HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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the fleet of Boniface, blocking up the port so closely as to prevent any succourfrom the Moors, the devoted city was soon reduced to such extremity as to becompelled to surrender. Success, as generally proves the case both in publicand private affairs, proved the stimulus to greater enterprises. An augmenta-tion of the marine was resolved on, and no less an expedition than the invasionof Africa itself was meditated. The Moors were not dismayed, but advancingwith their fleet to meet Don Raymond, instead of waiting for his attack, w'eredefeated with considerable loss. The death of Ferdinand soon after this vic-tory, put a stop to any farther naval preparations for some years ; nor is men-tion made of any other attempt till the year 1273, when the infant, DonSancho, is said to have equipped a stout fleet at Seville, through the means ofwhich he so alarmed the kins; of Morocco, that he retired in dismav, and for-tided himself in Algesiras, w'hich was not long afterwards blocked up by theCastilian ships. This success was, however, but short lived; mismanage-ment in civil matters, and ill judged parsimony, ruined the fleet, wdrich, whenin its reduced state, w’as attacked and totally discomfited by .he Moors. Nonaval force belonging to the Castilians appeared at sea for nearly ten yearsafter this, notwithstanding a constant and uninterrupted state of warfaresubsisted w'ith the Moors; but the Genoese having entered into alliance withthem, and sent a squadron to their assistance, they again triumphed over theirenemies, whose naval pow'er they almost totally ruined. The sight of theconfederate fleet parading the streights of Gibraltar, to the number of morethan one hundred sail, produced a disposition for peace on the part of thesovereign of Morocco, as well as Grenada. It was concluded whthout delay,,but proved of no long continuance; and a second alliance with the Genoese,on the recommencement of warfare, was productive of the same good fortunewith t^e former.

All naval pursuits appear to have been relinquished for many years after theevent last mentioned; since, till the year 1337, no subsequent mention is made ofa Castilian fleet being equipped: it then proved completely victorious over thePortuguese, against whom it was employed. The dispute terminated soon after-wards, and the kings of Portugal and Castile united their arms against theMoors. The magnitude of the preparations made by the infidels, appearedindeed to demand more than ordinary exertions, for their naval force consistedof thirty gallies, and tw'o hundred vessels of different descriptions. The navy.

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