Great Inventors and Their Inventions
'Great Inventors and Their Inventions' Summary
The first boat used by man was probably the trunk of a fallen tree, moved about by means of a broken branch or pole. Then some savage saw that a better boat could be made by tying a number of logs together to make a raft. But rafts are hard to move, so the heart of a log was hollowed out by means of a stone ax or fire, to make a still better boat, or strips of birch bark were skillfully fastened together to form a graceful canoe. Boats were constructed also of rough-hewn boards. With such primitive craft, voyages of hundreds of miles were made up and down great rivers like the Mississippi, or along the shores of inland seas like the Great Lakes.
The Phœnicians were the first great sailors. Their boats, called galleys, were sometimes two to three hundred feet long. These were of two kinds, merchantmen and war vessels. The merchantmen were propelled partly by sails and partly by oars, but on the war vessels, when in battle, oars only were used. On a single boat there were often several hundred oarsmen or galley slaves. These galley slaves were as a rule prisoners of war. They were chained to the oar benches, and to force them to row, they were often beaten within an inch of their lives. In enormous sail-and-oar vessels the Phœnicians crossed the Mediterranean in every direction, pushed out into the Atlantic Ocean, and went as far north as England.
The chief improvement in boat making, from the time of the Phœnicians until the first trip of the Clermont, was to do away with oars and to use sails only.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1918Download eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
World of Sound by Sir William Henry Bragg
Sir William Henry Bragg's "World of Sound" is a collection of six lectures originally delivered to a young audience at the Royal Institution in London...
Fifty Years Ago by Walter Besant
Fifty Years Ago by Walter Besant is a historical memoir that presents a picture of life, manners, and society in Great Britain during the mid-19th cen...
American Beaver and His Works by Lewis Henry Morgan
Lewis Henry Morgan's "The American Beaver and His Works" is a foundational work in the study of animal behavior, particularly the fascinating world of...
Nature's Miracles Volume 3: Electricity and Magnetism by Elisha Gray
Nature's Miracles Volume 3: Electricity and Magnetism is a discussion of science and technology for the general public. The book covers a wide range o...
Scientific American Supplement, No. 446, July 19, 1884 by Various
This volume of the Scientific American Supplement, published in 1884, showcases a diverse range of scientific and technological advancements. It delve...
Passages from the Life of a Philosopher by Charles Babbage
This is an autobiography of Charles Babbage, who invented the mechanical computer in the early 1800s. He writes amusing anecdotes from his life, He sh...
Nature's Miracles Volume 2: Energy and Vibration by Elisha Gray
Nature's Miracles Volume 2: Energy and Vibration is a discussion of science and technology for the general public. Elisha Gray, an American electrical...
Marvels of Modern Science by Paul Severing
This book provides a general overview of some of the most significant scientific achievements of the early 20th century. It covers topics such as avia...
History of the Suez Canal by Ferdinand de Lesseps
This book is a firsthand account of the construction of the Suez Canal, presented as a lecture delivered by Ferdinand de Lesseps, the project's archit...
Silent Sentinels: Protective Relays for A-C and D-C Systems by Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company
This book takes readers on a captivating journey through the development and application of protective relays. Discover the unsung heroes that silent...
Reviews for Great Inventors and Their Inventions
No reviews posted or approved, yet...