HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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Spartans. Skilful as they knew their rivals and antagonists were, they fearedthe issue of a conflict, if they themselves were not provided with vesselslarger than those of their opponents, and they accordingly, by endeavouringto render victory certain, in great measure courted their own defeat. Thefirst memorable naval engagement which took place between the two rivalrepublics, happened off the island of Zacynthus, now called Zante. The Lace-daemonian gallies were lofty, unwieldy, and extremely ill adapted to that mode ofcontest then practised, added to which, their own want of skill in working themrendered the natural defects of these vessels still more grievous. The differ-ence in appearance between the two contending fleets, is represented as havingbeen somewhat similar to that, which in times far less ancient appeared on theshores of Britain, in the contest between the armada of Spain, and the fleet ofEngland. The issue of the contest too, was exactly similar in both instances.The Spartan gallies, towering high above the surface of the water, as thoughin contempt of their adversaries, lay incapable of motion, an easy mark forthe desultory attack of their light, and active enemies ; so that while the lattercould in an instant retreat, advance, tack, or turn about, as the favourableopportunity of attack presented itself, the floating castles of the Lacedaemo-nians, for so, comparatively speaking, they might be termed, could effect nei-ther of these operations, or manoeuvres, except with the extremest difficulty,and much loss of time.

Phormio, the Athenian commander, quickly discovering the inexpertness ofhis opponents, surrounded, as it were, their fleet, which drew itself togetherinto one solid compact body in the center of its foes. This resolution, thoughconsidered by the uninformed Spartans as the most powerful method ofopposing their enemy, which they were arrogant enough to suppose would nothave the audacity to attack them, was the most ridiculous they could possiblyhave adopted their sails, their beaks, their oars, became entangled with eachother ; so that when on the springing of a breeze of wind favourable to theactivity of the Athenian manoeuvre, and the lightness of their vessels, thatdesultory mode of attack, in which they were peculiarly expert, commenced:the Spartans, unable to fly, or to fight, fell easy victims to their own misma-nagement, and the superior skill of the Athenians. Twelve of their largestgallies were captured, one of them so considerable in magnitude, and sosplendid in point of equipment, though extremely ill adapted to the purposes ofwar, as to cause the utmost admiration in the conquerors, and occasion a doubt

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