The Bookshelf for boys and girls Historic Tales and Golden Deeds part 4 (1912) (14597586857)

Identifier: bookshelfforboys00univ019 (find matches)
Title: The Bookshelf for boys and girls Historic Tales and Golden Deeds part 4
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: University Society, New York
Subjects: Children's literature Children's encyclopedias and dictionaries Literature Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Publisher: New York. : University Society
Contributing Library: Brigham Young University-Idaho, David O. McKay Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University-Idaho



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ht to the mark, hit the man in the breastand passed through his body, killing him instantly.So much for the ingenious and ponderous ar-tillery of olden times. When it comes to modernengines of war, so great a subject is opened up-mammoth guns, smokeless powder, war balloons,and the enormous fighting-machines we call war-ships—that it must be described in other pages. BATTLE-SHIPS AND SEA-FIGHTS OF THE ANCIENTS BY J. O. DAVIDSON To the marine architect or artist there is no moreinteresting study than that of the growth of themodern ship from its earliest forms. Ancientships of war and of commerce equally interesthim; but as he studies the sculptures, the coins,and the writings of the ancients, he finds that records of war-ships far outnumber those of theships of commerce. Among the ancient nations, the Greeks, the Ro-mans, and Carthaginians were by far the bestship-builders, and, judging from the descriptionof their works, as well as from the images upon 272 STORIES FROM ANCIENT DAYS
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COMBAT OF GALLEYS. coins, their craft must have been elegant, swift,and seaworthy—more than can be said for manyof the more showy productions of the ship-yardsof Britain, France, and Spain even so late as themiddle ages. To the uninformed the statement that some ofthe ancient war-craft were over three hundredfeet in length seems incredible; for a comparisonimmediately rhade between them and modernocean greyhounds would seem to discredit thestatement. Facts are facts, however, and there isno doubt that ancient vessels were nearly as largeas those of to-day. There is no question now that the ships of theancients made extended voyages urged by oarsalone, or occasionally, when the wind was fair,by sails. A thousand oarsmen (in relays) weresometimes required to man the sweeps, besides acrew of five hundred sailors and soldiers; and thesplendid vision comes before the minds eye of afleet of these ancient war-ships moving swiftlyalong the white villa dotted shores of Greece orItaly, or maj