Knowledge (XXG)

Builder's Old Measurement

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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
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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
192: 456: 545: 321: 237:. 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. 606: 104: 637:
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
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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
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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 ×
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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.
187:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {({\text{Length}}-({\text{Beam}}\times {\frac {3}{5}}))\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\frac {\text{Beam}}{2}}}{94}}} 451:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {{\text{Length}}\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\frac {\text{Beam}}{2}}\times {\frac {3}{5}}\times {0.62}}{35}}} 1441: 828: 842: 795: 359:
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.
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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:
917: 758: 651:, that is used in context of depth measurement, is usually defined as the uppermost full length deck. For the 16th century ship 1005: 1436: 1040: 930: 76: 884: 1225: 858: 261:, approx 210 imp gal (955 L) weighing about 2,240 lb (1,020 kg), a weight known today as a 1446: 998: 1146: 540:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {{\text{Length}}\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\frac {\text{Beam}}{2}}}{94}}} 550:
In 1694 a new British law required that tonnage for tax purposes be calculated according to a similar formula:
257:" of imported wine, roughly equivalent to £150 in 2023. At that time a "tun" was a wine container of 252 746: 86: 1188: 1092: 960: 705:
The US system was in use from 1789 until 1864, when a modified version of the Moorsom System was adopted.
316:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {{\text{Length}}\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\text{Depth}}}{100}}} 601:{\displaystyle {\text{Tonnage}}={\frac {{\text{Length}}\times {\text{Beam}}\times {\text{Depth}}}{94}}} 1229: 1193: 1097: 1087: 684: 1291: 1286: 1281: 1276: 1271: 246: 970: 1322: 1220: 1172: 773: 714: 1384: 249:
levied the first tax on the hire of ships in England in 1303 based on tons burthen. Later, King
1082: 1021: 913: 838: 754: 750: 739: 624: 371: 1045: 1451: 1061: 343: 220: 68: 1307: 1251: 1035: 781: 234: 230: 1431: 1425: 1317: 1312: 1141: 334: 205: 55:) is the method used in England from approximately 1650 to 1849 for calculating the 1167: 1077: 834: 666: 980: 910:
The Frigates: An account of the lighter warships of the Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815
374:, all divided by 35 ft per ton of seawater, the resulting formula would be: 1151: 258: 209: 888: 1405: 1370: 1332: 254: 250: 631:
itself, at the ship's midpoint, to the top of the uppermost full length deck.
1395: 1365: 1113: 803: 776:, taking the last year of Edward III's reign, 1377, as the base year, and a 653: 648: 213: 17: 862: 1410: 1360: 1355: 1350: 1345: 777: 262: 702:
tons, whereas the American calculations gave the burthen as 1444 tons.
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the divisor is unitless, so tonnage would be expressed in 'ft of tun'.
63:. It is a volumetric measurement of cubic capacity. It estimated the 27:
Measurement of the internal volume of a sailing vessel (c. 1650–1849)
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The numerator yields the ship's volume expressed in cubic feet.
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uppermost full length deck. In a calculation of the tonnage of
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is the depth of the hold, in feet below the main deck.
971:"Of Finding the Tonnage or Burthen of Ships, &c." 931:"An Owner's Guide to Tonnage Admeasurement 1998-2003" 559: 493: 383: 274: 107: 679:
divided by 94, whereas the Americans divided by 95.
