8.0124 Qs: 18th c. ship's cargo; E-Tractatus (2/91)

Elaine Brennan (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Thu, 28 Jul 1994 22:11:37 EDT

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 8, No. 0124. Thursday, 28 Jul 1994.


(1) Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 11:51:49 -0230 (62 lines)
From: OLAF <olaf@kean.ucs.mun.ca>
Subject: Q: 18th Century ship's cargo (textiles)

(2) Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 21:05:12 +0000 (29 lines)
From: fbrody@pop.tuwien.ac.at (Florian Brody)
Subject: Electronic Tractatus

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 11:51:49 -0230
From: OLAF <olaf@kean.ucs.mun.ca>
Subject: Q: 18th Century ship's cargo (textiles)

I am working on the part of the cargo manifest of an early
eighteenth-century (1726) Scottish merchantman trading to
Newfoundland; the manifest is part of a collection of business
papers, journals, instructions, etc. related to one specific
voyage. My intention is to transcribe and annotate the documents,
with the possibility of eventually having the lot published.
However, I am having a problem identifying some of the goods that
were carried -- even the Oxford English Dictionary failed me on
this one, though the problem may stem from the idiosyncratic
spelling used in the original documents (i.e., the word may be in
the dictionary somewhere, but because the term is unfamiliar to
me, I am unable to recognize what the proper or modern spelling
might be).

The cargo consisted predominantly of biscuit, but there was also
a variety of other goods, mostly textiles. For instance, in the
cargo were "4 Ps of Mussilburgh Stuffs qt 63 ells p. peice 60
pble at 20s p pe". I've been able to figure out what this means:
"four pieces of Mussilburgh Stuffs, quantity 63 ells, purchased
at a cost of 60 ells payable priced per piece 20 shillings"
(i.e., an agreed price of 20 shillings charged on 60 ells rather
than on 63). But what is "Mussilburgh Stuffs"?

That's where my problem lies. Several of the terms used to
identify some of the textiles are unique, and I would be most
grateful for any assistance in identifying what kind of fabrics
or materials these were (alternatively, can anyone point me to a
reference book where these terms are defined?). I am confident in
the spelling --the cargo invoices were quite legible.
Specifically, I need help with the following terms:

- Mussilburgh Stuffs
- Bongall
- Camblet
- Tyken
- Dornick
- tweeld tape
- Iodelegsat (measured by the dozen)
- Cockernony needles
- Shizar cases (a dozen) [scissor cases?]
- inkhorns (two dozen)

There were also several "peapers of pins"; does this mean "papers
of pins"? I thought perhaps that in the eighteenth century, pins
were stuck in fixed quantities into sheets of paper for purchase
and for shipping. Can anyone shed light on this?

Even if you can explain or identify only one or two of these
terms, I would be very grateful. Thanks in advance for any help.

Olaf Janzen
Department of History
Sir Wilfred Grenfell College
Corner Brook, Newfoundland
A2H 6P9
tel: (709) 637-6282
FAX: (709) 639-8125
e-mail: olaf@kean.ucs.mun.ca
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------38----
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 21:05:12 +0000
From: fbrody@pop.tuwien.ac.at (Florian Brody)
Subject: Electronic Tractatus

Could you please help locate an electronic version of L. Wittgensteins
Tractatus Logico Philosophicus? - German or English.

thx

Florian Brody
Academy for the Future, Vienna
FBRODY@pop.tuwien.ac.at

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