Page 93 - Loss of the VOC Retourschip Batavia, Western Australia, 1629

Navigation equipment
One of the most easily identifiable groups of material
D·n ".;.,~~-+--
'.
from the Batavia was the navigation material. Four astro-
labes were found on the site, two during the 1972-76
seasons. One was found in the stern of the site, the other
was associated with a massive concretion o f silver coins.
The astrolabes are of great interest because we know that
some form of latitude measuring device must have sur-
vived the wreck, because Pelsaert was able to determine
his latitude during the voyage from the wreck site to
Batavia. a
There are five lists of steersman's requirements in the Resolutions of the Heren XVII 16 April 1655 (Resolu/ies genomen op de ordinaris en extraordinaris vergaderingen van de Heeren XVII KA187 23 September 1654 - 22 August 1660). This is the earliest list of navigation equip- mentknown for the VOC. TheResolutionslistinstruments and maps for the skippers, uppersteersmen, for the cabin which the uppersteersmen were responsible, for under- steersmen and for the third watch.
The instrument list is as follows:
Voor der schipper
1 Gatiwlicum 2"20 1 Koopere Astrolabum 13"00 1 Viercante peijlcompas 7"00 1 Viercante compas met parae I naelden 4"00 4 Vaste roosen en 4"00 1 Schuijvende 5"10 11Glasen a 6 stuijver
2 koopere pennen a 1 stuijver 3"13 1 doos a 5 stuijvers
1 halve ronrje 2"02 3 caert passers "18 1 Graetboogh met een Koopere visier en hOUle horisont
2"11
1 Hoeckboogh 3"10 1 Koopere compas rechter 10"00
Voor de hut opperstuijrsman ter versnt woorden
2gelooden
2 doosen lOt deselves 1 Gatiwlicum
1 Viercante compas met parael naelden 4 Vaste en 1 schijverede roose
IIGlasen a 6 stuijver in een dood meet 2 koopere pennen a 1 stuijver bij een
1 halve ronrje
1 groote en een dijne winckelhaeck
2 Koopere linialen
6 Gissingh lijntjens
2 Gissingh glaesjens
1 Koopere compas rechter
V oor de opperstuijrman
1 astrolabum van koopere
1 Viercante peijlcompas
3 Gaertpassers
1 Graetboogh met een Koopere visier en houte iwrisont 1 Hoeckboogh
Figure41. An illustralion showing the use of the seaman's
astrolabe.
V oor de onderstuijrman 1 as!rolabum van koopere 1 Viercante peijlcompas 3 Gaertpassers
1 Graelboogh mel een Koopere visier en iwute horisont 1 Hoeckboogh
. V oor de derdewacht
3 Gaerlpassers
1 Graelboogh mel een Koopere visier en hOUle horisonl 1 Hoeckboogh
This list is very similar to the published list of charts and steersman's requirements for the ship Ternale which was published in 1673 (KA 4393"). The Ternate list seems to be a printed version of the resolutions (with some variations) onto which was entered, in handwriting, the nameoftheship,theskipper,theChamberitwassailingfor and the date of depanure. These lists would be signed to confirm the receipt of the goods.
From the Heren XVII list we can see, for example, that a ship would carry three round astrolabes, two semi- circular astrolabes, two astrolabium catholicum, twelve pairs of compasses, four graelboogh or Jacob's Starf, four Hoeckboogh or Davies's Quadrant, together with a large assortment of charts and manuals.
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