s the
prototypes of the early sea-going vessels of Northern Europe.

Although the art of ship construction had attained to great importance
amongst the Veneti, their neighbours, the Britons, were still very
backward in this respect at the time of the first Roman invasion. Caesar
states that their vessels were of very slight construction, the
framework being made of light timber, over which was stretched a
covering, or skin, of strong hides. Sometimes the framework was of
wicker.

The ancient Saxons, who were notorious as pirates on the North Sea, made
use of boats similar to those of the ancient Britons. At the time of
their invasion of Britain, however, their vessels must have been larger
and of more solid construction, though we must dismiss, as an obvious
absurdity, the statement that the first invading army of 9,000 men was
carried to this country in three ships only. It is much more probable
that the expedition was embarked in three fleets.

The Saxon kings of England often maintained very considerable fleets for
the purpose of protecting the coast from the Danes.

Alfred the Great is generally regarded as the founder of the English
Navy. He designed ships which were of a better type and larger size than
those of his enemies, the Danes. They were said to have been twice as
long as the vessels which they superseded. The Saxon Chronicle says,
"They were full twice as long as the others; some had sixty oars, and
some had more; they were swifter and steadier, and also higher than the
others; they were shaped neither like the Frisian, nor the Danish, but
so as it seemed to him they would be most efficient." In 897 Alfred met
and defeated a Danish squadron, in all probability with his new ships.

Edgar (959 to 975) is stated to have kept at sea no less than 3,600
vessels of various sizes, divided into three fleets, and the old
historian William of Malmesbury tells us that this king took an active
personal interest in his navy, and that in summer time he would, in
turn, embark and cruise with each of the squadrons.

[Illustration: FIG. 21.--Anglo-Saxon ship. About 900 A.D.]

Fig. 21 is an illustration of an Anglo-Saxon ship taken from an old
Saxon calendar, which is, or was, in the Cottonian Library, and which
is supposed to have been written about half a century before the Norman
Conquest. It is reproduced in Strutt's "Compleat View of the Manners,
Customs, Arms, Habits, etc., of the Inhabitants of England, from t