HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.
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They first appeared in the year 897, and their first service was against sixpirates, (as indeed all the Danish ships might be termed) of unusual strength,who had infested the Isle of Wight, and the neighbouring coasts. Nine ofthe new ships were sent out, with instructions to get between the enemyand the shore, but on their first appearance, three of the pirates ran aground.The remaining three, finding the superior swiftness of their assailants, despe-rately resolved to engage them, but were soon overpowered. Two of themwere taken, and all the men killed ; the third, whose crew was reduced tofive persons, escaped with much difficulty. In the mean time, those whichhad run aground were taken off by the tide, but had been previously so muchdamaged by a part of Alfred’s squadron, as well as by the beating of the sea,that two of them, being totally ungovernable, were soon wrecked on anotherpart of the shore. As there is somewhat of curiosity in the preservation of socircumstantial a detail of an action at this early period, it is given here atlength. For the concluding years of Alfred’s reign, suffice it to observe, thatthey were distinguished by piety and legislation, by agriculture and commerce.Peace, the source from whence these advantages flowed, had been founded byhim on the only basis which this miserable world affords for it, victorious war.As the latter had been unknown to his skirmishing predecessors, it must beinferred, that the means by which it was carried on and concluded, were newand extraordinary, and they can be ascribed only to his naval improve-ments *.
Edward, the eldest son of Alfred, succeeded to the throne in the year 900.The beginning of his reign was tioubled by a competitor, Ethelwald, his
* The following short character of this great prince is given by a French author:—“ Alfred,whose wisdom equalled the affection he had for his people, omitted nothing to repair the ravages ofthe Danes, and other northern nations. He not only augmented the number of his vessels, but im-proved the construction of them. One fleet of an hundred and twenty sail, was uniformly allotted toguard the coasts. Able foreign seamen, among whom the Frieslanders are most worthy of notice,entered into his service, and instructed his subjects in the nautical art. When the East Angles andNorthumbrians constructed vessels stronger and lighter than his own, he compensated for this newadvantage, by fitting out expeditiously for sea, vessels with an hundred and twenty oars, in evervrespect superior to the former. By these means, this great prince rendered abortive the efforts of hisenemies, defeated their fleets, and chaced them from his kingdom, which he had the glory to retrievefrom the abyss of domestic and foreign calamities. When dying, he desired that the English might beas free ns their own thoughts. Certainly a vain wish, but it shewed the magnanimous feelings ofhis heart,”
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