Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 06.djvu/460

NAVY record of a Saxon (British) sea-fight in which many vessels were engaged. In 870 Harald Haarfagr, King of Norway, fought and won a naval battle against the vessels which minor kings of his country had sent against him. Olaf Trygvasson, a grandson of Harald, with the allied powers of Denmark, Vendland, and Norwegians of the province of Viken fought a naval battle in which vessels 150 feet long were engaged. In 1014 the Danes and Saxons captured London, in the first recorded naval fight against a land force. Norse sea-power began to decline in the latter part of the 11th century, but Sigurd was successful at sea in expeditions against the Moors in Spain and the pirates of the Mediterranean. Spain strove hard for pre-eminence as a maritime nation, but was not successful, and the destruction of the Armada, 1588, was the last blow to her aspirations. The British and the Dutch long held the lead in naval warfare. Alfred the Great may be said to have founded the British navy, and Athelstane, Edwy the Fair, and Canute strengthened the sea-forces and increased the number of vessels. After the Norman conquest there was a great expansion in ships of commerce and defense. Under Henry II. and Richard the Lionhearted, British sea-power grew in strength and efficiency. In 1340 Edward III. commanded in person at the battle of Sluys when the French lost 300 vessels. It was the first naval fight in which sails replaced oars. Henry VIII. was interested in ordnance and the building of big ships. The "Great Harry" carried 75 guns and 760 men. He was the first sovereign to appoint officers for naval warfare only. The guns and gun-carriages employed during his reign were not changed for 200 years. He founded the docks of Woolwich, Deptford, and Portsmouth. Little was accomplished by succeeding sovereigns until the reign of Elizabeth. As the modern navy developed from galley to great ship the vital questions became speed, construction, offensive armaments, and facilities for maneuvering. At first there were only two classes of vessels, the ship-of-line bearing the brunt of the offensive, and the frigate for speed. The ship-of-line, a three-decker, carried 100 or more guns, and bore the burden of battle. The frigate was employed on special missions and preyed on enemy ships. With the passing of wooden vessels, came iron and steel ships, new types were introduced and improvements in the power of the guns.

After the Napoleonic wars Great Britain led all nations in sea-power, with France a distant second. In the second rank were Spain, Russia, and the Netherlands. Third rank, Turkey, Austria-Hungary, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, United States, Two Sicilies, Portugal, Prussia. In 1860 the United States held second place in this class. The United States navy greatly increased in tonnage during the Civil War, but afterward many ships were sold and little