1331: 1300: 1264: 1239: 1213: 1206: 1181: 1160: 1129: 1122: 1106: 1070: 1054: 1028: 738: 600: 539: 450: 315: 186: 929:Essex, Phil; Mork, Craig S.; Pomeroy, Craig A. 690:, their calculations gave her a burthen of 1533 1006: 8: 741:The Oxford Companion to Ships & the Sea 1210: 1126: 1013: 999: 991: 1168:Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System 822: 820: 587: 579: 571: 568: 560: 558: 521: 513: 505: 502: 494: 492: 437: 424: 411: 403: 395: 392: 384: 382: 302: 294: 286: 283: 275: 273: 168: 160: 141: 133: 122: 116: 108: 106: 830:Chapman great sailing ships of the world 726: 474:is based on an assumed average of 0.62. 732: 730: 480:is the volume of one ton of sea water. 67:of a ship based on length and maximum 861:. The Mary Rose Trust. Archived from 623:The height from the underside of the 253:levied a tax of 3 shillings on each " 7: 468:is estimated to be half of the beam. 802:. Steamship Mutual. Archived from 25: 80: 938:Jensen Maritime Consultants, Inc 961:"Concerning Measuring of Ships" 887:. Not published. Archived from 1442:Sailing rules and handicapping 912:. (London:Leo Cooper), p.167. 796:"Tonnage Measurement of Ships" 669:was used instead of the depth. 333:is the length (undefined), in 154: 151: 130: 119: 95:), and abbreviated "tons bm". 1: 1041:Length between perpendiculars 908:Henderson, James, CBE (1994) 859:"Construction and Dimensions" 224:is the maximum beam, in feet. 977:, London, 1805. pp. 249–251. 1226:Twenty-foot equivalent unit 975:The Shipwright's Vade-Mecum 967:, London, 1707. pp 127–131. 827:Schäuffelen, Otmar (2005). 71:. It is expressed in "tons 1468: 1173:Thames measurement tonnage 29: 1247:Builder's Old Measurement 1147:Compensated gross tonnage 1093:Load line (Plimsoll Line) 885:"The Mary Rose - a Model" 37:Builder's Old Measurement 985:Dictionary of the Marine 965:The Sea-Man's Vade Mecum 1323:Metacentric height (GM) 1046:Length at the waterline 987:, London, 1780, page 56 747:Oxford University Press 90: 1189:Gross register tonnage 981:"Burthen", or "Burden" 780:as one-twentieth of a 737:Kemp, P., ed. (1976). 602: 541: 452: 317: 241:History and derivation 188: 1282:Standard displacement 1230:Intermodal containers 983:, William Falconer's 794:Pearn, Rodney Stone. 674:American tons burthen 603: 542: 484:Or by solving : 453: 318: 189: 1437:Nautical terminology 1194:Net register tonnage 1098:Under keel clearance 557: 491: 381: 272: 105: 77:Early Modern English 1292:Normal displacement 1277:Loaded displacement 657:, main deck is the 233:was created in the 1287:Light displacement 1221:Deadweight tonnage 883:Fielding, Andrew. 774:Template:inflation 715:Thames Measurement 598: 537: 448: 313: 204:is the length, in 184: 1447:Ship measurements 1419: 1418: 1380:§ Neopanamax 1361:Handymax/Supramax 1260: 1259: 1202: 1201: 1022:Ship measurements 844:978-1-58816-384-4 701: 642:full length deck. 596: 590: 582: 574: 563: 535: 529: 525: 516: 508: 497: 472:Block coefficient 446: 432: 419: 415: 406: 398: 387: 372:block coefficient 311: 305: 297: 289: 278: 182: 176: 172: 163: 149: 136: 125: 111: 16:(Redirected from 1459: 1211: 1127: 1015: 1008: 1001: 992: 948: 947: 945: 944: 935: 926: 920: 906: 900: 899: 897: 896: 880: 874: 873: 871: 870: 855: 849: 848: 824: 815: 814: 812: 811: 791: 785: 771: 765: 764: 744: 734: 700: 699: 695: 691: 627:, excluding the 607: 605: 604: 599: 597: 592: 591: 588: 583: 580: 575: 572: 569: 564: 561: 546: 544: 543: 538: 536: 531: 530: 523: 522: 517: 514: 509: 506: 503: 498: 495: 457: 455: 454: 449: 447: 442: 441: 433: 