- 'Britain's Sure Shield'
- 'Missed!' - the Helm, the Best Weapon against Torpedoes
This picture illustrates an incident which has frequently occurred in the patrol flotillas when destroyers have been hunting down submarines and the latter have retaliated by firing torpedoes. Clever manœuvring in combination with good gunnery is the war-ship's best protection against attack by submarine. - 'The Glorious 1st of June', 1794
On this date Lord Howe achieved a victory over the French which was considered so important that on the return of the fleet to Spithead the King presented Howe with a gold chain and a sword valued at 3000 guineas. - 'Wilhelm Kaiser' On The Rhine, 1886
The Rhine steamers and those plying on the Swiss lakes are in keeping with the picturesque scenery through which they run. Painted in bright colours, they present a very attractive and smart appearance. They are kept scrupulously clean and are admirably managed. Many of them are large, with saloon cabins the whole length of the vessel, over which is the promenade deck covered with gay awnings. They run fast. The captain sits in state in his easy chair under a canopy on the bridge—smoking his cigar. The chief steward, next to the captain by far the most important personage on board, moves about all day long in full evening dress—his main concern being to know what wine you will have for lunch or dinner that he may put it on ice for you. The table d’hote is the crowning event of the day on board a Rhine steamer, i.e., for the misguided majority of tourists to whom a swell dinner offers greater attractions than the finest scenery imaginable. - 1797
- 1798
- 1799
- 1800
- 1806
- 1810
- 1811
- 1813
- 36-inch searchlight and controller
- 36-inch searchlight and controller
- 5 inch R.F. gun and breech mechanism
- A 'Dragon' Figure-head
There was a law that ships must not approach the land with their figure-heads in position with "gaping heads and yawning snouts." - A 'Vase' or 'Pot-de-fer'
The "garot", or heavy dart, to be fired from this early gun was provided with a wooden plug made to fit the bore. The type of "garot" shown on the right was intended to be fired from a large cross-bow on a stand. - A game of Emigrette
- A Gumdigger's Holiday
Not all gumdiggers, however, waste their substance. Many when they indulge in a holiday, enjoy themselves in a moderate and becoming manner. Not long since I was rowing by the Matakohe Wharf, and saw a stout, thick-set man, whom I knew to be a gumdigger, fishing off its seaward end. His legs were dangling over the edge, his back was resting against one of the mooring posts, in his mouth was a short clay, and by his side stood a bottle of beer and a tumbler. His face wore a look of placid contentment, and he was evidently enjoying himself thoroughly. - A Matchlock and a Firelock, or Fusil (17th Century)
The constantly smouldering match of the former rendered it a very dangerous weapon in the neighbourhood of cannon; the "snaphaunce", or "fusil", was fitted with a "fire-lock", in which a spark was struck from a flint. - A Sea-fight in Tudor Times
Which particular battle this picture is supposed to represent cannot be stated, since old Holinshed uses it over and over again for almost every naval engagement to which he makes reference right back as far as the Conquest. That cannon were not then in existence does not appear to trouble him at all. But we may take it as fairly representative of an action at sea in the times in which the historian lived and wrote. - A Turkish Pirate Ship of 1579
Observe the sharp ram, the tower-like forecastle, and the curiously perched cabin aft. Also the tail-like ornaments at the stern, possibly reminiscent of the sterns of the old "Dragon-ships" and "Long Serpents". The big and somewhat triangular openings are probably gun-ports, but no guns are visible. - A Viking Double-prowed 'Long Serpent' or 'Dragon-ship'
Observe the well-supported outer stem, the Dragon Head, the embroidered sail decorated with a variation of the "Swastika" design, which was much used by the Vikings on arms and ornaments; the vane at the masthead, the "shield-row" protecting the rowers, and the steersman guiding the ship by means of her "steer-board". - A War-galley in the Days of King Alfred
The Dragon or other figure-head has been unshipped, possibly because the galley is going into port. - Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln - Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln - Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln - Alexander Hamilton
- An appointment at the Cafe des Tuileries
- An assembled mine
- Archer and Crossbowman of about 1370
The kneeling figure is fitting his belt-claw to the string of his crossbow, preparatory to bending its bow. From Manuscript No. 2813 in the National Library, Paris, reproduced by J. Quicherat in his ' History of Costume in France,' 1875. - Assyrians Flaying Prisoners Alive
The Assyrians used these inventions in their wars against the contiguous nations of the East, and with their aid achieved the mastery, and unified the Orient. That the Assyrian rule was harsh and cruel should not be denied; but, on the principle that any kind of government is better than no government, it cannot reasonably be supposed that the central and efficient administration of Assyria was not better than the condition of continual petty wars and quarrels that had existed among the numerous tribes and nations, with their enormous possibilities for suffering of all kinds. - At the Races on the Champ de Mars
