"In the duel of sex woman fights from a dreadnought and man from an open raft"

This quote by H. L. Mencken is a metaphor for the power imbalance in between males and females in society. Mencken is suggesting that women are in a lot more powerful position than males when it pertains to the "duel of sex". Ladies are likened to a dreadnought, an effective battleship, while men are likened to an open raft, a much less effective vessel. This metaphor suggests that females have the upper hand in the fight of the sexes, as they are in a lot more protected and effective position. Mencken's quote is a tip of the power imbalance in between males and females in society, and how this can impact relationships between the sexes. It is a tip that women must be appreciated and treated as equates to, and that men need to not benefit from their position of power.