HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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riority of numbers prevailed, after a bloody contest, which continued three days,over courage and intrepidity. The fleet of Greece, confederated against a com-mon enemv, soon obtained its revenue; for having been enclosed as an almostcertain prey at Salamis, it became, after a most desperate and unequal conflict,Completely victorious over the Persians. This success was principally attribu-table to the genius and abilities of the great Themistocles, who, in that infancyof naval tactics, had discernment enough to perceive the advantage, and judg-ment to make the best use in his power, of the weather gage.

Thus was the impending danger, temporarily averted, but the cause of it wasnot destroyed. The Persian, rendered furious by his discomfiture, and fearfulof recommencing a dispute, without some farther extraneous aid, against awarlike people, who, though perpetually disunited, when suffered to remain un-molested, possessed sufficient sagacity to enter into a firm confederacy againstso dangerous a foe, addressed himself to the Carthaginians, a people rising, atthat tirne, rapidly, into consequence. So earnest did the crafty insinuations ofthe king render his new allies, that it is confidently asserted, though the accountcertainly borders, in no slight degree, on the marvellous, that they contrivedto draw together, after an immense expence and labour, an army consistingof three hundred thousand fighting men, and a fleet of five thousand sail, twothousand of which were gallies, the remainder transports, or vessels, laden withdifferent naval or military stores. The same current of misfortune whichhad so repeatedly pursued former attempts, ceased not, on this occasion, tobe at least as rapid as those which had taken place at any earlier period.Amilcar, on whom the chief command of this mighty force was bestowed*was overtaken by a violent storm, in which the whole of that division of trans-port vessels, having war chariots or horses on board, were wrecked. Theremnant got into Sicily with some difficulty ; and being there attacked by Gelon,the Syracusan, the whole of this once tremendous armament was completelyreduced, twenty vessels excepted, which, having been ordered out on someoccasion the day before, held on their course to Carthage. As if, however,fate had determined that the destruction should be in every respect complete,all these vessels suffered shipwreck on their passage, a very few persons onlyout of all the crews being fortunate enough to preserve their lives in the boats,reached Carthage as the unwelcome messengers, bearing with them this seriesof repeated disasters.

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