30. An inventory of the brigantino of Antonio Gusman with one bill of lading

The Consolato del Mare was a mercantile tribunal composed of a judge and two consuls, all of whom specialised in trade law. In the case of appeals, the parties could request that a body of merchants be convened in the manner laid down in the Codice de Rohan. The image shows the first page (593r) of the case ‘Pro Padrono Antonio Gusman’, of 1728. Antonio Gusman was the captain of the brigantino named Il Santissimo Crocifisso e la Immacolata Conceptione. From the enclosed bill of lading, it seems that he had been hired to take Carlo Delicata, Antonio Coriman and Giuseppe Pascua to the ‘Scaro di Accuicelli’ (Catania). Before leaving, Gusman submitted a full list of the inventory of his ship. This could be useful in case he needed to make insurance claims later on and ensured that no merchandise prohibited from being exported was being smuggled out of the islands on his ship. The port official responsible for this inspection was Francesco Tonna.

(Noel D’Anastas)