Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

ALEXANDER DISBANDS HIS FLEET. 261bers and better condition. Alexander's waiting tactics hadbeen efficient to a degree.Alexander now saw that his fleet was no longer of distinctuse to him in what he had undertaken to do, and especially soif it must keep to the defensive. It had already accomplishedits greatest aim in protecting him in the initial steps. It wasno match for that of the Persians in open fight, for thePhoenicians and Cyprians in the Persian service were by longodds the best sailors then known.The king felt that he couldbetter neutralize the enemy's fleet by capturing, and thus excludingthem from, the principal seaports, than by provokinga naval engagement; whereas by an imfortunate defeat atsea, which he might suffer at any moment, he would lose muchground difficult to recover. The Persian fleet could in nosense compromise his land operations as it was, though itmight give him trouble. His own fleet was expensive, costingfifty talents a month for pay alone and an equal amountfor rations, — as much indeed as the army and without makingconquests, as the latter did. His treasure was small, forhe could not plunder the cities he had come to befriend, andwas in the habit, as we have seen, ofcollecting only reasonabletaxes. He needed for land duty such of the men in thefleet as were available. It took nearly thirty thousand menall told — sailors, rowers and soldiers — for the one hundredand sixty triremes. He would be able again to assemble afleet when he could better afford one. He thei-efore tooksteps to disband the seamen and lay up the ships, exceptinga few transports and the twenty ships Athens had contributed.These latter he preferred to keep in commission as a sort ofhostage for their city's good behavior. Diodorus says thatAlexander disbanded his fleet to show his army that they hadno means of retreat, and must win or perish. But this is ashallow reason.bolstering of such a nature.Alexander's men could always fight without