Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 21:13:18 -0600
From: dnrock@rock.com
Subject: Arden 76

Arden
by:  dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)


76:  New and Old


1320, 5th month, 26th day

Yesterday the Prince Lysandros returned to port.  Iason, Lysandros and I
want to meet them.  The captain greeted us warmly.  He was most happy to
see Lysandros, as was the crew.  The captured galley came into view shortly
after.  It was being rowed but I could only see our men on its deck.

The captain told us as they overtook the pirate, who had rowed hard but
began to tire, after about 5 hours they lowered their sail and raised a
white flag.  This is understood as a signal of surrender, for hundreds of
years.

"I did not feel right about this.  Something did not look correct.  I sent
several lookouts into the rigging with "far sees".

We began lowering our sails.  The marines were ready at the small Kannons
and our archers stood by.  We were close to them but I held back just
enough to required the use of long boats to go between.  We lowered two and
marines began climbing to them.  I did this on the starboard side as they
were on our port.

Due to the significant size difference between us they could not clearly
see what we were doing.  They beckoned for us to come closer but we did
not, as their oars would have been in the way.  One of the lookouts called
that they had men at the ready with grapples and archers with cross bows in
hand.  The others were armed.  I called to them to put down their weapons.
They did not.  Once our long boats became visible they shouted, lowered the
white flag and the oars began to work.  Their archers raised their bows.
We fired our small Kannons and our archers began shooting.  They attempted
to return but were quickly overwhelmed by the grape and arrows.  They soon
stopped rowing and we stopped shooting.  The long boats went around their
port side and began boarding.  Only a few pirates remained alive, most of
those were wounded.  Their captain was one unharmed.  I personally cut off
his head and threw his body into the sea.  Their slave drivers were also
among the unharmed.  I allowed the slaves to deal with them.  We have three
ship's boys for your Argonauts."

Like all these Islamic pirates they do pay their slaves, all be it not
overly well.  The entire crew is give a share of the spoils, even the
slaves.  Those that survive long enough to collect.  Conditions are notably
harsh on these and on the galleys of Rhodes and Malta, who do not pay
slaves.  Many other states pay their oarsmen.  Conditions are poor for most
oarsmen but they do get fed and are not usually wiped or chained in place.

These pirate galleys are smaller and of shallower draft then most war
ships.  They tend to be fast and nimble.  They are often discussed as
merchants and have been known to fly false colors.  The Prince Lysandros
had been gaining on them for most of their five hour chase.

Had the breeze continued and the pirates not stopped they would have caught
them in another hour.  Had the breeze failed they would have rowed away.
The marine engineers tell me that the ratio of sail area to area of the
hull under the water, for Prince and Princess class ships, is much greater
than from all merchants and galleys they have ever examined.

Our center fin does slow us down but our narrowness reduces the surface
area.  The center fin is important for stability given our very tall masts.
It is partly retractable for shallow water.  I assume the pirates thought
once we dropped our sails we would not be able to raise them quickly and
they could gain much distance before we could rejoin the chase.  This is
not so.  Since the sails when suddenly dropped to reduce speed are not
properly stored, raising them again is very quick with our new pulley
system.

Were the pirates attempting to engage us or were they attempting to just
fool us?  We will never know for sure.  The captain told me that had they
managed to put more distance between us he would have used rockets to
destroy them.  His Kannons were at the ready as well.  Most merchants today
are open but still much larger than the Cogs of northern countries.  Of
late our merchants are two to four times the Cogs and decked over, with
mostly sail power.  A rudder has replaced the steering oar; these ships are
single main mast with some having a triangular sails fore and aft with a
large square or triangular sail on the main mast.

This pirate was like that with oars below the main deck and a hold under
them.  It also has a rear quarter deck and a small forecastle.  Prince
Class ships are again 2 to 4 times larger with three masts and substantial
fore and rear castles.  In place of oars we have Kannons and two more decks
below that.  The Princess Class has only one main or top deck and a lower
dick with a large quarter deck and a small forecastle.

We four were most disappointed in the pirates and their leadership.  These
pirates operate under the direction of their political leadership.  I guess
Trables (TN: Tripoli capital of modern Libya, I will use Tripoli for his
place as I have before.) needs to be reminded what happens to those that
fail to respect Parga.  One would have thought the sound defeat they had
received, not that long ago, would keep them clear of Parga.  This new
galley and partial crew will be offered to Elpidus.  They have a contract
with Taranto, perhaps they can use another vessel.

The full moon will be available in 6 day's time.  We have sufficient time
to dispatch the six Princess Class and two Prince Class ships to pay a late
night call on the harbor.  The harbor is less of one then a series of sandy
islands with a shallow partly protected zone between them and the main
land.  The area is open to the south west and north east.  Iason will look
into this, Kastor and Poly feel we should use diplomacy first.  The idea is
to use rockets and skimmers.  Some old Roman fortifications exist however
they have no means to attack our ships except with ships.  If we send three
Prince class ships one to block the south and two the north any opposition
would be easily crushed, assuming it survives the skimmers.

The diplomatic approach taken would be quite different then that used with
Bejaia.  These people are vassals of Egypt.  As before I was quickly talked
out of the military option.  What we need to do is gain the attention of
the sultan in Cairo.  We need to make the point that it is in his best
interest to keep his privateers under control and out of our waters.  Just
what that interest is remains to be determined.

I for one am highly skeptical.  I do not think these people are truly
honorable.  They will say anything and continue to do what they always
have.  They believe it is honorable to lie to nonbelievers like us who they
treat with contempt unless they see some advantage, like trade for
themselves.  I simply see no reason to believe them.  Over and over they
have proven unreliable.  In my view we need to make the same point to him
as to Bejaia, we have great power which we choose not to use.  These
vassals pay money to Cairo.  We need to demonstrate that Cairo is powerless
to protect them from us, unless they stay out of our waters.  We need to
demonstrate that their ability to pay is related to not feeling our power.

It is the military option that will clearly demonstrate this.  I think if
we do not take some action others will.  Those results may be even less
desirable.


1320, 5th month, 27th day

I visited with the General and outlined my plan.  He was most gracious,
praising my strategy.  He was not at all convinced that it was the correct
thing to do.

"Arden think this through to its logical conclusions.  Assuming you
accomplish all the strategic military objectives as outlined, what end will
result?"

He is correct.

"Ships sunk can and will be replaced.  Changing the attitude and approach
of the political power elite will not be by it.  Look at Bejaia as example.
They are now on friendly terms with you.  They have not abandoned the use
of privateers.  Those privateers do not attack Parga, our ships or sail
into their waters.  Attacking Tripoli will do little more than cause Cairo
to redouble its efforts to attack you.

The last thing any of these pirates or the other powers in this region need
is knowledge of your weapons and methods.  Keep doing exactly what you
always have done.  Destroy or capture any pirate that comes close, defend
your land and people to the best of your ability and never engage in
aggressive military action against others, unless you have no choice, that
is in self defense.

Parga can not afford to maintain a large army and navy.  Your small numbers
and limited wealth are magnified many times by your superior armaments and
defensive position.  You need to follow Kastor's advice and try diplomacy."

The General is most correct in this.  I know it but that does not mean I
need be completely satisfied with that knowledge.  Being a small place we
are not often taken seriously in these matters.  I suspect the truth of
things is simply not known to them.  On another point we do need to get
Cairo's attention, not its full attention.

Iason and I went to the Argonauts dining hall to meet the new requites.
They seem like a good lot.  Quite shy and unsure of themselves.  That is to
be expected.  We sat with them and their Argonaut translators.  I could see
other visitors were about to descend on ropes.  Place you hand on Umar's
shoulder Iason.  Umar! I shouted.  He stopped mid way down and look at me.
I pointed up.  A hand was stretched out holding his sketch book.  It looked
much like that of Akakios.

Umar ascended and took the book in his mouth and descended again.  All this
to much laughter and chiding from almost everyone in the hall.  The new
Umar was much confused and being touched by a prince was beyond him.  My
Umar ran to the table and give me a kiss.  Then he turned to the new boys
and in Arabic introduced himself and the others.

Iason told them, "the children of this place are indulged even more so then
the princes."

"I'm a Prince, Iason."  Lysandros raised his hand and the boys all shouted,
"Boy Power, Boy Power" and marched off to their other friends.


1320, 5th month, 29th day

The King Iason and Prince Karyakos are now in the dry quays.  They are
being cleaned, scraped and painted.  We will have a new signaling system on
this voyage.  We have new spirit lamps that are in a large round housing.
These lamps still have parabolas behind the flame but they are held in a
tube with a glass on the other end.  On the outside of the glass is a
wooden structure that is made up of small flat boards that can be opened or
closed.  The boards or slats travel 90 degrees by means of a lever.  Short
and long exposures are very accurate and also directional, as the light
source is within the tube and only visible in the direction the slats are
open.

The tube is made of bronze and the spirit lamp can be replaced with the
koallime flame, which burns very bright in the day time or in bad weather.
Different colored glass can also be placed in the tube.  The apparent size
of the light can also be used as a measure of distance at night.  A series
of disks with holes in them are held up each disk has a different size hole
and each is marked for the stadia they represent.

All of this was invented at the Academia and University.  We expect some
limitations in rough seas and heavy storms.  Panther has been looking after
this project.  He assures me that these lamps and our flag system is far
superior to any other navy in the world.  Wan has told him the Chinese have
nothing close to it.  We know none in Europe or to our east have anything
like it either.  Most use a few pre determined colored flags and none other
has the far see.

We now have flags with specific meaning, coded flag messages, flag coded
messages by men holding two flags in different positions and day and night
coded light messages and light plus color messages. (TN: Flag coded and
coded flags must be letters to spell words or word abbreviations.  We call
this semaphore.  The long and short lights are the same, not unlike Mores
code.  He does not tell us exactly how they worked.)  If we can see each
other we can communicate on sea or land or between.  The sun or spirits or
koallime sources for our lamps are unique to us.  Some others use mirrors
but none that we know of use mirrors as code signaling device, as we do.
The land army has some difficulties given hills and trees but over all they
have demonstrated the use of signals.  Could it be that others are not as
well educated as we?

The General believes some of the famous battles of antiquity might have
gone to the looser had reliable signaling systems been in place.

We know from experience how important information can be in any battle.
Reliable intelligence and sound information about the lay of the land can
be critical.  One of the things I have learned from our own experience and
from the General is the importance of making full advantage of your
strengths.  Archers need be in good defensive positions or be well
protected.  Swamps, steep ravines, even small rivers can be death traps or
good defenses.  Force your enemy to come to you.  If he is in a strong
defensive position, find its weak point or find a way to bring him out.

Many of these lessons were learned the hard way by Edward II, only six
short years ago.  He attacked the Scots with superior forces but inferior
position and strategy.  He did not have full knowledge of the ground, much
of his cavalry was caught in a trap and failed to protect his archers.
What was to the General unforgivable; Edward was told of the physical
impediments and that most of the Scots were hidden in dense woods.  He was
being drawn into a trap.  He paid no attention and went anyway.  He
underestimated his enemy in: position, numbers, ability and desire.  He was
not forced to attack then and there, it need not have happened as it did.
Apparently he thought his impressive army would frighten the Scots way.
That is foolish and a classic example of underestimation.  The Scots were
protecting their homes and culture.  They had the most to loose.  They had
added incentive to fight harder.

The General believes, had Edward good signaling systems much of that
disaster could have been avoided or at least salvaged.  Had they good
knowledge of the land they would have avoided the trap and forced the Scots
to come to them. He failed to head sound advice from knowledgeable locals.
He allowed his cavalry to be devastated by a Scott version of the old Greek
Square and added Long Bows.  Just what Alexander did to Darios without the
long bows.  Edward's army was so large that they were unable to move
quickly in these tight quarters. Being confined to the old Roman Road.
Good signaling would have helped greatly with this and other problems.

Had he properly defended his long bows they could have reduced the
advancing spears and men at arms, allowing the cavalry to do its work.
Cavalry does not work well in woods or in tight quarters.  The General told
me the Romans defeated an early uprising of the Britons in much the same
way.  Never try an push a large force through a choke point.  It just will
not work.  "It did not work for the pre-Roman English or for the Persians
or anyone to approach Parga's eastern pass.  It will not work for you."

If we fail to know our history we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes
again and again.  I am sure I will make mistakes and so will all of us.  I
pray they are new mistakes, not repeats of that which we should know better
of.  My impression of Edward is well known.  In sum he is pompous and self
indulgent to a fault.  Like so many born to high positions he is intolerant
to contrary opinions and dismissive of anyone who is not his perceived
equal.  The history scholars tell me the Norman, come English nobles, have
several grieves faults.  Believing they are all powerful and above the
rules of anyone else, the most troublesome.

Our Despot Nik is much like Edward in this.  He is not English.  This must
be more common among those born to power.  In his defense, his grand father
had promised the crown of Epirus to his son in law father.  It was Thomas'
mother, the second wife, that refused this arrangement and keeping the
crown for her son.  She believed Thomas had a birth right, which superseded
a promise made by her dead husband before he was even conceived.  That does
not justify murder.

Edward has shown himself to be less than political and overly
self-confident in his abilities.  He plays a very dangerous game of pitting
vassals against each other, often by overtly favoring those that tell him
what he wants to hear.

It is perhaps that Edward did not realize how powerful a weapon the massing
of long bows could be.  We have known this for some time.  I often forget
that others do not necessarily know what we know.  The conventional wisdom
of the time and place suggest they would not be.  The General told me that.
One would have thought the English would have known this from nothing more
then their own experience.  He also reminded me that the Welsh Long bow has
much more power than others.  That difference may well have not been known
or understood by those not having seen them in action.

We are the only army in this part of the world to use long bows.  To be
effective against cavalry the archers need be concentrated and in strong
defensive positions.  Against foot solders they need not be in defensive
positions but need to be protected.  By concentrating themselves or spread
two to three deep along a line, they achieve the same effect.  In tight
quarters like the eastern pass they need to shoot rapidly like we did from
the quarter deck of the Prince Arden.

Two thoughts are common among the generals.  I favor a combination.  Some
feel the archers should loose as many arrows as possible arching them
height in the air to fall on the opposition.  This does not use the full
power of the long bow, except it can be done from a greater distance.
Armor and good shields are effective defenses against this.  Others think
the best use is at point blank range, the archers loosing arrows as quickly
as possible when the enemy is in range.  At the repaid rate of 10 to 12
each minute from hundreds of archers at once, an advancing army or cavalry
can be halted in its tracks.  I would guess decimated but we have never had
the situation to test this. (TN: This would be proven some years away yet,
during the 100 years war.)

I think, if it is foot solders, both techniques should be used but the
shooting rate at 6 to 8 each minute.  I want the archers to take careful
aim not just point.  If cavalry is charging, two to the horse and one to
the rider.  Archers should from in groups of four and try to loose at a
rate of 8 each minute.  The forth to take anyone on the ground.  Volley
after volley will be required.  Should our own forces engage the enemy in
front of the archers, they must stop or take only clear shots like hunting.

If in heavy woods the archers should work as if hunting, taking careful aim
and picking targets carefully.  In these situation spears and men at arms
should form small teams with archers to protect each other.  On ships many
archers need lay down the bow and take up other weapons when fighting in
close quarters.  We will often set aside the long bows in favor of the
Greek bow, when the distances are less then 100 feet and space between
becomes a premium.  Our marine archers often train with battle axes, short
javelins and staffs as well as swards and knives.

King Iason and Father received the new boys at dinner, in the family dining
room.  Now dressed as Argonauts they looked like they had always been so.
Father thought carefully, commenting to the new Umar, "I think we must find
you a second name.  We already have a grand son named Umar and one in each
of the Argonaut houses.  King Iason and I need a way of reference as to not
be confused.  Perhaps you should be know as Umar of the castle or do you
have a suggestion?"

Umar turned to his translator for assistance.  "My Arabic family name
translates to Umar the worthy son of Asim and so on.  Can I be known as
Umar-Asim?"  He looked down at the table.  "Then Umar-Asim it will be,"
spoke the King.  "Now, Umar-Asim and the other four new wards tell us about
yourselves.  Prince Karyakos and I need to learn about our newest sons."

So it went.  The boys were shy but soon surrender to Father and Uncle's
charm.


1320, 5th month, 30th day

Onesimos came to see us this afternoon.  He had made his choice for the
future.

"I want to attend school at the academy.  Kerion has arranged for me to
lease my home and grazing rights to my cousin.  Kerion drove a hard bargain
on my behalf.  He told me it was fair.  I am to receive 10% of the wool for
five years plus a cask of olives and round of cheese each year.  He is to
maintain the monument, pay the taxes and crown rent, treating the house as
if it were his own.  After 5 years I can sell the house to him, if I choose
not to live in it.  I do not yet know if I will ever return to that place
or region.  Kerion thinks I should finish my schooling and then decide."

