Eight Thousand Years of Maltese Maritime History: Trade, Piracy, and Naval Warfare in the Central Mediterranean

Appendix C

Appendix C Reconstruction of an Eighteenth-Century Third-Rate Ship—San Giovanni Battista San Giovanni Battista II of 64 guns (referred to as San Giovanni from here on) served as the flagship of the men-of-war squadron of the Order of Saint John between 1718 and 1765. This relatively long period of commission was characterized by successful undertakings against the Barbary corsairs. It was also a period when the number of ships forming the squadron was relatively high (see table 4.14). The San Giovanni, built by a French shipwright in Malta, displays common features of French ships of this period, as well as similarities to other ships built by the Order (figure C.1). Therefore, a detailed study of this particular ship provides insights into the shipbuilding and rigging practices in Malta during the last century of the Order’s rule. A number of manuscripts that included information about the dimensions and construction features of this ship were preserved in the archives of Malta and Lucca, Italy. Also, the San Giovanni and other contemporary ships were depicted in contemporary paintings, which provided additional information for the reconstruction of the hull and the rigging of the ship. The local shipwrights who built ships after the departure of the French shipwrights in 1726 were all trained by the Coulombs, who designed and oversaw the construction of six third rates for the Order (see table 4.13). Therefore, the San Giovanni is likely to exhibit characteristics common to many ships in the Order’s men-of-war squadron. Historical Evidence The renowned French shipwright Blaise Coulomb and his two sons stayed in Malta during the period between 1717 and 1727 to oversee shipbuilding activities in the shipyards and to train local shipwrights in ship design and construction . According to contemporary records,1 the first ship to be designed and built in Malta by the Coulombs was the first San Giovanni Battista.2 The keel of the 64-gun San Giovanni was laid down on September 1, 1717, and the ship was launched on April 16, 1718.3 The general dimensions of the hull (table C.1), the mast and spar dimensions (table C.2), and the rigging of the San Giovanni were recorded in two contemporary documents. The first document, preserved in the Malta Archives, was published by Wismayer.4 The second document was found in the archives of the city of Lucca.5 Entitled “Stato della nave San Giovanni Comandante,”6 this document was also published by Scarabelli.7 Unfortunately, these documents provide little information about the running rigging and the sails of the vessel. The only references to the running rigging and sails of the San Giovanni are found in financial documents that Figure C.1. Rigging profile for San Giovanni Battista (64 guns), built by Blaise Coulomb in Malta, launched in 1718, (reconstruction). 200 Appendix C state that the main topsail of the San Giovanni cost the treasury 462 scudi.8 The sail was made of 56 canvas panels, and to sew each of its panels cost 8 scudi and 3 tari, at five stitches to the inch using palm, needle, and tallow wax. Each seam had to be doubled to provide extra strength to the sail. Most of the rigging elements were manufactured in Fort Ricassoli, while the guns, anchors, and most of the iron fittings were forged at the Order’s ferreria, also known as the Fianco, in Valletta.9 Table C.2. Mast and Spar Dimensions Element French feet English feet Meters Mainmast 96 102.72 31.31 Foremast 84' 6" 90.41 27.56 Jib-boom 55 58.85 17.94 Mizzenmast 66' 6" 71.15 21.69 Maintop mast 59' 8" 63.84 19.46 Foretop mast 53' 6" 57.24 17.45 Mizzen-top 36 38.52 11.74 Main-topgallant mast 25' 6" 27.28 8.32 Fore-topgallant mast 22' 9" 24.34 7.42 Spritsail mast 16 17.12 5.22 Source: Wismayer, Fleet of the Order, p. 286; Scarabelli, La squadra dei vascelli, p. 39. Note: Formula used here for the conversion from French foot to English foot: 1 French foot = 1.07 English feet. Formula for the metric conversion: English foot × 12 × 2.54. Quintano, using a different conversion formula, provides slightly different measurements based on the same archival documents (see Quintano, Maltese-Hospitaller, p. 102). Table C.1. Measurements of Hull and Deck Elements...