425: 420: 413: 412: 407: 404: 399: 396: 393: 388: 385: 322: 320: 319: 314: 312: 307: 306: 303: 298: 295: 290: 287: 284: 279: 276: 193: 191: 190: 185: 183: 178: 177: 170: 169: 164: 161: 150: 142: 137: 134: 126: 123: 117: 112: 109: 98:The formula is: 84: 21: 1467: 1466: 1462: 1461: 1460: 1458: 1457: 1456: 1422: 1421: 1420: 1415: 1327: 1296: 1256: 1235: 1198: 1177: 1156: 1118: 1102: 1066: 1050: 1024: 1019: 973:, David Steel, 957: 952: 951: 942: 940: 933: 928: 927: 923: 907: 903: 894: 892: 882: 881: 877: 868: 866: 857: 856: 852: 845: 826: 825: 818: 809: 807: 793: 792: 788: 772: 768: 761: 736: 735: 728: 723: 711: 697: 693: 692: 676: 617: 570: 555: 554: 504: 489: 488: 394: 379: 378: 285: 270: 269: 243: 118: 103: 102: 34: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1465: 1463: 1455: 1454: 1449: 1444: 1439: 1434: 1424: 1423: 1417: 1416: 1414: 1413: 1408: 1403: 1398: 1393: 1387: 1382: 1373: 1368: 1363: 1358: 1353: 1348: 1343: 1337: 1335: 1329: 1328: 1326: 1325: 1320: 1315: 1310: 1308:Inclining test 1304: 1302: 1298: 1297: 1295: 1294: 1289: 1284: 1279: 1274: 1268: 1266: 1262: 1261: 1258: 1257: 1255: 1254: 1252:Moorsom System 1249: 1243: 1241: 1237: 1236: 1234: 1233: 1223: 1217: 1215: 1208: 1204: 1203: 1200: 1199: 1197: 1196: 1191: 1185: 1183: 1179: 1178: 1176: 1175: 1170: 1164: 1162: 1158: 1157: 1155: 1154: 1149: 1144: 1139: 1133: 1131: 1124: 1120: 1119: 1117: 1116: 1110: 1108: 1104: 1103: 1101: 1100: 1095: 1090: 1085: 1080: 1074: 1072: 1068: 1067: 1065: 1064: 1058: 1056: 1052: 1051: 1049: 1048: 1043: 1038: 1036:Length overall 1032: 1030: 1026: 1025: 1020: 1018: 1017: 1010: 1003: 995: 989: 988: 978: 968: 956: 955:External links 953: 950: 949: 921: 901: 875: 850: 843: 837:. p. xx. 816: 786: 782:pound sterling 766: 759: 725: 724: 722: 719: 718: 717: 710: 707: 675: 672: 671: 670: 646: 643: 635: 632: 621: 616: 613: 609: 608: 595: 586: 578: 567: 548: 547: 534: 528: 520: 512: 501: 482: 481: 475: 469: 459: 458: 445: 440: 436: 431: 428: 423: 418: 410: 402: 391: 368: 367: 354: 353: 347: 337: 324: 323: 310: 301: 293: 282: 242: 239: 235:United Kingdom 231:Moorsom System 226: 225: 217: 195: 194: 181: 175: 167: 159: 156: 153: 148: 145: 140: 132: 129: 121: 115: 87:Middle English 59:capacity of a 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1464: 1453: 1450: 1448: 1445: 1443: 1440: 1438: 1435: 1433: 1430: 1429: 1427: 1412: 1409: 1407: 1406:VLCC and ULCC 1404: 1402: 1399: 1397: 1394: 1391: 1388: 1386: 1383: 1381: 1377: 1374: 1372: 1369: 1367: 1364: 1362: 1359: 1357: 1354: 1352: 1349: 1347: 1344: 1342: 1339: 1338: 1336: 1334: 1330: 1324: 1321: 1319: 1318:Angle of loll 1316: 1314: 1311: 1309: 1306: 1305: 1303: 1299: 1293: 1290: 1288: 1285: 1283: 1280: 1278: 1275: 1273: 1270: 1269: 1267: 1263: 1253: 1250: 1248: 1245: 1244: 1242: 1238: 1231: 1227: 1224: 1222: 1219: 1218: 1216: 1212: 1209: 1205: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1186: 1184: 1180: 1174: 1171: 1169: 1166: 1165: 1163: 1159: 1153: 1150: 1148: 1145: 1143: 1142:Gross tonnage 1140: 1138: 1135: 1134: 1132: 1128: 1125: 1121: 1115: 1112: 1111: 1109: 1105: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1084: 1083:Moulded depth 1081: 1079: 1076: 1075: 1073: 1069: 1063: 1060: 1059: 1057: 1053: 1047: 1044: 1042: 1039: 1037: 1034: 1033: 1031: 1027: 1023: 1016: 1011: 1009: 1004: 1002: 997: 996: 993: 986: 982: 979: 976: 972: 969: 966: 962: 959: 958: 954: 939: 932: 925: 922: 919: 918:0-85052-432-6 915: 911: 905: 902: 891:on 2009-04-16 890: 886: 879: 876: 865:on 2009-04-16 864: 860: 854: 851: 846: 840: 