31. Register of expenses and profits involved in the maintenance and furnishing of a ship for use in a court appeal

It was not uncommon for several partners to make a joint investment in the purchasing or construction and outfitting of a seaworthy vessel. This vessel would then be put under the command of a tested captain and leased out to merchants and travellers for their journeys subject to the consent of these shareholders and whatever formal agreements had been made during the establishment of this partnership.
In this particular case, one of the shareholders, Fra Giovanni Battista Giannattasio alleges that the captain, Georgio Bardecco, had not forwarded him his full share of the proceeds from a journey undertaken for Syracuse and Venice. Bardecco has accordingly submitted a very detailed account of all the expenses related to the furnishing and maintenance of the partnership-owned tartana, related port fees and wages, to be offset against the income from the leasing of the vessel. In doing so, Bardecco intends to prove that he has forwarded and properly shared all true profits from the venture.

(Noel D’Anastas)