The Saracens Force take Cyprus, Syracufe, Barbary, About two Centuries after this, the Saracens, originally of Arawith a Naval bia, became a formidable Nation, and very potent at Sea. They foon extended their Conquests over Syria and Egypt, and failing from Alexandria with a numerous Fleet, took the Islands of Cyprus Rhodes, &c. and Rhodes, and paffing into the Archipelago, feized and plundered many of the Islands there. From thence they went into Sicily, took Syracufe, fpoiled the Sea Coafts, burnt and destroyed the inland Country, and at length with immenfe Multitudes overran all Barbary, from Egypt to the Streights of Gibraltar; when paffing over into Spain, they reduced it wholly to their Obedience, except Afturia and Bifcay. Breaking into Italy, they took Capua and Genoa, and laid waste all the adjacent Coafts. A very confiderable Fleet of the Venetians which was fent out against them, netians, . they engaged off Sicily, and took or destroyed the most part of it with great Slaughter. By the profperous Condition of their Sea Affairs chiefly, they at length arrived to fuch a Height of Power, as that their Dominions at one time extended from the Gulph of Perfia to the Bay of Cadiz: And of the Numeroufnefs of their Fleets we may well judge by that wherewith Muhavias, one of their celebrated Leaders, invaded and took Cyprus, which confifted of feventeen hundred Sail. Spain, Genoa, &c. Beat the Ve Note. The Norman the Ocean, Mediterra Toward the Decline of the Saracen Power, the Normans, a PeoFleets infeft ple of Norway, left their frozen Habitations, and infesting the Qcean and Mediterranean Seas with numerous Fleets, render'd themfelves formidable to all maritime People. They cruelly ravaged and laid waste the Coafts of Flanders, France, Spain, and Italy; and at length obliged the French to affign them a Country to fettle in, the fame that is now from them called Normandy. nean, Flanders, France, . CHA P. VIII. Venetians. Their Origi nal, Of the Venetians, Pifans, Genoese, Portuguese, Spaniards, Mu and Dutch. UCH about the time of the Saxons before-mention'd Settlement in Britain, was founded the City of Venice on a Cluster of Iflands at the bottom of the Adriatick, by the principal Inhabitants of Aquileia, Padua, and the neighbouring Cities of that part of Italy, who retired with their Effects into those Islands, before uninhabited, to avoid the Fury of Attila, King of the Huns, then laying wafte the Country with an Army of 500000 Men. Their Situation and the Neceffity of their Affairs foon obliged them to an Application to Naval Concerns, wherein they had very good Succefs, and in a fhort time grew potent at Sea. They poffeffed themselves of feveral Ports in Greece and Syria; and for the good Services rendered by their Fleet to Chriftendom in the Holy War, Poffefs'd Can- the Inland Candia was given to them as a Reward. They were alfo Situation, and Naval Affairs. dia, Masters Genoa, Mafters of Cyprus for many Years, and for fome Ages enjoyed all Cyprus, &c. the Trade to Egypt, Syria, Arabia, Perfia, and India; the Com- Their ancient modities of which latter Countries were brought over-land to Aleppo Commerce, and Damafcus, and thence to Scanderoon, and other Ports of Syria. They had long Wars with the Republick of Genoa, their Ri- War with val in Naval Power and Commerce; and after many tharp Conflicts gained the Superiority over them they ftill maintain. The modern Discovery of the Paffage to India round Africa by the Portuguese, deprived Venice of the Benefit of its rich Trade, but it Trade, &c. at neverthelets continues to this time a very flourishing Republick, is Mistress of a confiderable Naval Force, and is one of the ftrongest Barriers of Christendom against the Power of the Turk. this Day. The People of Pifa in Tuscany, after the Declenfion of the Em- The Pifans pire, made themfelves Mafters of a Naval Force, and by means thereof fubdued Sardinia, took Carthage, feized feveral Ports in reduce SardiSicily, and with a Eleet of three hundred Gallies reduced the Iflands na, Carthage, of Majorca, Minorca, and Tuyça. They refifted the Saracen Sicily, &c. Power very vigoroufly, and in fome Engagements worsted them; refift the Sabut having been long at Variance with the Genoese, they at length racens, obtained the Superiority, by a great Defeat given them near the but fubdued Ifle of Malora, off of Leghorn, which the Pifans never re- by the Gecovered. noefe. dinia, Coafts of Sy After the Diffolution of the Roman Empire, when Genoa erected The Genoese itself into a Republick, her Inhabitants very induftriously applied themfelves to augmenting their Commerce, and increafing their Naval Force. In a fhort time they poffeffed themselves of the Islands reduced Corof Corfica and Sardinia, but the Saracens being then very formida- fici and Sarble, made a confiderable ftand against them. In Syria their Fleet reduced most of the Maritime Towns to their Obedience; and in ra Spain, whither, as we have before obferved, the Saracens had and Spain, fpread themfelves, they took Almeria and Tortofa, with feveral Almeria and other Sea Ports, as also the Island of Minorca, with great Slaughter Tortofa, of the Infidels. They were alfo Mafters of Chios, Lesbos, and many other Islands in the Archipelago, together with Theodofia Lesbos. c. (now Caffa) in Little