He has erected two wooden towers at the mouth of the Lido, which the first stone from a Genoese ballista would knock to splinters; and has put up a fence to San Spirito, which a Genoese soldier in full armour could jump over." "Well, we shall see, Messer Hammond," the admiral said, smiling.

"I fear you have one bad quality among your many good ones, and that is that you are a partisan.

But go along now.

I have no more time to spare to you." No sooner had Pisani obtained the supreme command, than he set to work in earnest to provide for the safety of the city, the reorganization of the navy, and the conversion of the new levies into soldiers and sailors.

The hulls of forty galleys, which were lying in the arsenals, were taken in hand, and two-thirds of them were equipped and ready for sea in three days.
The population was full of ardour and enthusiasm, and crowded to the offices to register their names for service.