667:
The
British took the length measurement from the outside of the stem to the outside of the sternpost, whereas the Americans measured from inside the posts. The British measured breadth from outside the planks, whereas the Americans measured the breadth from inside the planks. Lastly, the British
217:
The
Builder's Old Measurement formula remained in effect until the advent of steam propulsion. Steamships required a different method of estimating tonnage, because the ratio of length to beam was larger and a significant volume of internal space was used for boilers and machinery. In 1849, the
181:
445:
534:
310:
226:. The Moorsom system calculates the cargo-carrying capacity in cubic feet, another method of volumetric measurement. The capacity in cubic feet is then divided by 100 cubic feet of capacity per gross ton, resulting in a tonnage expressed in tons.
595:
93:
626:
Interior space; The height from the lowest part of the hull inside the ship, at its midpoint, to the ceiling that is made up of the uppermost full length deck. For old warships it is to the ceiling that is made up of the
369:
671:
The upshot was that
American calculations gave a lower number than the British ones. The British measure yields values about 6% greater than the American. For instance, when the British measured the captured
359:
In 1678 Thames shipbuilders used a method assuming that a ship's burden would be 3/5 of its displacement. Since tonnage is calculated by multiplying length × beam × draft ×
479:
260:
545:
1001:
600:
This formula remained in effect until the
Builder's Old Measurement rule (above) was put into use in 1720, and then mandated by Act of Parliament in 1773.
176:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {({\text{Length}}-({\text{Beam}}\times {\frac {3}{5}}))\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\frac {\text{Beam}}{2}}}{94}}}
440:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {{\text{Length}}\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\frac {\text{Beam}}{2}}\times {\frac {3}{5}}\times {0.62}}{35}}}
1430:
817:
831:
784:
348:
If a "tun" is deemed to be equivalent to 100 cubic feet, then the tonnage is simply the number of such 100 cubic feet 'tun' units of volume.
254:
or imperial ton. In order to estimate the capacity of a ship in terms of 'tun' for tax purposes, an early formula used in
England was:
906:
747:
640:, that is used in context of depth measurement, is usually defined as the uppermost full length deck. For the 16th century ship
994:
1425:
1029:
919:
65:
873:
1214:
847:
250:, approx 210 imp gal (955 L) weighing about 2,240 lb (1,020 kg), a weight known today as a
1435:
987:
1135:
529:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {{\text{Length}}\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\frac {\text{Beam}}{2}}}{94}}}
539:
In 1694 a new
British law required that tonnage for tax purposes be calculated according to a similar formula:
246:" of imported wine, roughly equivalent to £150 in 2023. At that time a "tun" was a wine container of 252
735:
75:
1177:
1081:
949:
694:
The US system was in use from 1789 until 1864, when a modified version of the
Moorsom System was adopted.
305:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {{\text{Length}}\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\text{Depth}}}{100}}}
590:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {{\text{Length}}\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\text{Depth}}}{94}}}
1218:
1182:
1086:
1076:
673:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
235:
959:
1311:
1209:
1161:
762:
703:
1373:
238:
levied the first tax on the hire of ships in
England in 1303 based on tons burthen. Later, King
1071:
1010:
902:
827:
743:
739:
728:
613:
360:
1034:
1440:
1050:
332:
209:
57:
1296:
1240:
1024:
770:
223:
219:
1420:
1414:
1306:
1301:
1130:
323:
194:
44:) is the method used in England from approximately 1650 to 1849 for calculating the
1156:
1066:
823:
655:
969:
899:
The
Frigates: An account of the lighter warships of the Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815
363:, all divided by 35 ft per ton of seawater, the resulting formula would be:
1140:
247:
198:
877:
1394:
1359:
1321:
243:
239:
620:
itself, at the ship's midpoint, to the top of the uppermost full length deck.
1384:
1354:
1102:
792:
765:, taking the last year of Edward III's reign, 1377, as the base year, and a
642:
637:
202:
851:
1399:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
766:
251:
691:
tons, whereas the
American calculations gave the burthen as 1444 tons.
1389:
1368:
1364:
1329:
1125:
53:
20:
355:
the divisor is unitless, so tonnage would be expressed in 'ft of tun'.
52:. It is a volumetric measurement of cubic capacity. It estimated the
16:
Measurement of the internal volume of a sailing vessel (c. 1650–1849)
979:
1378:
45:
617:
345:
The numerator yields the ship's volume expressed in cubic feet.
