action of interest was fought. Off Ambleteuse, a small
seaport to the north of Boulogne, eight French galleys
attacked a hybrid English squadron of four ships or
perhaps galleasses and four pinnaces. The engagement
seems to have been principally with guns in the growing
English fashion. There was great shooting between them,
says Stowe, and in the end a French galley manned with
230 soldiers and 140 rowers was captured. ¹

So much is all that can be gathered of the naval art
from this forgotten war; but it is enough to show that in
the middle of the sixteenth century--while Italy, in en-
deavouring to solve the great problem of sails and oars
was still elaborating the fleet of free-movement, and
almost ignoring the sailing vessel as a fighting ship--
England was committed to a revolution in the opposite
direction. After first attempting to ignore the rowing vessel
almost as completely as the Italians were ignoring the
sailing vessel, Henry's last word had been one of
reaction. His latest fleet was of dual composition. Its
main force was still of sailing ships, but attached to it
was a light squadron of oared vessels with a distinct
status as a fighting member, but yet independent of the
line of battle. It was a fleet, in fact, which bad a certain
resemblance in idea to a modern fleet of battle ships
and the attendant sea-going torpedo-squadron, and it
undoubtedly points to a great advance in naval science.
It is here we are at the parting of the ways: it is here
we see the road opening for the great school of the
Elizabethan seamen. Of all others the year 1545 best
marks the birth of the English naval power; it is the year
that most clearly displays the transition from oars to sails,
and it was probably in this very year the first great sailing
Admiral the world ever saw came obscurely into being.

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