Re: big ships (was Re: Cos-B: 30 Years On...)

On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 05:41:04 GMT, in a place far, far away,
henry@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Henry Spencer) made the phosphor on my monitor
glow in such a way as to indicate that:

>Alternatively, it was a shining example of what happens when curiosity (be
>it scientific or otherwise) and rulers' pride are deemed the *only* proper
>motives for exploration.
>
>When marvels from afar and declarations of support from foreign rulers
>ceased to be important to the throne, priorities changed. The mighty
>ships (even allowing for possibly-exaggerated accounts, they clearly were
>*big* ships by the standards of the day) were scrapped and seafaring was
>made illegal. China had all it needed, and no reason to venture out; the
>government said so.
>
>Which left the way clear for a handful of small, poor, squabbling nations
>in a cultural backwater to send out scruffy men in rickety, leaky little
>ships to conquer the world... for money, not for pride and curiosity.
>Diversity and competition and greed lasted, where central planning and
>noble motives faltered and failed.

Indeed:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,53530,00.html
.

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