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From Swords and Spear to Rifling and Breach Loaders

 

            From Swords and Spear to Rifling and Breach Loaders.
             The evolution of sea power throughout history has had a vast affect on the peoples of the world. The evolution of sea power has brought about countless advances in technology, trade, governments, warfare strategy, and many, many other forms of human expression. My paper's focus is on how the evolution of Marines and Navy weapon systems has influenced the evolution of Sea power in ship to ship confrontations in the world up to 1890. To illustrate this great evolution the history of sea power and the soldiers at sea must be understood. This history includes the early naval strategies, early propulsion, early Marines, and early weapons, as well as their evolution into modern times. All of these seemingly different aspects of sea power are in reality deeply interconnected, one affecting the other as evolution occurs.
             The ancient navies had very different strategies than what we have today. There is very good reason for this. The early navies had evolved for one reason, that reason was commerce. Water transportation was generally cheaper than overland routes, when it came to the Mediterranean basin. Nations wanted to protect their interests and by that I mean their commerce ships, trade routes, trading rights, and defense of their territory. To protect their interests they naturally built naval vessels designed for warfare. The major difference between warfare vessels called galleys and the commerce ships were that the galleys were propelled into battle by oar and manned with Marines and the commerce ships were lumbering sailing ships that were easy targets and not soldiered. (I will be referring to any armed military member on a ship other than sailors as Marines) The weapons that the galleys had were the marines on board. Marines were and still are to some extent the original naval weapon system. The marines of the ancient navies were equipped with swords, spears, bows and arrows, shields and many other primitive forms of weapons.


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