HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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CHAPTER THE TWELFTH.

Principal Causes of the Want of Scientific Information in respect to the MarineArchitecture of the Ancients—Conduct of the different Nations ’which were for-tunate enough to preserve themselves from falling under the Dominion of theRomans—Origin of the Saxons—their expeditions—their Acquisition of Power—they become a Maritime People—strengthen themselves by constant Intermar-riages zvith the Inhabitants of neighbouring States, as well as by Alliances —■Instances of their enterprising Spirit—the Invitation of Ilengist and Hors a , theirChiefs, into Britain—the Policy and Bravery of the former—the progressive -Means used by him to introduce so powerful a Force, under the Pretence ofdefending the Country, as enabled him at length to render the whole of itsubject to himselj'-—Account of the Naval Armaments ftted out, at differentTimes, for this Purpose—the Naval History of Britain in the early Ages —Opinions of different Authors as to the Manner in which the Island was firstpeopled—supposed Similitude between their Boats, which may be considered asnearly aboriginal, and some which continue to be used even to the present Timein Parts of Wales—the Invasion of Britain by Julius Cwsar—uninterestingCharacter of its Naval History for many Ages—the Conduct of Carausius —his Revolt from Rome—he forms an Alliance with the Franks—Naval Exer-tions made by the Romans to subdue him—he is assassinated by Alectus—theDefeat and Death of the Assassin—the Romans under the Necessity of aban-doning Britain—Arrival of the Saxons—their Dissimulation, and gradual Con-quest of the whole Country—their subsequent Neglect of Naval Affairs — Dis-pute among the Saxon Chiefs, many of whom, together with some of the unsub-dued Britons, apply to Charlemagne for Succour against Ojfa—the Heptarchydestroyed by Egbert, who caused himself to be proclaimed King of all England■—brief Reflections on the Naval History of the World at the Time of Charle-magne's Death.

T HE history of Rome, whether general, or confined to any particular branch,naturally, as it were, involves with it that of the greater part of the worlddistinctly known to the ancients. America continued undiscovered for thespace of nearly seven centuries subsequent to the death of Charlemagne; China,the remote parts of India, of Africa, and of Europe itself, although the actual

E e 2 existence