Carthage threatened Rome till she lost her navy;
and then for thirteen days the smoke of her burning rose to the
skies, and the ground was ploughed and sown with salt on the site of
her most splendid edifices. The cities of Italy were the world's
merchants till new trade routes were discovered and the dominion of
the sea passed on to the west and fell into other hands. Spain and
Portugal, inaugurating an era of maritime discovery, divided the new
world between them, but gave way before a breed of sea-rovers, who,
after many generations of attachment to the soil, had returned to
their ancient element. With the destruction of her Armada Spain's
colossal dream of colonial empire passed away. Against the new power
Holland strove in vain, and when France acknowledged the superiority
of the Briton upon the sea, she at the same time relinquished her
designs upon the world. Hampered by her feeble navy, her contest for
supremacy upon the land was her last effort and with the passing of
Napoleon she retired within herself to struggle with herself as best
she might.
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