Tartary; by which great Acquifitions they Caffa. became fo confiderable as to rival the Venetians in their Trade and Naval Power, and maintained long Wars with them on that account, but were at length forced to yield to the fuperior Genius of that Re- But are republick And of all their foreign Poffeffions they retain now on- Venetians, ly the Inland of Corfica. Minorca, Chios, duced by the Corfica. gation to the Eaft Indies, The Portuguefe difcovering the Navigation to India by the Cape Portuguese. of Good Hope, as hath been obferved, occafion'd the great Decreafe Their Naviof the Venetian and Genoefe Naval Power and Commerce; the Chanel of the rich India Trade, then the chief Support of thofe Commonwealths, being turned quite another way. The Portuguese thus becoming the most confiderable People at Sea, they discovered poffefs the and took Poffeffion of the Iflands of Azores, Maderas, and Cape Azores, MaVerde, with others of lefs Note in the Ocean, established them- Cape Verde, felves in the most advantagious Places for Trade all along the Coaft and Coasts of of Africa, and made feveral Settlements in Arabia, Perfia, and Africa, AraIndia, India. Ꭰ bia, Perfia, India, fubduing many of the Maritime Provinces, and entirely reducing to their Obedience feveral of the Indian Islands. They likeBrazil, c. in wife in America peopled the Coast of Brazil with Colonies of their own, about nine Years after the first Discovery of other parts of that Continent in 1492, by Chriftopher Columbus, a Genoefe, in the Service of the King of Spain. America. Columbus. Spaniards. Original of their Naval Power. Philip the 2d's Armada. Dutch. Their Naval From that time are we to date the Naval Power the Kings of Spain were for many Years Masters of, the reducing of the Countries difcovered, planting in them Colonies of Spaniards, and improving them by Trade, obliging that Nation to apply themfelves to Sea Affairs. The Acceffion of the Crown of Portugal, and the Dominions thereto belonging, was a mighty increase of the Spanish Power both by Sea and Land, which happened under Philip the 2d, and then it was that he, aiming at Univerfal Empire, and knowing the best step towards it was the fubduing to his Obedience those who were most to be feared at Sea, fitted out that formidable Armada, which English Valour, and the Anger of Heaven utterly destroyed. Then had lately rifen up, under the aufpices of Queen Elizabeth, the Republick of the United Provinces, who made an early Application to Naval Affairs, and, by quick Advances, became one of the most confiderable Powers that ever flourished at Sea. From the King of Spain, and his then Subjects the Portuguese, they took many of the Indian Iflands, deftroyed most of their Colonies, and fupplanted them in the best part of their Trade, and at this time they enjoy the most extenfive and advantagious Commerce of any Nation of the World, not excepting even Great Britain itself, to which they are well able to be either a useful Ally or formidable Enemy; and, on account of their Naval Strength, bear almost as confiderable a Weight in the Balance of Power in Europe as any of the Princes in it. Swedes. Stores. CHAP. IX. Of the Swedes, Danes, Muscovites, Turks, French and T English. HERE are not any People better furnished with Materials for Shipping than the Swedes, their Country abounding not Their Naval only with useful Timber of all kinds, but with numerous Mines of the best Iron in the World, and producing great Quantities of excellent Tar and Hemp. In the War that John the 3 King of Sweden Fleets, &c. had with Denmark, he is faid to have maintained a Fleet of feventy large Ships, befides feveral fmal ones, on Board of which were 18000 Men. The ordinary Naval Strength of that Kingdom is reckon'd to confist of about forty Ships of War, the greatest number carrying from fifty to one hundred Guns, most of which, in time of Peace, lye up up at Carelferoon, a fine Harbour in the Province of Bleking, Carelicroon very well fortified. Harbour. Their Sea Swedes. The Kings of Denmark are Masters of a great number of Islands, Danes. and a large extent of Country along the Ocean, efpecially fince Nor-', way was annexed to that Crown, and have for many Ages had a con- Force. fiderable Sea Force, of which the Hiftories of our own Nation can bear good Testimony. In the Year 1564, the Danes obtained a fignal Victory over the Swedish Fleet, and took their Admiral Prifoner, Beat the together with his Ship called the Nonfuch, mounted, as 'tis faid, with two Hundred Guns: And it is related, that Chriftian the 3, upon the Inftances of the French King Henry the 24, aided the Scots with a Fleet of a Hundred Sail, manned with 10000 Men, against the English. The King of Denmark is faid now to have in Fleets at Cothe Bafon of Copenhagen fix and thirty Ships of the Line of Battle, penhagen, fifteen or fixteen Frigates, eight or ten Firefhips, and fome Bomb Veffels, and he excrcifes a Dominion on a part of the Baltick Sea, levying a Toll on all Merchant Ships that pafs into it by the Streight of the Sound, which he commands by the Caftle of Cro- Cronenburgh nenburg. Castle. The Naval Forces of these two Potentates of Denmark and Swe- Balance of den is pretty near an Equality for deciding their frequent Differences; but the Prefervation of the Peace of Europe, oftentimes