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Show SEVEN "MISTRESSES OF SEA" Including Tyre, Only That Number of Nationi 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 mau 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 2.24S years Tyre has had hut seven true heirs. Tyre, in her time, was the Inspiration of all coumieroj. Irrespective Irre-spective of nationality, all 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 nt the calling of her loans. With the passing of Tyre, the position went to Carthage; after Cartilage to the Italian cities, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Naples. Italy held her dominance for 700 years, until the Hansentic League of Cities took the crown of commerce 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 nnd lost it to Great Britain." |