49:
983:
650:
uppermost full length deck. In a calculation of the tonnage of
341:
is the depth of the hold, in feet below the main deck.
960:"Of Finding the Tonnage or Burthen of Ships, &c."
920:"An Owner's Guide to Tonnage Admeasurement 1998-2003"
548:
482:
372:
263:
96:
668:
divided by 94, whereas the Americans divided by 95.
1320:
1289:
1253:
1228:
1202:
1195:
1170:
1149:
1118:
1111:
1095:
1059:
1043:
1017:
727:
589:
528:
439:
304:
175:
918:Essex, Phil; Mork, Craig S.; Pomeroy, Craig A.
679:, their calculations gave her a burthen of 1533
995:
8:
730:The Oxford Companion to Ships & the Sea
1199:
1115:
1002:
988:
980:
1157:Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System
811:
809:
576:
568:
560:
557:
549:
547:
510:
502:
494:
491:
483:
481:
426:
413:
400:
392:
384:
381:
373:
371:
291:
283:
275:
272:
264:
262:
157:
149:
130:
122:
111:
105:
97:
95:
819:Chapman great sailing ships of the world
715:
463:is based on an assumed average of 0.62.
721:
719:
469:is the volume of one ton of sea water.
56:of a ship based on length and maximum
850:. The Mary Rose Trust. Archived from
612:The height from the underside of the
242:levied a tax of 3 shillings on each "
7:
457:is estimated to be half of the beam.
791:. Steamship Mutual. Archived from
14:
69:
927:Jensen Maritime Consultants, Inc
950:"Concerning Measuring of Ships"
876:. Not published. Archived from
1431:Sailing rules and handicapping
901:. (London:Leo Cooper), p.167.
785:"Tonnage Measurement of Ships"
658:was used instead of the depth.
322:is the length (undefined), in
143:
140:
119:
108:
84:), and abbreviated "tons bm".
1:
1030:Length between perpendiculars
897:Henderson, James, CBE (1994)
848:"Construction and Dimensions"
213:is the maximum beam, in feet.
966:, London, 1805. pp. 249–251.
1215:Twenty-foot equivalent unit
964:The Shipwright's Vade-Mecum
956:, London, 1707. pp 127–131.
816:Schäuffelen, Otmar (2005).
60:. It is expressed in "tons
1457:
1162:Thames measurement tonnage
18:
1236:Builder's Old Measurement
1136:Compensated gross tonnage
1082:Load line (Plimsoll Line)
874:"The Mary Rose - a Model"
26:Builder's Old Measurement
974:Dictionary of the Marine
954:The Sea-Man's Vade Mecum
1312:Metacentric height (GM)
1035:Length at the waterline
976:, London, 1780, page 56
736:Oxford University Press
79:
1178:Gross register tonnage
970:"Burthen", or "Burden"
769:as one-twentieth of a
726:Kemp, P., ed. (1976).
591:
530:
441:
306:
230:History and derivation
177:
1271:Standard displacement
1219:Intermodal containers
972:, William Falconer's
783:Pearn, Rodney Stone.
663:American tons burthen
592:
531:
473:Or by solving :
442:
307:
178:
1426:Nautical terminology
1183:Net register tonnage
1087:Under keel clearance
546:
480:
370:
261:
94:
66:Early Modern English
1281:Normal displacement
1266:Loaded displacement
646:, main deck is the
222:was created in the
1276:Light displacement
1210:Deadweight tonnage
872:Fielding, Andrew.
763:Template:inflation
704:Thames Measurement
587:
526:
437:
302:
193:is the length, in
173:
1436:Ship measurements
1408:
1407:
1369:§ Neopanamax
1350:Handymax/Supramax
1249:
1248:
1191:
1190:
1011:Ship measurements
833:978-1-58816-384-4
690:
631:full length deck.
