Shipbuilding from its beginnings. Vol. 1 (of 3)Konijnenburg, E. van (Emile)
History
Shipbuilding from its beginnings. Vol. 1 (of 3)
Konijnenburg, E. van (Emile)
Shipbuilding -- History; Ships -- History
Among all nations, even among all seafaring people, fishermen have
most preserved their ancient character and modified their manners and
customs least. The exercise of their hard calling on the sea has made
them hostile to any innovation coming from the shore and has been
unable, except in passing over their bodies, to make them give up the
old types of ships, the issue of tradition and usage. Hence, fishermen
have kept longest the antique forms and it is to them that we must
go to find them. Thus there are seen in Norway fishing boats which,
aside from the rudder, reproduce almost completely the ancient “Viking
ship”. The Dutch “Bom” is, in like manner, a remnant of the “cog”,
and Portugal offers barks which call to mind the old mural paintings
discovered in Italy.
Naturally many types have disappeared already, and their number is
constantly increasing through the use of steel in shipbuilding. Thus it
is that there now no longer exist any but a few rare specimens of the
galleys and they are used merely for festive occasions (examples: the
galley utilized for the naval review of the Hollandsche-Diep, and that
used in Portugal on certain holidays).
The oldest work which treats of galleys is called: “Fabbrica di
galere”. (~Jal~, _Archéologie Navale_, Vol. II, pp. 6 _et seq._) The
first complete information about them dates from the time of Louis XIV
and is given by the Chevalier Barras de la Penne (1698). Nor should
the work of Fürstenbach, dating from 1623, be passed by in silence.
(~Witsen~, p. 186.)
[Sidenote: II 24]
[Sidenote: II 38]
[Sidenote: II 46]
[Sidenote: II 47]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account