Page 204 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

Chapter Two
the aftermost gunports in the s ide of the ship . Although their reduced length meant a shor ter range of fire, they had the advantage of being easy to turn forty-five degrees to fire aft through the stern gu nports. The home-bored guns had uniformly cylinder-shaped chambers.
The four iron twelve- pounders were pos itioned in the second and third gu nports of the lower dec k, the eight - pounders at the rem aining gun positions, and the four four-pounders in the forec astle behind the dr akes. Ac- cording to the inventor y list, the ship c arried three ton s of ammunition.
Pennants, are long narrow ags, forked at the end.
The white ag means peace; the black mourning; the red war; and ghting spirit. With the blue ag, the general council is signaled or called aboard.
Streamers are small ags, which are cut or fork ed, and which in general are seen at the masts.
. ..
(269 II 13) The ags aboard, which in this country are tricolored, white, orange and blue, or also yellow all over: on Dutch ships, they are used to tell the direc- tion of the wind , and also as a sign of recognition of the land folk, sailing the ship; furthermore the sea- men can signify special meanings with them.
A furled ag at the rear , means that someone, who has left the ship, is called for , or that there is much need of some cause or other: and this is called a Tzjouw.
The ag half-mast means a dead man aboard [ . . . ].
When the ship’s crew is revolting, and has tak en over the ship, unwilling to recognize the o cers
(65 II 5)
133. Flags Names of the Flags.
The flag at the top: stands on the mainmast. On the foremast and mizzenmast ags are set, called after the mast on which they stand.
The Jack, stands for ward, above the spritsail , on the topmast.
A Tzjouw [no English equivalent] is a furled ag.
Figure 2.233.
Port view of the
pinas model. (Courtesy Cees de Jonge, The Visual Art Box)
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