Shipbuilding from its beginnings. Vol. 1 (of 3)Konijnenburg, E. van (Emile)
History
Shipbuilding from its beginnings. Vol. 1 (of 3)
Konijnenburg, E. van (Emile)
Shipbuilding -- History; Ships -- History
The part of the hold not occupied by ammunition was reserved for
provisions; it also included a bit of a cabin for the captain and
officers.
When the galley stopped, a large sail was stretched above and across
the ship, one side being raised so as to let the air enter.
Their slender build did not give the galleys sufficient stability at
sea, consequently the rowers were often very much tried by the waves.
The armament was simple: three guns were placed at the bow, the
principal one of which was in the middle (set in the longitudinal axis
of the ship); on the large galleys, there were found, as a rule 18, 48
and 12 pounders and, on the small ships, there were one 12-, one 24-and
one 8-pdr.
The fighting value was measured by the amount of iron which could be
thrown at once and per man. Take, for example, a galley throwing 44
kilogrammes of iron at once and carrying a crew of about 400 men. There
would be hurled, then, 0.110 m. per man. A galley cost 400,000 francs,
or 9090 francs per kilogramme of iron.
Compare this galley with an ordinary war ship, carrying 55 pieces of
artillery with a crew of 1100 men and able to throw 1000 kilogrammes
at once (or 0.910 m. per man), and assume its cost to be 3000 francs
per kg. The lower fighting efficiency, of the galleys and their much
greater relative cost can be clearly seen. This ordinary war ship
throws at once nine times more iron per man while its cost is less than
that of the galley considered.
In conclusion, it will be stated that the speed of the galleys was
2.50 m. per second or 5.6 miles per hour, and that sails were available
in addition to the oars. They carried two masts, one at the bow and the
other about midship, both provided with lateen sails (~Jal~, _Clos.
nautique_, p. 749), which were furled while the vessel was in action.
[Sidenote: II 43]
No further demonstration is necessary to show that the galley was not
suited to take the Ocean, which was more and more frequented. The
invention of gunpowder soon brought out this vessel’s inferiority for
fighting. Hence endeavors were made to improve it.
[Sidenote: II 45]
Thus there is seen to arise in the XVIth century a ship, the
“galliass”, of which the bow and stern recall the boats of broad beam,
and of which the intermediate part brings the galleys to mind. This
ship had more beam than the galleys; its breadth being to its length as
1 to 5½.
With a length of 50.01 m., the galliass had a beam of 9.01 m. and drew
3.35 m.; its greatest depth was 6.52 m. There were 25 oars on each side
and the benches of the rowers were 1.30 m. apart. The oars were handled
at times by 7 or 8 men and as the sides were higher above the water
than those of the galleys, the rowers were better protected against
waves.
The galliass carried generally from 700 to 1000 men. Fifty guns were
mounted in the towers and between the benches of the rowers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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