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THE
IMPERIAL
ENCYCLOPAEDIA.
NAVAL TACTICS.
N AVALTACTICS is the art of ranging fleets in such orderor disposition, as may be judged most convenient, eitherfor attacking, defending, or retreating, to the greatest ad-vantage; and to regulate their several movements accord-ingly. It is not a science established on principles absolutely inva-riable, butfoundedon suchreasonsasthealterationand improvement©farms must necessarily occasion in a course of time and experience;from which also naturally results a difference in the construction ofships, in the manner of working them, and in fine, in the total disposi-tion and regulation of fleets and squadrons.
History of Naval Tactics.
The ancient galleys were so constructed as to carry severalbanks of oars, very differently disposed from those in our modern"alleys, which, however, vary the least of any others from theirancient model. Advanced by the force of their oars, the galleysran violently aboard of each other, and by the mutual concussionof their beaks and prows, and sometimes of them sterns, endea-voured to dash in pieces or sink their enemies. The Prow , forthis purpose, was commonly armed with a brazen point or trident,nearly as low as the surface of the sea, to pierce the enemy’s shipsunder the water. Some of the galleys were furnished with largeturrets, and other buildings, either for attack or defence. Thesoldiers also annoyed their enemies with darts and slings, and ontheir nearer approach, with swords and javelins; and that theirmissive weapons might be directed with greater force and certainty,the ships were equipped with several platforms, or elevationsabove the level of the deck. The sides of the ship were fortifiedwith a thick fence of hides, which served to repel the darts of theiradversaries, and to cover their own soldiers, who thereby annoyedthe enemy with greater security'. As the invention of gunpowder Ihas rendered useless many of the machines employed in the navalwars of the ancients, the great distance of times has also consignedmany of them to oblivion : some few, however, aro recorded inancient authors, of which it is proper to present a short description.And first, The Aixjuy, or Dolphin , was a large and massy pieceof lead or iron, cast in the form cf a dolphin. This machine beingsuspended by Hocks at the mast-heads or yard-arms, upon a pro-per occasion, was let down violently into the enemy’s ships; andeither penetrated through their bottom, and opened a passage forthe entering waters, or by its weight immediately sunk (lie vessel.The Ajeravov, or Drepavnm, was an engine of iron crooked likea sickle, and fixed on the top of a long pole. It was employed tocut asunder the slings of the sail-yards, and, thereby letting thesails fall down, to disable the vessel from escaping, and incommodevol. tv.— no. 155.
I her greatly during the action. Similar to this was another instru-ment, armed at the head with a broad two-edged blade of iron,wherewith they usually cutaway the ropes that fastened the rudderto the vessel. The Dorata nauniacha avpxU were a sort
of spears or maces of an extraordinary length, sometimes exceeding20 cubits, as appears by the 15th Iliad of Homer , by whom theyare called The Kiraiic, Kiptmt, were certain machines
used to throw large stones into the enemy’s ships. Vigetius men-tions another engine which was suspended to the main-mast, andresembled a battering ram ; for it consisted of a long beam and ahead of iron, and was with great violence pushed against the side*of the enemy’s galleys. They had also a grappling iron, whichwas usually thrown into the adverse ship by means of an1 engine; this instrument facilitated the entrance of the soldiersappointed to board, which was done by means of wooden bridges,that were generally kept ready for this purpose in the fore-part ofthe vessel. The arms used by the ancients rendered the disposi-tion of their fleets very different, according to the time, place,and circumstances, of the engagement. They generally consideredit an advantage to be to windward, and to have the sun shiningdirectly on the front of their enemy. The order of battle chieflydepended on their power of managing the ships, or of drawingthem readily into form ; and on the schemes which their officershad concerted. The fleet being composed of rowing vessels, they, lowered their sails previous to the action ; they presented their| prows to the enemy, and advanced against each other by the forcej of their oars. Before they joined battle, the admirals went from! ship to ship, and exhorted their soldiers to behave gallantly. All; things being in readiness, the signal was displayed by hanging out| of the admiral’s galley a gilded shield, or a red garment or banner.
During the elevation of this, the action continued; and by its! depression, or inclination towards the right or left, tire rest of theI ships were directed how to attack or retreat from their enemies. Tol! this was added the sound of trumpets; which began in the admiral’sj galley, and continued round the whole fleet. The fight was begun. by the admiral’s galley, by grappling, boarding, and endeavouringto overset, sink, or destroy, the adversary. Sometimes, for waritof grappling irons, they fixed 1 heir oars in such a manner as tohinder the enemy from retreating. If they could not manage theiroars as dexterously as their antagonists, or fall along side so as toboard them, they penetrated their vessel with the brazen prow.The vessels approached each other as well as their circumstances1 would permit, and the soldiers were obliged to fight hand to handtill the battle was decided: nor indeed could they fight otherwise1 with any certainty, as any little distance rendered! their slings andU ’ arrows.