obliges England and Holland to interpofe with their formidable Fleets, and put an end to their Quarrels. owing to the But within these few Years is rifen up in those Parts of the World a Mufcovites new Naval Power, that of Muscovy, which in a fhort time is arrived Naval Force, to that Perfection which the Dane and Swede have been fo many Ages acquiring, and this entirely owing to the unwearied Industry, and even Perfonal Labour of the prefent Czar: a Prince of a vast and enterprizing Genius, who is wholly bent on improving the ad- prefens Czar. vantagious Situation of his large Empire for Trade, and cultivating the Manners of his before barbarous Subjects, by the Introduction of the learned Sciences, and the Arts of War and Commerce. What will be the event of the Acceffion of fo great a Power by Sea and Land, in the Hands of a Prince, Master of fo wide a Dominion, peopled with fuch infinite Multitudes, and what Alterations in the Affairs and Interests of Europe it may occafion, I leave to the Politicians to difcufs, and proceed in the next place to the Naval Affairs of the Turks. The Turks all Naval Stores. That People, as Sir Paul Ricaut tells us, abound with all imaginable Conveniences for a Sea Power, having all forts of Materials have the Confit for Navigation, as Cordage, Pitch, Tar, and Timber, within veniencies of their own Dominions, which are eafily brought to Conftantinople, with little or no rifque from their Enemies. For Timber, the vast Woods along the Coafts of the Black Sea, and parts of Afia, at the bottom of the Gulph of Nicomedia fupply them; Pitch, Tar, and Tallow are brought to them from Albania and Walachia; Canvas and Hemp from Grand Cairo. Their Ports are feveral of them convenient for erecting both Ships and Gallies: The Arfenal at Ports and ArConftantinople hath no lefs than one hundred thirty feven Chambers fenals, D 2 for but their Naval Power for Building, where fo many Veffels may be on the Stocks at the fame time. At Sinopoli, Midia, and Anchiale, Cities on the Black Sea, are other Arfenals; and in many Parts of the Propontis, the Hellefpont, and the Bosphorus, are fuch Ports and Conveniences for Shipping, as if all things had confpir'd to render Conftantinople happy, and not only capable of being Miftrefs of the Earth, but formidable in all Parts of the Ocean. Thefe Advantages the Turks for many Years made ufe of, and were very potent at Sea; but abated by the their ill Succefs against the Venetians in the laft Age has very much decreafed their Naval Force; fo that they have not for many Years paft been able to equip above one hundred Gallies, which together with fome Ships of War, and the Auxiliaries from Tripoli, Tunis, and Algier, tho' (compared with that of fome other States) it may appear a confiderable Number, yet, happily for Chriftendom, it is to their Land in no degree proportionable to the Power that Empire has by Land, and its natural Advantages to enjoy the like by Sea. Venetians; now not equal Force. The French owe their Naval Power to the Cardi It was but in the laft Age, under the Miniftry of the great Cardinal Richelieu, that France took any Steps toward attaining a confiderable Power at Sea. Before his time the French are not ashamed to confefs they had fo few Ships, and thofe fo ill equipped, that they were but of very little Importance; and that they were therefore obliged, with no lefs Difhonour than Expence, to borrow of hire Ships of foreign Nations to defend them from their Enemies. To remedy this Defect, that Minifter laid out great Sums of Money nals Richlieu for building in Holland feveral Ships of War, and for clearing many of the Sea Ports in the Ocean and Mediterranean, and erecting Naval Magazines. His Conduct herein was diligently pursued by his Succeffor in the Miniftry, Cardinal Mazarine, but more efpecially by the late French King, who with unwearied Application carried on his Design of being Master of a good Naval Force, and at length obtained it, but not without the Affiftance of a neighbouring Court, lull'd in a fupine Security by his Artifices; who, if they would not endeavour to quell the growing Power of fo formidable a Neighbour, at least should not induftriously have furnifhed him with Weapons for their own Destruction. Which falfe Step in the Politicks this Nation has more than once had reafon to repent, as will appear in the Sequel of our History. and Mazarine and our Court's Su pineness. Note. The English how far en And now we are at length come home to Britain, the Queen of Naval Power, Ifles, and Mistress of the Ocean; for we may juftly pronounce her to be at this time the Poffeffor of a much greater Naval Power than creafed any other Nation does, of ever did enjoy. Of this the Reader will have been already convinced, from the Account of the State of our Navy in the Preface to this Work; so that here there will not be occafion to fay any thing more, than to take notice of the vaft Increase thereof during the laft Century, which will be very confpicuous, if we compare with the prefent the Naval Force in the times of Queen Elizabeth and King James the Firft. The MerchantShips of the Kingdom were then efteemed the principal Part of our maritime Power, of which in the twenty fourth Year of Queen Elizabeth were reckoned one hundred and thirty five, many of them zabeth, c of |