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G. C. Gaenett, M. A., read the following paper on Ancient Galleys ; 

 and presented a collection of drawings and photographs to illustrate 

 his paper : — 



O2T Ancient Galleys. 



The subject of ancient Galleys, which I have the honour to bring before 

 your notice this evening, is a theme, 1 believe, which has often engaged 

 the attention of many learned societies, both in our own country and in 

 those parts of the Continent which are most notable to us for their anti- 

 quarian and literary researches. 



Indeed, to trace the subject from the infancy of naval art would, I 

 believe, be vain ; for it is manifest that long before any detailed accounts 

 were written, or at least before our preserved records, a system of naval 

 architecture existed, which was far more complicated in its nature than 

 either the hollow boats from trees (fiovcgvXa) or rafts joined with 

 leather thongs (o-xe<5/at). 



The first vessel of any importance we read of is the Argo, which we 

 know had fifty oars, twenty-five on each side ; and, taking a space of 

 four feet as a medium distance between the rowers, we have a length of 

 100 feet; but in addition to this was the curvature of the bow and 

 stern — a part of the vessel in which Trajan's column exhibits no rowers 

 or ports — and which curve would most probably be not less than seven 

 feet, which would give a length of 114 feet, a size of vessel out of keep- 

 ing with the mechanical arts of the period. 



In addition to this, we know that some were shaped sharp at both 

 ends — in other words, the bow and stern were alike; whence they 

 are called vtjes aji(/)i7rpvfivoi. Now, it seems highly probable that these 

 vessels were used only for the purpose of river navigation, as their great 

 length would be of inconvenience in turning. These, however, must not 

 be confounded with the true naves long a, a much more recent inven- 

 tion — vessels which had a true bow and stern. To Minerva, the happy 

 mother of the arts and sciences, is ascribed the origin of the naval art ; 

 but at what period the idea first had birth is a question of much contro- 

 versy. 



Now, the Homeric poems seem a fit starting point for such an in- 

 quiry ; yet no source should be disregarded which can afford any infor- 

 mation on the subject and in the Archipelago many vessels are still 

 seen bearing many of the characteristics described by Homer. It was 

 after the Punic war, or 490 A. TJ. C, however, before the Romans can 

 be said to have possessed any ships of magnitude. They were divided 

 into two classes — merchantmen, " o\/ed£e<?," and " vije?" ships of war. 

 These " vye*" were, it is calculated, at least eight times their breadth in 

 length; they were at first " uniremes," but afterwards were " triremes" — 

 to a great extent, no doubt, a generic appellation to all vessels of war, 

 just as we apply the term "liners" to vessels of 60, 78, 90, or 100 guns. 



The exact form of the original triremes seems doubtful. Those on 

 the "Coluinna Kostrata" of Duilius are in a great measure, no doubt, 

 offsprings of the sculptor's imagination. M. Dupuis Delome, the 



E. I. A. PEOC VOL. IX. E 



