Today's manuscript is LJS 473, a 15th century Italian treatise on ships and shipbuilding. It includes information on cartography, construction and use of the compass, types of ships, and meteorology and astronomy for use in navigation, and has two maps of the earth - one of the earth and the spheres surrounding it (representing the sky and the Zodiac), and the other that divides the earth into temperate zones (hotter around the middle and colder on the ends).
Naval Architecture War Vessels, by Frederick Chapman, c. 1770
Frederick Henry Chapman (1721-1808) was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist, naval officer and manager of the Karlskrona shipyard for 11 years. Enjoying considerable support from King Gustav III, he is deemed to be first person to apply scientific methods to shipbuilding and his books ‘Architectura Navalis Mercatoria’ (1768) ,and ‘Treatise on Shipbuilding’ (1775) are considered to be pioneering works. They were intended for an international audience, available with text and measurements in Swedish, French and English. His work had a huge influence on international shipbuilding and designs of that time.
As we journey through millennia, the evolution of shipbuilding unfolds tales of exploration, trade, and cultural exchange – a testament to human ingenuity riding the waves of progress.
The secrets of ancient ship construction brought us the resilient Pesse canoe and the mighty triremes of Greece. The Romans adapted, and the Egyptians embraced innovative 'stitched plank' designs, each ship narrating a chapter in the epic saga of human maritime endeavors.
Under the Viking's iconic long ships came the rise of medieval cogs and carracks, setting sail into the Age of Exploration where the Santa Maria symbolizes the relentless pursuit of new horizons and the spirit of discovery.Finally, from the industrial revolution's shift to iron and steel giants to the modern age of colossal vessels like the Titanic, the story of shipbuilding echoes the resilience and innovation of humanity in conquering the challenges of the open sea.
September 27th 1938 saw the 80,000-ton liner Queen Elizabeth, then the largest passenger ship ever built, launched at John Brown's shipyard, Clydebank.
Plans to use Queen Elizabeth as a passenger liner were put on permanent hold at the outbreak of World War II. However the ship was not safe in Scotland, and was a known target for the Luftwaffe.
As such, Queen Elizabeth was painted grey before departing Clydebank for what was expected to be a short journey to Southampton.
Instead, Queen Elizabeth’s maiden voyage was to New York, with the untested and untried liner making a ‘mad dash’ across the Atlantic.
Once in New York, Queen Elizabeth berthed alongside Queen Mary, Normandie and Mauretania, and for a brief period during March 1940 four of the world’s greatest liners,lay side by side.
Queen Elizabeth was requisitioned for wartime service on 13 November 1940 and was released from Admiralty service in 1946. Her post-war overhaul and refurbishment was carried out both on the Clyde and at Southampton. This overhaul saw the luxury passenger interiors installed aboard Queen Elizabeth, in preparation for civilan transatlantic services. The ship was finally painted in Cunard livery while the machinery was overhauled.
Queen Elizabeth was given her full sea trials, and then officially accepted by Cunard. The ship made her belated maiden passenger voyage to New York on 16 October 1946.
In the 60's as air travel became the norm for transatlantic travel Cunard gave Queen Elizabeth a major overhaul in Greenock, which involved an interior refurbishment and the creation of an outdoor swimming pool on Queen Elizabeth’s aft deck, as well as the building of a lido area.
Cunard announced on 8 May 1967 Queen Elizabeth would be withdrawn in Autumn 1968. Despite every effort to keep the Queen Elizabeth sailing, she was too costly for her owners and had to go. The liner was sold to a group of Philadelphia businessmen with the intention of turning her into a floating hotel in Florida. The ship made her final transatlantic crossing on 5 November 1968 before she was withdrawn from Cunard service.
Once in Florida, the ship was opened to the public in February 1969, however this venture didn’t last and the ship was closed that same year. In late 1970 the ship was auctioned and bought by C.Y.Tung, Hong Kong. The intention was to turn the ship into a floating university and she sailed for Hong Kong for conversion.
Re-named Seawise University, the ship’s transformation was almost complete when a series of fires broke out aboard the ship causing her to burn out and sink in the harbour. The ship is now under "reclaimed land" there.
LJS 473 is a treatise on ships and shipbuilding by Benedetto Cotrugli, composed in 1464-1465, including information on cartography, construction and use of the compass, types of ships, and meteorology and astronomy for use in navigation.
Why were british warships built of oak ? Oak was expensive and did not grow everywhere. And yet a first rate needed 5750 mature oak trees. This meant that oak was also imported and in occupied areas, whole forests were replanted and even in England the planting of oak was given high priority.
The bombardment of Algiers, 26-27 August 181, by Martinus Schouman, 1823 (x)
But why ? Oak is a particularly robust wood and was well suited for shipbuilding. Because it was more stable, more weather-resistant and not as susceptible to rot and pest infestation as other woods, and oak did not splinter as much. In a battle, splinters were a great danger and because the oak did not
oak did not splinter as much and was much more unforgiving, it was the wood of choice.
This was demonstrated by HMS Impregnable, 98-guns, which, after the bombardment of Algiers in 1816, had 233 heavy shots in her hull without causing her much damage.
Locals an English village are excited by the prospect that a Viking-era boat has been discovered under a pub car park. Archaeologists have been tasked with uncovering the truth.