585:
579:
571:
563:
552:
524:
518:
514:
505:
497:
486:
461:Block coefficient
435:
421:
408:
404:
395:
387:
376:
361:block coefficient
300:
294:
286:
278:
267:
171:
165:
161:
152:
138:
125:
114:
100:
1448:
1200:
1116:
1004:
997:
990:
981:
937:
936:
934:
933:
924:
915:
909:
895:
889:
888:
886:
885:
869:
863:
862:
860:
859:
844:
838:
837:
813:
804:
803:
801:
800:
780:
774:
760:
754:
753:
733:
723:
689:
688:
684:
680:
616:, excluding the
596:
594:
593:
588:
586:
581:
580:
577:
572:
569:
564:
561:
558:
553:
550:
535:
533:
532:
527:
525:
520:
519:
512:
511:
506:
503:
498:
495:
492:
487:
484:
446:
444:
443:
438:
436:
431:
430:
422:
414:
409:
402:
401:
396:
393:
388:
385:
382:
377:
374:
311:
309:
308:
303:
301:
296:
295:
292:
287:
284:
279:
276:
273:
268:
265:
182:
180:
179:
174:
172:
167:
166:
159:
158:
153:
150:
139:
131:
126:
123:
115:
112:
106:
101:
98:
87:The formula is:
73:
1456:
1455:
1451:
1450:
1449:
1447:
1446:
1445:
1411:
1410:
1409:
1404:
1316:
1285:
1245:
1224:
1187:
1166:
1145:
1107:
1091:
1055:
1039:
1013:
1008:
962:, David Steel,
946:
941:
940:
931:
929:
922:
917:
916:
912:
896:
892:
883:
881:
871:
870:
866:
857:
855:
846:
845:
841:
834:
815:
814:
807:
798:
796:
782:
781:
777:
761:
757:
750:
725:
724:
717:
712:
700:
686:
682:
681:
665:
606:
559:
544:
543:
493:
478:
477:
383:
368:
367:
274:
259:
258:
232:
107:
92:
91:
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1454:
1452:
1444:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1428:
1423:
1413:
1412:
1406:
1405:
1403:
1402:
1397:
1392:
1387:
1382:
1376:
1371:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1347:
1342:
1337:
1332:
1326:
1324:
1318:
1317:
1315:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1297:Inclining test
1293:
1291:
1287:
1286:
1284:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1257:
1255:
1251:
1250:
1247:
1246:
1244:
1243:
1241:Moorsom System
1238:
1232:
1230:
1226:
1225:
1223:
1222:
1212:
1206:
1204:
1197:
1193:
1192:
1189:
1188:
1186:
1185:
1180:
1174:
1172:
1168:
1167:
1165:
1164:
1159:
1153:
1151:
1147:
1146:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1122:
1120:
1113:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1105:
1099:
1097:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1063:
1061:
1057:
1056:
1054:
1053:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1040:
1038:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1025:Length overall
1021:
1019:
1015:
1014:
1009:
1007:
1006:
999:
992:
984:
978:
977:
967:
957:
945:
944:External links
942:
939:
938:
910:
890:
864:
839:
832:
826:. p. xx.
805:
775:
771:pound sterling
755:
748:
714:
713:
711:
708:
707:
706:
699:
696:
664:
661:
660:
659:
635:
632:
624:
621:
610:
605:
602:
598:
597:
584:
575:
567:
556:
537:
536:
523:
517:
509:
501:
490:
471:
470:
464:
458:
448:
447:
434:
429:
425:
420:
417:
412:
407:
399:
391:
380:
357:
356:
343:
342:
336:
326:
313:
312:
299:
290:
282:
271:
231:
228:
224:United Kingdom
220:Moorsom System
215:
214:
206:
184:
183:
170:
164:
156:
148:
145:
142:
137:
134:
129:
121:
118:
110:
104:
76:Middle English
48:capacity of a
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1453:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1427:
1424:
1422:
1419:
1418:
1416:
1401:
1398:
1396:
1395:VLCC and ULCC
1393:
1391:
1388:
1386:
1383:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1328:
1327:
1325:
1323:
1319:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1307:Angle of loll
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1294:
1292:
1288:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1258:
1256:
1252:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1233:
1231:
1227:
1220:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1207:
1205:
1201:
1198:
1194:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1175:
