Some Surprising Numbers

This vessel of 280-ton burthen is 100 feet between perpendiculars, 26 feet at the beam and the depth of hold is 7 feet 10 inches.

The sails of this three-masted vessel consist of: nine main sails, three headsails, and six staysails, not to mention 8 studding sails. The escutcheon includes three transom filling pieces and the usual deck clamp. The main mast is in a single piece since its diameter is only 22 palms. The anchor cables are 13 inches in diameter and the largest blocks are 12 inches in length.

The longboat is 25 feet in length and the gig 16.5 feet only. There are four anchors and their weight is between 2,026 and 1,014 pounds.

The cost of construction of the ship was more than 130,000 pounds ready to sail, 80,000 for the hull alone, to which can be added 17,000 for copper cladding if required.

Considering the expenses for crew and cargo, the total investment reaches some 400,000 pounds.

L'Aurore's ship complement numbered 45, including an officers staff of 8, 6 masters, 15 able seamen, 10 non-rated seamen, and 6 boys.

The food stores intended for the staff were plentiful and refined and included, besides the usual rations, good wines, spirits, various spices, almost 150 fowl, live sheep, etc.

Besides the necessary water, the crew food stores reached a weight of about 50 tons for a daily ration amounting to 3,000 calories whereas the rations for the 600 to 650 captives provided about 2,000 calories for a total weight of roughly 25 tons. The total quantity of drinking water on board was 140,000 liters, stored in 600 barrels of almost 250 liters each, for a total empty weight of almost 20 tons.

The galleys, on the port side for the captives and on starboard for the crew use about 20 tons of wood for a voyage often of more than two years.

During the layover on the African coast and while the captain works at purchasing the future slaves, the carpenters work at setting up the ‘tween decks and rigging the shelves for the captives.

For the return voyage to France, the middle deck is again set up for storing as much merchandise as possible.

The number of slaves at Santo Domingo in 1787 was estimated at more than 500,000 and the sugar production was phenomenal.