Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/416

 CKap/XI. O'F'MANCHESTiR. 381 • • • • * cordage. And hence, and hence only, the remnants of old cables are ftill diftinguiihed among our failors by the popular Appellation of old junk. The nations of Roman Britain and the tribes of Caledonia "and Ireland had inherited from their earlieft anceftors many of the rtrder arts of navigation *°. Their (hips were large open boats, framed of light timbers, ribbed with hurdles, and lined wirh hides". In thefe veffels they tranfported fmall armies from South-Britain to Gaul, from Caledonia to Ireland, and from Ireland to Silley * Thefe were furnifhed with mafts and fails. The fails muft have confifted of hides, as the tackle was compofed of thongs. The fails Were never furled, and were only bound to the maft **. The fails were a&ually compofed 1 of hides among the commercial Veneti upon the continent and as late as the days of Caefar **. But thefe flight fea-boats and their rude furniture muft have been fbon difmifled by the provincials for the more fubftantial veffels and the more artificial fails of the Romans. The fails of the Romans were compofed of flax in the Jays of Agricola * Thefe however muft have been afterwards fuper- feded by the ftronger fheets of hemp ; and our fails are therefore denominated by our mariners to the prefent moment cannabis or canvafs. And about the fame period afluredly muft the junk of the Britifh cordage have given way to the fame materials, the ufe of hempen ropes upon land and of hempen nets for hunting being both very common among the Romans in the firft century ".. The commencement of letters I have already fhown to have Been confiderably previous to the flood. Thefe letters were firft ihfcribed perhaps, according to the tradition of the heathens, upon the broad leaves of the palm * 7 . The leaves of the palm, the bark of various "trees, fheets of lead and linen, and tables of wax r were fucceflively ufed as the paper of the antients. The famous reed of Egypt which furnifhed the firft materials and gave the prefent denomination to paper was difcovcred immediately before the aera of the demife of Alexander, and was for a long time foppofed to be peculiar to the banks of the Nile. And the ex?- portatioixt