1173:
1169:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1154:
1152:
1148:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1131:Gross tonnage
1129:
1127:
1124:
1123:
1121:
1117:
1114:
1110:
1104:
1101:
1100:
1098:
1094:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1072:Moulded depth
1070:
1068:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1058:
1052:
1049:
1048:
1046:
1042:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1016:
1012:
1005:
1000:
998:
993:
991:
986:
985:
982:
975:
971:
968:
965:
961:
958:
955:
951:
948:
947:
943:
928:
921:
914:
911:
908:
907:0-85052-432-6
904:
900:
894:
891:
880:on 2009-04-16
879:
875:
868:
865:
854:on 2009-04-16
853:
849:
843:
840:
835:
829:
825:
821:
820:
812:
810:
806:
795:on 2012-08-28
794:
790:
786:
779:
776:
772:
768:
764:
759:
756:
751:
749:0-19-211553-7
745:
741:
737:
732:
731:
722:
720:
716:
709:
705:
702:
701:
697:
695:
692:
678:
677:
669:
662:
657:
653:
649:
645:
644:
639:
636:
633:
630:
625:
623:Depth in hold
622:
619:
615:
611:
609:Depth to deck
608:
607:
603:
601:
582:
573:
565:
554:
542:
541:
540:
521:
515:
507:
499:
488:
476:
475:
474:
468:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
452:
451:
432:
427:
423:
418:
415:
410:
405:
397:
389:
378:
366:
365:
364:
362:
354:
351:
350:
349:
346:
340:
337:
334:
330:
327:
325:
321:
318:
317:
316:
297:
288:
280:
269:
257:
256:
255:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
229:
227:
225:
221:
212:
211:
207:
204:
200:
196:
192:
189:
188:
187:
168:
162:
154:
146:
135:
132:
127:
116:
102:
90:
89:
88:
85:
83:
82:
77:
72:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
22:
1261:Displacement
1235:
973:
963:
953:
930:. Retrieved
926:
913:
898:
893:
882:. Retrieved
878:the original
867:
856:. Retrieved
852:the original
842:
824:Hearst Books
818:
797:. Retrieved
793:the original
788:
778:
758:
729:
693:
675:
670:
666:
651:
647:
641:
628:
599:
538:
472:
466:
460:
454:
449:
358:
352:
347:
344:
338:
328:
319:
314:
248:wine gallons
233:
216:
208:
190:
185:
86:
80:
70:
61:
41:
37:
33:
29:
25:
24:
1381:(Qatar-max)
1150:Specialized
1141:Net tonnage
738:. pp.
197:, from the
1415:Categories
1360:Malaccamax
932:2014-05-29
884:2009-07-17
858:2009-07-17
799:2007-04-23
710:References
335:, in feet.
240:Edward III
19:See also:
1385:Seawaymax
1355:Handysize
1290:Stability
1119:Worldwide
1103:Air draft
1077:Freeboard
676:President
674:USS
652:Mary Rose
643:Mary Rose
638:Main deck
634:Main deck
629:lowermost
574:×
566:×
508:×
500:×
424:×
411:×
398:×
390:×
289:×
281:×
203:sternpost
155:×
147:×
128:×
117:−
1400:Yamalmax
1345:Chinamax
1340:Capesize
1335:Baltimax
1196:Capacity
789:Articles
767:shilling
698:See also
252:long ton
236:Edward I
1390:Suezmax
1374:Péniche
1365:Panamax
1330:Aframax
1229:Archaic
1203:Current
1171:Archaic
1126:Tonnage
1044:Breadth
685:⁄
551:Tonnage
485:Tonnage
450:where:
375:Tonnage
331:is the
315:where:
266:Tonnage
201:to the
186:where:
99:Tonnage
81:byrthen
71:burthen
54:tonnage
21:tonnage
1441:Volume
1322:Limits
1254:Weight
1112:Volume
1096:Height
1018:Length
905:
830:
746:
648:second
562:Length
496:Length
386:Length
320:Length
277:Length
191:Length
113:Length
62:burden
40:, and
1379:Q-Max
1067:Draft
1060:Depth
923:(PDF)
656:draft
604:Depth
578:Depth
467:35 ft
455:Draft
339:Depth
293:Depth
234:King
46:cargo
1421:Mass
1367:and
1302:List
1051:Beam
903:ISBN
828:ISBN
744:ISBN
654:the
618:keel
614:hull
570:Beam
513:Beam
504:Beam
428:0.62
403:Beam
394:Beam
333:beam
329:Beam
324:feet
285:Beam
210:Beam
199:stem
195:feet
160:Beam
151:Beam
124:Beam
58:beam
50:ship
42:o.m.
740:876
353:100
298:100
244:tun
64:" (
30:BOM
1417::
952:,
925:.
822:.
808:^
787:.
742:.
734:.
718:^
687:94
583:94
522:94
433:35
169:94
78::
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