Olivier Bello
Arsenal Modelist


Some Surprising Numbers

Boullongne's length between perpendiculars was 126 feet, while the keel length was 112 feet. The moulded breadth of beam was 30 feet and the maximum height of hold was 11.8 feet. Maximum headroom in the ‘tween decks and under the forecastle and quarterdeck, as measured between the top of the deck planking and the underside of the deck beams varied between 4.1 and 5.5 feet. The ship's draught was 14 feet at the sternpost and the armament consisted of 20 6-pounders deployed on the second deck.

The weight of the anchors varied from 625 to 2840 pounds, their cable size varied from 6

to 15 inches. The ship's suit of sail consisted in 9 staysails and 10 square sails, not counting the studding sails.

Boullongne's ship's complement was comprised of 133 people, divided into officer staff (9), petty officers (20), non-Navy officers (5), volunteers and midshipmen (11), seamen (56), apprentices (12), servants (6), and boys (15). On the other hand, this ship can be compared to the Duc de Praslin (between 600 and 700 tons), which numbered also 27 passengers with their 22 servants, as well as 18 soldiers. The total number of people to be accommodated thus reached 200!

The numbers concerning the ship's stores for the captain's table are just as impressive: 12720 pounds of flour, 52 barrels of wine, 240 half-liters of wine, beer and liquor, 160 sheep, 6 kids, 3 steers, 2 cows, 1565 chickens, 220 turkeys, 192 ducks, 3 sows, 1 male pig, 4 fattened pigs and 4 pigs to be fattened, not counting 2007 pounds of accompaniments, 1515 pounds of seasoning, 1200 pounds of groceries, 774 pounds of desserts and 248 pounds of vegetables.

In addition are also the stores needed to feed the livestock, in the form of hay, buckwheat, oats, barley, crushed biscuit, bran and straw, representing an investment of more than about 1500 pounds.

On the other hand, the inventories refer to innumerable supplies such as silver plate, glassware, porcelain, crockery, pewter, copperware, black and raw iron, barrels, and a long list of various utensils: chests, soap, candles, charcoal, larders, etc.