Page 110 - Dutch Asiatic Shipping Volume 1

Table24:Duration ofvoyage TheCape- Netherlandsaccordingtoageofships (indays)
age
in years
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
1650-74
114( 22) 123 ( 22) 127 ( 24) 111 < 19) 124 ( 17) 116( 13) 113( 13) 118( 8) 121 ( 6) 166 ( 4) 116( 3) 132( 2) 153( 3) 138( 3) 120 ( 3) 115( 3) 121 !( 2) 112<! 3) 115(; i) 119( 3)
130 (: υ
1675-99
110( 18) 112( 25) 114( 35) 118( 25) 116( 24) 112( 28) 110( 25) 119( 19) 115 ( 19) 110( 6) 107 ( 12) 112( 11) 115( 2) 116( 6) 121(4) 113( 1) 104(2)
89(1)
1700-24
110( 18) 129 ( 48) 118( 52) 119( 75) 119 ( 52) 113( 48) 117( 46) 118( 32) 118( 49) 113( 30) 115( 29) 117( 27) 115( 16) 116( 16) 114( 20) 118( 10) 123(8) 111(6) 110( 1)
118(583)
1725^9
118( 39) 111 ( 54) 117( 52) 115 ( 58) 122 ( 50) 116( 54) 111 ( 41) 118( 36) 115( 33) 129(28) 120 ( 23) 125 ( 31) 125 ( 23) 124 ( 21) 115( 24) 106 ( 15) 109 ( 9) 117( 7) 123 ( 6) 104 ( 2) 133 ( 2) 101 ( 2) 122 ( 2)
117(612)
1750-74
98(6) 100( 29) 101 ( 49) 103 ( 39) 112( 45) 104 ( 39) 107(45) 102 ( 35) 109 ( 32) 104 ( 40) 102 ( 29) 109 ( 34) 113( 23) 110( 26) 105 ( 21) 110( 14) 106(7)
87(3) 103(5) 137(4)
106(525)
1775-95
90( 5)
91 ( 13) 101 ( 33) 109 ( 27) 124 ( 26) 125 ( 22) 127 ( 19)
91( 9) 101( 9) 109 ( 10) 114( 6)
average 1211;i75)
( ) = number of voyages counted
93( 2) 122( 2)
117(210)
113(263)
The seaway to Asia: advantages and disadvantages for the VOC
Whereas volume of shipping was determined by the need for tonnage, movements of the ships themselves were determined by feasibilities created by winds and currents. The shipping movement between Europe and Asia was a highly seasonal one/ Chaudhuri writes succinctly.13 This applied to nearly all companies. The monsoon winds made it impossible for sailing ships to reach southern Asia and China for about six months of the year. The traditional date of the European auctions made it desirable that ships should return before winter.
The VOC however was less tied to seasons than its rivals. Batavia could be reached from the Indian Ocean and Sunda Strait throughout the year, and ships could sail from there to Europe at practically any time. As a result the directors were occupied all the year round with the equipping of ships. For other companies this occupation was limited to the period November-April. The three well-known fleets departing for Asia each year: the Christmas-, Easter- and Fair-fleets, were in the long run not tied too closely to these
13 Chaudhuri, 'Ports of call', 158. See also Godinho, Os descobrimentos II, 71-78.
210( 12) 111(6) 140 (
103 (
i) 99( 3)