In many ships there was here a kind of tent, from which the commander gave his orders to the crew ( pl. The poop was higher than the prow, and more richly adorned. 11), through which the ropes were passed on landing. The stem was usually provided with one or two openings, called the ship’s eyes ( fig. As a defence against the prows of the enemy, stout beams projected from the ship, as in figs. 18, show only the part of the prow above water. Finally, two or three points were used instead of one ( figs. Afterwards the prow was constructed of planks hewn to a point, or with the metallic covering in the shape of a ram’s head. 3 and 4 represent such rostra, which at first were nothing but strong beams covered in front with metallic plates, and serving the same purposes as battering rams in the military service. The stem ( rostrum, embolus), which at first was found only in ships of war, but afterwards in merchant vessels. 12, shows an ancient ship, after a drawing from Herculaneum. Along the side was a row of square holes, columbares ( fig. The hull was built on a keel, to which, as now, the curved or knee timbers were fastened. In sea-going vessels, the hull was usually parallel with the surface of the water, the prow and stern, however, curving upwards. 2 is a Phoenician boat of that kind, to which we shall presently recur. The most ancient boats, composed of a single piece of wood, appear to have resembled those now in use on the Tigris, Euphrates, and other rivers of the East. The Bible describes this structure as 300 cubits in length, 50 cubits in breadth, and 30 cubits in height a proportion (1 : 2 :: 10 nearly) which we often find in modern ships of war. This indicates a great progress in the art of ship-building, of which we have 1 : 10 previous historical accounts. The oldest and best known vessel of the ancients was Noah’s Ark. The ancients for some time had no knowledge of the pole-star, but steered by the Great Bear, which constellation in almost all oriental histories is symbolized by an animal, as among the Arabians and Persians by a bull.ġ. It was an old custom to steer by the heavenly bodies, following the sun by day and the fixed stars by night. Other emblems were used at a later period: dragons, serpents, and so forth, from which at length the ships took their name. Every ship was under the protection of a god, with whose image it was decorated. The sounding-line is mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 27) as something in common use. Ballast was first introduced by Diomedes at Troy. 13, 14) seems to have been the invention of Anacharsis the Scythian. They at first consisted of large wooden pipes, filled up with melted lead, and having a fluke at the lower end. Anchors were invented at a later date in Ancyra, the ancient Tectosagis. In Homer’s time, large stones were sunk in the water by ropes in order to hold the ship. The anchors were very unlike those of the present day. The Greeks and Pliny ascribe them to Æolus, Dædalus, and Icarus. Sails were invented by the Samothracians. The oldest ships could sail in either direction, and had rudders at both ends. 15) was invented by Typhis, the steersman of the Argo. The boat was first propelled by poles, and subsequently by oars ( pl. The idea afterwards occurred of using bent wood instead of wicker-work, and boards fitted to each other instead of skins. If we may credit Pliny and Pollux, the first vessels of this kind were made of light wicker-work, and covered with skins. The desire to carry more than one or two persons in the same boat, led to the construction of larger vessels. The first mention of a boat is found in Sanchoniathon, where Ausos hollows out the branch of a tree with fire, and in this frail vessel commits himself to the sea. It was not until a later period that coasting voyages were attempted on the sea with rafts, which are now used for the transportation of passengers and merchandise. In the first instance, probably, vessels were confined to rivers. The Greeks ascribed it to their Minerva the Romans, to Neptune the Chinese, to Hoang-Ti while, in fact, it is the social impulse of man, his necessity, his desire of gain, to which we owe the art that brings together the most distant parts of the world. It is made use of by the poets, and every nation claims the invention of it as its own. We find its application in the mythical ages. Navigation, or the art of crossing water, is so old that we know not who was its inventor.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |