The Press

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 writer as follows, referring to nations that have held the position of the "Mistress of the Seas:"

"Since the day that man first straddled a floating log and started humanity adventuring by sea, the intervening centuries have seen only seven nations possessed of sufficient genius to dominate 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 commerce. Irrespective of nationality, all who trafficked 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 200 years, until the Hanseatic League of Cities took the crown of commerce to the Baltic sea. Then Portugal forced herself 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. Spain held it 200 years and lost it to Holland. Holland held it for some generations and lost it to Great Britain."