XXXIV APPENDIX.

“ It appears from Procopius (Vandal, lib. i. c. 12), that the fleet of Belisarius was sixteen days on its passage from Zante to Caucana in Sicily. The distance being three hundred and twenty geographic miles, gives twenty such miles per day, or about two hundred and fifty stadia. This must be regarded as the ffect of oars generally ; there being very little wind, or almost a continued calm.

“ Diodorus (lib. v. c. 2) says, that tin was carried across in four days from Britain to Gaul, where it was landed, and carried across the Rhone in thirty journies. From the descriptions and the circumstances altogether, it appears to have been embarked at St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, and landed near the other mount of the same name in France ; perhaps at St. Maloes.

“ This would give a rate of about forty miles per day : but he says (Diodorus) that the western promontory of Britain is four days’ sail from the opposite continent.

“ It is conceived (Major Rennell continues) that the slow progress of the vessels of the ancients will be readily admitted ; since in addition to so many other examples, we have the reports of Herodotus and Nearchus, — of the latter respecting the length of a day’s sail ; of the former, as to the space actually sailed through in the course of a day, and remarked as an uncommon long run in those days ; as also the time required to navigate the Red Sea and the Euxine, the latter of which appears to be reported from Herodotus’s own experience.

“ In effect none of these differ materially from the rest : — the mean rate of all, then, being so low as thirty-seven geographic miles, we are naturally led to inquire (continues the Major) why there should be so great a disproportion between the sailing of ancient and modern ships ; since a day’s sail (of four-and-twenty hours) of a modern ship cannot be reckoned at less than three times that of the ancient ones ?

“ Even the worst description of modern vessels of which we have any knowledge seems to be superior to the antient ones in respect