836: 832: 831: 823: 821: 817: 806:on 2012-08-28 805: 801: 797: 790: 787: 783: 779: 775: 770: 767: 762: 760:0-19-211553-7 756: 752: 748: 743: 742: 733: 731: 727: 720: 716: 713: 712: 708: 706: 703: 689: 688: 680: 673: 668: 664: 660: 656: 655: 650: 647: 644: 641: 636: 634:Depth in hold 633: 630: 626: 622: 620:Depth to deck 619: 618: 614: 612: 593: 584: 576: 565: 553: 552: 551: 532: 526: 518: 510: 499: 487: 486: 485: 479: 476: 473: 470: 467: 464: 463: 462: 443: 438: 434: 429: 426: 421: 416: 408: 400: 389: 377: 376: 375: 373: 365: 362: 361: 360: 357: 351: 348: 345: 341: 338: 336: 332: 329: 328: 327: 308: 299: 291: 280: 268: 267: 266: 264: 260: 256: 252: 248: 240: 238: 236: 232: 223: 222: 218: 215: 211: 207: 203: 200: 199: 198: 179: 173: 165: 157: 146: 143: 138: 127: 113: 101: 100: 99: 96: 94: 93: 88: 83: 78: 74: 70: 66: 62: 58: 54: 50: 46: 42: 38: 33: 19: 1272:Displacement 1246: 984: 974: 964: 941:. Retrieved 937: 924: 909: 904: 893:. Retrieved 889:the original 878: 867:. Retrieved 863:the original 853: 835:Hearst Books 829: 808:. Retrieved 804:the original 799: 789: 769: 740: 704: 686: 681: 677: 662: 658: 652: 639: 610: 549: 483: 477: 471: 465: 460: 369: 363: 358: 355: 349: 339: 330: 325: 259:wine gallons 244: 227: 219: 201: 196: 97: 91: 81: 72: 52: 48: 44: 40: 36: 35: 18:Tons burthen 1392:(Qatar-max) 1161:Specialized 1152:Net tonnage 749:. pp.  208:, from the 1426:Categories 1371:Malaccamax 943:2014-05-29 895:2009-07-17 869:2009-07-17 810:2007-04-23 721:References 346:, in feet. 251:Edward III 30:See also: 1396:Seawaymax 1366:Handysize 1301:Stability 1130:Worldwide 1114:Air draft 1088:Freeboard 687:President 685:USS  663:Mary Rose 654:Mary Rose 649:Main deck 645:Main deck 640:lowermost 585:× 577:× 519:× 511:× 435:× 422:× 409:× 401:× 300:× 292:× 214:sternpost 166:× 158:× 139:× 128:− 1411:Yamalmax 1356:Chinamax 1351:Capesize 1346:Baltimax 1207:Capacity 800:Articles 778:shilling 709:See also 263:long ton 247:Edward I 1401:Suezmax 1385:Péniche 1376:Panamax 1341:Aframax 1240:Archaic 1214:Current 1182:Archaic 1137:Tonnage 1055:Breadth 696:⁄ 562:Tonnage 496:Tonnage 461:where: 386:Tonnage 342:is the 326:where: 277:Tonnage 212:to the 197:where: 110:Tonnage 92:byrthen 82:burthen 65:tonnage 32:tonnage 1452:Volume 1333:Limits 1265:Weight 1123:Volume 1107:Height 1029:Length 916:  841:  757:  659:second 573:Length 507:Length 397:Length 331:Length 288:Length 202:Length 124:Length 73:burden 51:, and 1390:Q-Max 1078:Draft 1071:Depth 934:(PDF) 667:draft 615:Depth 589:Depth 478:35 ft 466:Draft 350:Depth 304:Depth 245:King 57:cargo 1432:Mass 1378:and 1313:List 1062:Beam 914:ISBN 839:ISBN 755:ISBN 665:the 629:keel 625:hull 581:Beam 524:Beam 515:Beam 439:0.62 414:Beam 405:Beam 344:beam 340:Beam 335:feet 296:Beam 221:Beam 210:stem 206:feet 171:Beam 162:Beam 135:Beam 69:beam 61:ship 53:o.m. 751:876 364:100 309:100 255:tun 75:" ( 41:BOM 1428:: 963:, 936:. 833:. 819:^ 798:. 753:. 745:. 729:^ 698:94 594:94 533:94 444:35 180:94 89:: 85:, 79:: 49:OM 47:, 45:bm 43:, 1232:) 1228:( 1014:e 1007:t 1000:v 946:. 898:. 872:. 847:. 813:. 784:. 763:. 694:7 566:= 527:2 500:= 430:5 427:3 417:2 390:= 281:= 216:; 174:2 155:) 152:) 147:5 144:3 131:( 120:( 114:= 39:( 20:)

Index

Tons burthen
tonnage
cargo
ship
tonnage
beam
Early Modern English
Middle English
feet
stem
sternpost
Beam
Moorsom System
United Kingdom
Edward I
Edward III
tun
wine gallons
long ton
feet
beam
block coefficient
hull
keel
Main deck
Mary Rose
draft
USS President
Thames Measurement

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