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Show SEVEN "MISTRESSES OF SEA" Including Tyre, Only That Number of Nations Have Right to Title of High Honor. Mark Sullivan, writing In Collier's on "America's Part In the New World The Heritage of Tyre," quotes another an-other writer as follows, referring to nations that have held the position of the "Mistress of the Seas :" "Since the day that man first straddled strad-dled a floating log and started humanity human-ity adventuring by sea, the intervening centuries have seen ony seven nations possessed of sufficient genius to dominate domi-nate the earth's deep waters. During 2,248 years Tyre has had but seven true heirs. Tyre, in her time, was the Inspiration of all commercj. Irrespective Irre-spective of nationality, nil who trafficked traf-ficked by sea were called 'merchants of Tyre,' and all vessels of burden 'ships of Tyre.' Dynasties lived by grace of Tyre's credit, and died at the calling of her loans. With the passing of Tyre, the position went to Carthage ; after Carthage to the Italian cities, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Naples. Italy held her dominance for 7.00 years, until the Hnnseatic League of Cities took the crown of Bommeree to the Baltic sea. Then Portugal forced herself her-self to the front.-. That was preceding the discovery of America by Spain. With the aggressiveness of which that discovery was characteristic, Spain took the leadership away from Portugal. Portu-gal. Spain held it 200 years and lost ' It to Holland. Holland held It for some generations and lost it to Great Britain." |