ; they had no mast, 

 but houses on each side for the rowers. At the stern was a kind of tent. 

 The war ships had seldom more than one mast. This consisted of a single 

 piece ; the square sails were attached above to a yard, which, when the 

 sail was not used, was let down to the deck. The planks of the ships lapped 

 over each other like a weather-boarding, and were not caulked. 



Under Henry VIII. of England, navigation assumed a new form, and 

 during his reign (1485-1509) the permanent English marine was founded. 

 We have representations of the ships constructed at that time. They 

 carried cannon, for which Deschanges of Brest invented port-holes in the 

 year 1500. One of these vessels was called The Harry Grace a Dieu, or 

 The Great Harry (pi. 4, Jig. 2). The quarter-deck, which we have 

 already mentioned, here formed a regular deck and forecastle, bearing two 

 batteries, one over the other, the lower consisting of 5-pounders, the upper 

 of 4-pounders and 2-pounders. The lower side batteries had culverins 

 (18-pounders), and the upper, demi-culverins (9-pounders). All had port- 

 holes, but the guns in the forecastle were discharged from round ship's-eyes, 

 and had no side bearing. Aft, near the rudder, were 24-pounders or 32- 

 pounders, to fire on the enemy during a retreat. The ship had four masts, 

 or with the bowsprit, five, all of which were in one piece ; they had two 

 baskets and double topsails. The rigging was very simple. The ship was 

 of 1000 tons burden, and carried 120 cannon. The carac built by 

 Francis I. was of the same magnitude, and had 100 cannon. The Sove- 

 reign of the Seas, built by James I. (pi. 3, Jig. 4), shows the first artificial 

 lengthening of the mast by the addition of a topmast. This vessel was 128 

 feet long, 48 feet broad, and carried 106 heavy cannon. The construction 

 of this ship resembles that of the present day ; the misshapen high castles 

 have disappeared, although the sharp projection of the prow reminds us 

 of the beak of the ancient ships ; the sails have increased in number ; the 

 rigging is more artificial ; and the position of the masts is favorable to rapid 

 and secure sailing. The sail under the bowsprit is worthy of notice. This 

 was first used on The Harry Grace a Dieu, and was the origin of the 

 present jib. 



* 2. Spaniards and Portuguese. The Spanish marine was of a good 

 deal of consequence at that time. The Spaniards built fog their great 

 voyages of discovery a number of galleys, with six or seven decks, and 

 from 1800 to 2000 tons burden. The Portuguese built for the East India 

 trade large galleys called caracs {pi. 4, Jig. 1) which were moved by sails 

 and oars, and instead of a rudder at the stern had two large oars with 



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