- Baa Baa Black Sheep
- Banner
- Barrel Torpedo used at Charleston
Barrel Torpedo used at Charleston, made of an ordinary barrel with ends of solid wood; fired by electricity - Bell’s ‘Comet,’ off Dumbarton on the Clyde, 1812
Nothing more was heard of the steamboat in Britain until 1812, when Henry Bell surprised the natives of Strathclyde by the following advertisement in the Greenock Advertiser: STEAM PASSAGE BOAT, “THE COMET,” Between Glasgow, Greenock and Helensburgh, for Passengers Only. The subscriber having, at much expense, fitted up a handsome vessel, to ply upon the River Clyde, between Glasgow and Greenock, to sail by the power of wind, air and steam, he intends that the vessel shall leave the Broomielaw on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, about mid-day, or at such hour thereafter as may answer from the state of the tide; and to leave Greenock on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, in the morning, to suit the tide. The elegance, comfort, safety and speed of this vessel requires only to be proved to meet the approbation of the public; and the proprietor is determined to do everything in his power to merit public encouragement. The terms are, for the present, fixed at 4s. for the best cabin, and 3s. for the second; but beyond these rates nothing is to be allowed to servants, or any other person employed about the vessel. The subscriber continues his establishment at Helensburgh Baths, the same as for years past, and a vessel will be in readiness to convey passengers to the Comet from Greenock to Helensburgh. Henry Bell. Helensburgh Baths, 5th August, 1812. - Benjamin Franklin
- Block swings free to right of gun
- boat-telephone
- Bradlaugh
- Breech in normal position—closed
- Broadside View of the Nydam Ship now in the Kiel Museum
Observe the horn-like rowlocks and the steer-board The Nydam ship is 75 feet in length, with a beam of 10 feet 6 inches, and had no mast. Both are very flat amidships, and have very fine or sharp ends, but it is evident that in proportion to her length the Gokstadt boat had a much greater beam. - Carvings
Carvings in Ivory (1 and 3–7) and in Stone of Cavern Walls (2), made by the Hunters of the Middle Stone Age - Chinese Floating Mine
One of two, tied together, with which an attempt was made to blow up H.M.S. Encounter. - Chinese Floating Mines used againsts HMS Encounter
A, Wires to catch side of ship. B, Lead weight. C, Jars of Gunpowder. D, Case with side broken away to show jars. E, Raft. - Chinese Floating Mines used againsts HMS Encounter
A, Can buoy containing powder. B, Box containing lighted match and punk below. C, Lid or slide between match and punk. D, String for pulling out slide, to allow match to ignite punk. - Confederate Torpedo for Rivers
A, Outer shell. B, Air chamber to keep end up. C, Gunpowder. D, Pistol with trigger connected with rod. E, Rod with prongs to catch vessel coming up stream. F, Iron bands with rings. G, Weights anchoring torpedo. - Cossack Encampment on the Champs-Élysées
- Crossbowman, about 1430
- Crossbowmen
The centre figure may be seen bending his crossbow with a windlass, with his foot in the stirrup of the weapon. From Manuscript, Froissart's ' Chronicles. - Crossbowmen practising at the target
Their dogs are retrieving the arrows, and were trained to do this without injuring the feathers of the missiles. From a translation into Italian of 'A History of the Peoples of the North,' by Olaus Magnus, Archbishop of Upsala. Printed at Venice, 1565. - Daniel Webster
- Destroying a Straggler from the Armada
The first Spanish ships to meet their fate were the stragglers from the main body of the Armada. Above is shown one such vessel being engaged by an English captain. The great Spanish galleon is quite at the mercy of the smaller but handier vessel, which has got the wind of her enemy, and is pouring a destructive fire into her prow. - Ding Dong Bell
- Diver Salving a Gun
(From a print of 1613) - Diver's Helmet from Vegetius
A comparison between the two sketches over page will, I think, go far to prove me right, since the so-called "Diver's Helmet" is taken from Vegetius' De Re Militari, not published before 1511. The earliest picture of a diving-helmet of this kind I have been able to find is in a German work published in 1500: both are therefore of a later date than the "Swimming Jacket". This "jacket" was intended to be worn as follows: The lower rectangular part was to be placed at the back, the oval portion to the front of the body. When the swimmer wished to remain at the surface he inflated his jacket by means of the tube; when he required to dive out of sight he would let the air out. Look at the position of the buckles and straps in the two drawings and you will see that there is a strong presumption that the later artist deliberately made the alteration in order to support his bogus picture of a diving-helmet. - Divider
- Divider