I guess none of the offers were acceptable to the King or perhaps Onesimos
did not wish to return to the rural life.  He did seem pleased to be
attending school.  I know Helladios is very fond of him and I am sure he
tried to influence his decisions.  Helo believes that the companionship of
the other students and removal from the place will help him to heal the
pain in his heart.  He returns the see Perum and Flavia often.  I think
that too is good.

Reports are coming to us that many people are quite ill.  The young
children seem most effected by this.  Schools and public baths have been
closed.  The castle's young children are forbidden to leave and those
adults that must leave are not permitted to interact with them.

Not everyone believes this sickness is spread from person to person unless
one of those persons is also sick.  Others think different.  Our Palace
Physicians will take no chances.  They admit they do not know how this
spreads.  None of our boys or the pages are ill.


1320, 6th month, 1st day

We have had much rain of late.  Many of the lakes and streams are feared
will flood.  We are very careful not to build any structures in the areas
that floods have been known to occur or where our ingegneres see evidence
of flooding in the past, except water mills of course.

Rain is important for growing things.  It is important to resupply our
reservoirs.  When it rains for days at a time I can not run and that is
difficult for me.  If nothing else there is sex.  Not that we need reason
to enjoy it.  Enjoy it we do.


1320, 6th month, 4th day

The rain has stopped but the sky is still heavy with clouds.  The air is
cool.  I will not run for another day or two as the land is soft.  Reports
are coming that indicate several bridges were lost and some sections of
roads have failed.  No loss of life or livestock have been reported.  One
citizen has been commended for helping to save a mother and her children
who were caught in the rising waters to the north.  That person will, I am
sure, receive a Hero of Parga medallion.


1320, 6th month, 6th day

The sun is shining and the air is warm.  The salt marsh below our castle
walls is still filled with water.  Ikaros feels the insects will be quite
difficult in a few days time.  I am no more fond of mosquitos than the
next.  Ikaros has stationed clay pots around our apartments and even on our
terrace.  He burns the damp green leaves of some herb or another.  When the
breeze is not strong these work well to keep the pests away.  If the breeze
is strong it does that for us.  We have found that covering our bodies with
a thin application of oil is a great help when we are outside.

One thing we have learned, summer waters that lay stagnate are homes of
mosquitos and others insect pests.  We make a concerted effort in the city
to minimize these.  The salt marsh before the castle is quite different.
It can never be minimized without giving up its' great defensive value.  We
encourage bats and birds to nest here and on the cliffs behind.  They seem
to thrive on eating these pests.

Many people in other places believe the sickness arises from the vapors or
humors of the swamp.  We have demonstrated that it is not the vapors but
the insects that spread the disease.  We know not exactly how but it must
be through their bites; since those not or little bitten seem not to suffer
and those often bitten appear to.  It seems logical that if an insect bits
it takes something, flesh or blood.  If it takes, may it not also leave.
What it gives we know not.  The result appear to be sickness.

We were all talking about this when Helladios asked for my opinions.  It
then seems logical that most sickness results from something being left.
If a scratch festers, something must be left by the scratching source.
That is probably why the healing waters or soap and other cleaners
moderate, cure or prevent festering.  The sting of the bee is stronger than
prick of a pin, yet they are the same.  The bee must leave something that
is harmful and pin not.  We know the bite of a poisonous snake leaves its
venom.  That is a substance.

"Then you are saying that the agent to much disease is present on things
and in substances such as pond water," Helladios asked?

I am saying that logic would suggest that is the case, as any other idea
requires more fanciful explanations.

"How then might these, to small to be seen things, become visible," Helo
asked?

Joulous answered, "If the far see makes thing appear larger then perhaps
the lenses can be reshaped to very small things, things to small for the
eye alone to see, larger."

We know a piece of transparent crystal thicker in the middle than at the
edges, or a blank of fine glass when shaped like this forms a lens.

Someone also found that such a crystal would focus the sun's rays and set
fire to a piece of parchment, dry wood shavings or cloth.  Magnifiers and
"burning glasses" or "magnifying glasses" are mentioned in the writings of
Seneca and Pliny the Elder and others.  Apparently they were not used for
much else until the invention of spectacles, toward the end of the 11th
century in Parga. They were named lenses because they are shaped like the
seeds of a lentil.  You are quite correct about the far see.  It uses two
of these lenses placed in a tube one larger and one smaller.  The distance
between must be adjusted to bring the image or object into what we call
focus, that is to make them clear.