HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

187

CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH.

Remarks on the Account of the Expedition sent under the Command of Belisariusfor the Reduction of Africa—Causes of the contradictory and exaggeratedAccounts frequently given of the Roman, as well as other Navies—State ofMarine Architecture in the Reign of Justinian—Force of the Vandal Fleetat the Time Africa was invaded by Belisarius—Success of the Roman Gene-ralissimo—Surrender of Italy with that of Rome itself, to Belisarius — unsuc-cessful Attempts made by the Goths to recover it—the Capture of it by Totila —Account of an extraordinary Species of Fireship—low State of the Roman Navy—the Capture of Cyprus, and Demolition of the Colossus at Rhodes by theSaracens—Discomfture of the Saracen Fleet—the Siege of Constantinople —Account of the Greek Fire—the Naval Wars of Justinian the Second—Siegeand Conquest of Constantinople by Theodosius the Usurper—formidable NavalArmament fitted out by the Saracens—its Defeat by that of the Imperialists —the Island of Rhodes ravaged by the Saracens—the Destruction of the invadingFleet by a dreadful Tempest—Conduct of Charlemagne—Extent of his Empire,and the Means by which he reduced it to Subjection—Origin of the Venetian State—its aboriginal History, with a short Description of the Country—differentClasses into which the Inhabitants of Europe might be divided—Revival of Com-merce by the Venetians—comparative View of the Conduct pursued by differentcommercial States, and Remarks on the Causes of their Rise and Fall—Effectsof Commerce—Causes of its Depression, as well as of its Revival—Conduct ofthe Venetians—Revolution in Naval Tactics—Account of the Venetian Galley—its Magnificence compared with that of the more early Ages.

T HE account given in the preceding chapter, which has been carefully andlaboriously collected by the ingenious author from the best authoritiesextant, forms the most curious epitome that is perhaps existing of the state ofMarine Architecture in the sixth century. Mankind had not, in that earlyage, made such sufficient advances towards improvement or perfection, as-encouraged any predilection in favour of a particular system, or caused thosevariations between the vessels of the very few countries, then aspiring to therank of maritime powers, which in more modern times have so strikinglyserved to distinguish the ships of one nation from those of another. For this' ■ B b 2 reason.