Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are
able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the
public for several reasons. That’s quite a pity while these books contains
useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor
accessible.
P. 318: “I really have no idea of the sort, but everything must have its turn, and we will now take a view of the dock-yard and arsenal, not that there is anything extraordinary in them themselves, but because they show to what perfection even savages may be brought by the exertions of one man only, during the course of a few years. There is nothing remarkable about the mole, other than that it is remarkably dirty and very rudely constructed. When it was building, they appear to have been most determined not to lay a stone in addition to what was absolutely indispensable; and the same total] defiance of architectural regularity exists here, as everywhere else, and consequently it is necessary to keep up the same assiduous system of repairs. In the dock-yard there are ways for building four line-of-battle ships; and there is a fifth sufficiently large for building a corvette or a brig. These ways are all built of the remains of antiquity, and are well and conveniently constructed. The Pacha has always four ships on the stocks, and directly one is launched, another is laid down. He has now building two ships that are to mount 100 guns each, and two others of 80 guns. One of 138 guns was launched a few weeks ago, and will soon be ready for sea. The construction of these vessels is not nearly so strong as that of English ships of war, but they are quite sufficient for the purposes they are destined for. In consequence of the shallowness of the water in the mole, it is necessary to launch all the large ships before they are above half finished, and in consequence they sometimes suffer a severe strain. Nearly all the timber for ship-building is brought from Asia Minor; and as His Highness sends his timber-ships and transports, and helps himself to it, it costs almost nothing. The guns, and a large portion of the shot, are brought from England. It is surprising to see the rapidity with which ships here are built and sent into commission. Eighteen months back, the Pacha had only two line-of-battle ships completed; he has now six in commission, and four upon the stocks building. It is only by means of the immense numbers of people he employs that he gets on thus rapidly; and it is his constant custom, when the fleet is in harbour, to send one-half the crews to work as labourers in the dock-yard. If it was not for the personal presence of the Pacha, things would not go on in this way; for the rest of the Turks are extremely idle, and by no means so zealous as the old man, their master. Whenever a ship is launched, it is a general holiday: the Pacha always attends to witness it; and the moment she touches the water, a general salute is fired from the ships and batteries. The troops assembled on the occasion welcome her with a peal of musketry; and the ceremony is mostly closed by the Pacha making the builder a handsome present. The workshops in the arsenal here are well worthy of inspection. There is scarcely anything which the Pacha has not people to give instruction in to the Arabs, and many of them have attained high perfection as mechanics. In some of the shops they are employed in manufacturing barometers, compasses, binnacles, &c. In others, they are turning brass for the ornamental work of the ship, of which the Turks are great admirers. Here are carpenters, cabinet-makers, upholsterers, joiners, &c, all hard at work, preparing for the fitting up
P. 319: of the slips as soon as they are sufficiently finished. The blacksmiths' and armourers' departments are on an immense scale, and it is astonishing how great a degree of perfection they have attained. Perhaps the most surprising thing of all is, the immense rope works which are here established, and where a great part of the rigging of the ships is manufactured. This department has improved rapidly of late, and will, in a short time, be as good as any in Europe. The Egyptian Navy, at present, consists of six line-of-battle ships, seven large frigates, five corvettes, eight brigs, and a cutter. Besides these, he has six fire-ships, and about thirty transports. The following list will give the names, number of guns, number of men, and the tonnage of each ship. It is necessary to observe, that the ships are named after either towns or districts of country; and the greater part of these names will be found in the map of the Delta.
Ships of the line: Masr 138 guns, 1500 men, 3800 tonnage, Acré 138 guns, 1500 men, 3800 tonnage, Mahallet e Kebie 100 guns, 1200 men, 3000 tonnage, Mansoura 100 guns, 1200 men, 3000 tonnage, Alexandria 96 guns, 1200 men, 3000 tonnage and Aboukir 99 guns, 800 men, 2000 tonnage. Frigates: Jaffarier 62 guns, 550 men, 1800 tonnage, Bahaira 60 guns, 550 men, 1600 tonnage, Kaffié Cheyk 58 guns, 500 men, 1700 tonnage, Raschid 58 guns, 500 men, 1700 tonnage, Sheer Jahaat 56 guns, 500 men, 1500 tonnage, Damietta 50 guns, 400 men, 1400 tonnage and Mufta Jahaat 48 guns, 400 men, 1200 tonnage. Corvettes: Tanta 24 guns, 300 men, 750 tonnage, Pelenga Jahaat 22 guns, 250 men, 600 tonnage, Fouah 20 guns, 200 men, 500 tonnage, Jenna Bahaira 20 guns, 200 men, 500 tonnage and Jahaat di Pecchert 20 guns, 200 men, 450 tonnage. Brigs: Shandra 20 guns, 200 men, 400 tonnage, Feshna 20 guns, 200 men, 400 tonnage, Seminda Jahaat 18 guns, 150 men, 350 tonnage, Chaba Jahaat 18 guns, 150 men, 350 tonnage, Tempsa 16 guns, 100 men, 300 tonnage, Washington 16 guns, 100 men, 300 tonnage, Berda Jahaat 10 guns, 90 men, 180 tonnage, Psyche 22 guns, 200 men, 400 tonnage and a cutter.”
Source
“Sketches of a year’s service in the Egyptian Marine, in 1832 and 1833” in: The United Service Magazine of November 1833.
