HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

134

or kettle, suspended at the ends of two long poles, fixed obliquely on the prowof the galley, so that this intended destructive contrivance might overhang orforereach the beak itself. The reason of this position must be obvious, asSuidas observes in the mention made by him of the vessel filled with fireworks,or combustibles, the invention, or first use, at least, of which, he attributes toPisistratus, the Rhodian commander. “ On each side of the prow, or stem,”says he, “ two anchors were lashed, between which and the side of the galleypoles or spars were inserted, the lower ends of which were in the water,and from the upper a cask or vessel filled with fireworks was suspended by aniron chain. By this contrivance,” adds the author, “ the inflammable mattermight be shaken out, or thrown into the galley of the enemy at the momentof attack ; while, at the same time, the distance it projected beyond thestem of the vessel which bore it, served as a sufficient protection from anyinjury which it might otherwise (as by the equitable retort of providence)have sustained in consequence of the mischief, intended for others, revertingon itself.”

Augustus Caesar is said to have thrown, by means of proper engines, vesselsfilled with lighted coals and pitch into the gallies of Anthony, at the memorablebattle of Actium ; and mention is also made by some authors of an invention,which has been very strangely revived in times very recent, and arrogantlyboasted of by the inventors as among the most advantageous applications ofmodern improvement, or study. This secret, for it has been considered bymany as one of the utmost importance, consisted in inclosing within the samevessel two substances, or liquids, which, while separated from each other by anintervening partition, should be perfectly innocent, but, on being mixed together,as according to the intention of the inventor was rendered the case, by thefracture of the fragile pan or pot which contained them, on its falling uponthe deck of the enemy, suddenly burst forth into a flame and explosion, not onlyterrifying but dangerous.

The powder flasks and carcasses, still used by the Spaniards, and inhabitantsof other countries, appear somewhat similar in their effects to the contrivancesadopted by Caesar; and those inventions were like the modern improvements ofthe Europeans, supposed to have arisen from the utmost stretch of human in-genuity, carefully applied to effect the most dangerous and destructive purposes.Many were the engines and methods of annoyance in the early ages of the

empire,