med more disposed to elevate and surprize, than
to conduct the public diversions according to the rules of reason and
propriety. One would imagine, it was with this view they instituted
their naumachia, or naval engagements, performed by half a dozen small
gallies of a side in an artificial basin of fresh water. These gallies
I suppose were not so large as common fishing-smacks, for they were
moved by two, three, and four oars of a side according to their
different rates, biremes, triremes, and quadriremes. I know this is a
knotty point not yet determined; and that some antiquarians believe the
Roman gallies had different tires or decks of oars; but this is a
notion very ill supported, and quite contrary to all the figures of
them that are preserved on antient coins and medals. Suetonius in the
reign of Domitian, speaking of these naumachia, says, "Edidit navales
pugnas, pene justarum classium, effosso, et circumducto juxta Tyberim
lacu, atque inter maximas imbres prospectavit," "He exhibited naval
engagements of almost intire fleets, in an artificial Lake formed for
the purpose hard by the Tyber, and viewed them in the midst of
excessive Rains." This artificial lake was not larger than the piece of
water in Hyde-Park; and yet the historian says, it was almost large
enough for real or intire fleets. How would a British sailor relish an
advertisement that a mock engagement between two squadrons of men of
war would be exhibited on such a day in the Serpentine river? or that
the ships of the line taken from the enemy would be carried in
procession from Hyde-Park-Corner to Tower-wharf? Certain it is,
Lucullus, in one of his triumphs, had one hundred and ten ships of war
(naves longas) carried through the streets of Rome. Nothing can give a
more contemptible idea of their naval power, than this testimony of
their historians, who declare that their seamen or mariners were formed
by exercising small row-boats in an inclosed pool of fresh water. Had
they not the sea within a few miles of them, and the river Tyber
running through their capital! even this would have been much more
proper for exercising their watermen, than a pond of still-water, not
much larger than a cold-bath. I do believe in my conscience that half a
dozen English frigates would have been able to defeat both the
contending fleets at the famous battle of Actium, which has been so
much celebrated in the annals of antiquity, as an event that decided
the fate of em