P. 318: “I really have no idea of the sort, but everything must have its turn, and we will now take a view of the dock-yard and arsenal, not that there is anything extraordinary in them themselves, but because they show to what perfection even savages may be brought by the exertions of one man only, during the course of a few years. There is nothing remarkable about the mole, other than that it is remarkably dirty and very rudely constructed. When it was building, they appear to have been most determined not to lay a stone in addition to what was absolutely indispensable; and the same total] defiance of architectural regularity exists here, as everywhere else, and consequently it is necessary to keep up the same assiduous system of repairs. In the dock-yard there are ways for building four line-of-battle ships; and there is a fifth sufficiently large for building a corvette or a brig. These ways are all built of the remains of antiquity, and are well and conveniently constructed. The Pacha has always four ships on the stocks, and directly one is launched, another is laid down. He has now building two ships that are to mount 100 guns each, and two others of 80 guns. One of 138 guns was launched a few weeks ago, and will soon be ready for sea. The construction of these vessels is not nearly so strong as that of English ships of war, but they are quite sufficient for the purposes they are destined for. In consequence of the shallowness of the water in the mole, it is necessary to launch all the large ships before they are above half finished, and in consequence they sometimes suffer a severe strain. Nearly all the timber for ship-building is brought from Asia Minor; and as His Highness sends his timber-ships and transports, and helps himself to it, it costs almost nothing. The guns, and a large portion of the shot, are brought from England. It is surprising to see the rapidity with which ships here are built and sent into commission. Eighteen months back, the Pacha had only two line-of-battle ships completed; he has now six in commission, and four upon the stocks building. It is only by means of the immense numbers of people he employs that he gets on thus rapidly; and it is his constant custom, when the fleet is in harbour, to send one-half the crews to work as labourers in the dock-yard. If it was not for the personal presence of the Pacha, things would not go on in this way; for the rest of the Turks are extremely idle, and by no means so zealous as the old man, their master. Whenever a ship is launched, it is a general holiday: the Pacha always attends to witness it; and the moment she touches the water, a general salute is fired from the ships and batteries. The troops assembled on the occasion welcome her with a peal of musketry; and the ceremony is mostly closed by the Pacha making the builder a handsome present. The workshops in the arsenal here are well worthy of inspection. There is scarcely anything which the Pacha has not people to give instruction in to the Arabs, and many of them have attained high perfection as mechanics. In some of the shops they are employed in manufacturing barometers, compasses, binnacles, &c. In others, they are turning brass for the ornamental work of the ship, of which the Turks are great admirers. Here are carpenters, cabinet-makers, upholsterers, joiners, &c, all hard at work, preparing for the fitting up
P. 319: of the slips as soon as they are sufficiently finished. The blacksmiths' and armourers' departments are on an immense scale, and it is astonishing how great a degree of perfection they have attained. Perhaps the most surprising thing of all is, the immense rope works which are here established, and where a great part of the rigging of the ships is manufactured. This department has improved rapidly of late, and will, in a short time, be as good as any in Europe. The Egyptian Navy, at present, consists of six line-of-battle ships, seven large frigates, five corvettes, eight brigs, and a cutter. Besides these, he has six fire-ships, and about thirty transports. The following list will give the names, number of guns, number of men, and the tonnage of each ship. It is necessary to observe, that the ships are named after either towns or districts of country; and the greater part of these names will be found in the map of the Delta.
Ships of the line: Masr 138 guns, 1500 men, 3800 tonnage, Acré 138 guns, 1500 men, 3800 tonnage, Mahallet e Kebie 100 guns, 1200 men, 3000 tonnage, Mansoura 100 guns, 1200 men, 3000 tonnage, Alexandria 96 guns, 1200 men, 3000 tonnage and Aboukir 99 guns, 800 men, 2000 tonnage. Frigates: Jaffarier 62 guns, 550 men, 1800 tonnage, Bahaira 60 guns, 550 men, 1600 tonnage, Kaffié Cheyk 58 guns, 500 men, 1700 tonnage, Raschid 58 guns, 500 men, 1700 tonnage, Sheer Jahaat 56 guns, 500 men, 1500 tonnage, Damietta 50 guns, 400 men, 1400 tonnage and Mufta Jahaat 48 guns, 400 men, 1200 tonnage. Corvettes: Tanta 24 guns, 300 men, 750 tonnage, Pelenga Jahaat 22 guns, 250 men, 600 tonnage, Fouah 20 guns, 200 men, 500 tonnage, Jenna Bahaira 20 guns, 200 men, 500 tonnage and Jahaat di Pecchert 20 guns, 200 men, 450 tonnage. Brigs: Shandra 20 guns, 200 men, 400 tonnage, Feshna 20 guns, 200 men, 400 tonnage, Seminda Jahaat 18 guns, 150 men, 350 tonnage, Chaba Jahaat 18 guns, 150 men, 350 tonnage, Tempsa 16 guns, 100 men, 300 tonnage, Washington 16 guns, 100 men, 300 tonnage, Berda Jahaat 10 guns, 90 men, 180 tonnage, Psyche 22 guns, 200 men, 400 tonnage and a cutter.”
Source
“Sketches of a year’s service in the Egyptian Marine, in 1832 and 1833” in: The United Service Magazine of November 1833.
