Historical Money and Prices in Caribbean

Income
The following shows the average annual incomes for different professions in the early 18th century. The difference in income between the upper and lower classes is quite clear.

Profession	Income
	£		Dubloon		Modern US $
Nobleman	5,000 - 25,000		6,500 - 35,000		$800,000 - $4,000,000
Colonial Governor	1,000 - 5,000		1,300 - 6,500		$160,000 - $800,000
Gentry	1,000 - 5,000		1,300 - 6,500		$160,000 - $800,000
Officeholding Lawyer	1,000		1,200		$160,000
Army Colonel	365		480		$58,000
Navy Captain/Army Major	237		316		$38,000
Yeoman farmer/Plantation Owner	40 - 250		50 - 300		$6,400 - $40,000
Army Captain	146		195		$24,000
Physician	120		160		$19,000
Justice of the Peace	63		85		$10,000
Army Lieutenant	73		100		$12,000
Court Poet	50 - 60		65 - 80		$8,000 - $9,500
Army Sergeant	54		72		$8,600
Lower Clergy	10 - 50		12 - 60		$1,600 - $8,000
Navy Midshipman	27		38		$4,300
Skilled Craftsman	30		40		$4,800
Sculptor	20 - 100		25 -130		$3,200 - $16,000
Skilled Labourer	16 - 18		20 - 30		$2,500 - $3,000
Apothecary	10 - 15		13 - 20		$1,600 - $2,400
Army soldier	15		20		$2,400
Unskilled Labourer	12		16		$1,900
Navy Seaman	11		15		$1,750
Agricultural Worker	10 - 13		13 - 17		$1,600 - $2,000
Teacher (Male)	12		16		$1,900
Subsistence Farmer	6		8		$950
Teacher (Female)	8		10		$1,250
Woman Labourer	5		7		$800
Militiaman	4		5		$600
Servant	1 plus keep		1 plus keep		$150 plus keep

Weapons
Cutlass/Hanger	-	7	6		$60	Standard weapon of pirates and sailors.
Broadsword/Cavalry Sword	-	10	-		$80	Common weapons amongst soldiers.
Smallsword	3-5	-	-		$480-$800	A gentleman's sword. This is a plain version, many are jewelled and gilded.
Dagger	-	2	6		$20
Boarding axe	-	5	-		$40
Boarding pike	-	4	-		$32
Belaying pin	-	2	-		$16
Musket, flintlock	3	-	-		$480
Musket, matchlock	1	-	-		$160	Somewhat slow and antiquated, but cheap.
Carbine, flintlock	2	10	-		$400
Pistol, flintlock	5	-	-		$800
Blunderbuss, flintlock	2	-	-		$320
Musketoon, flintlock	2	-	-		$320
Swivelgun	2	-	-		£320	Per pound shot. Weight of the gun is about 50 times the weight of the shot
Cannon	4	-	-		$640	Per pound shot. Weight of the gun is about 200 times the weight of the shot.
Roundshot	-	-	2		$1.30	Per pound of shot.
Pistol/Musket shot	-	-	6		$4	Per pound of shot - around 15 musket balls or 25 pistol balls.
Wadding	-	-	-		-	Any canvas, linen or paper will do. Worn sailcloth is commonly used.
Black Eagle (powder)	-	10	-		$80	Per cask. This powder is old and has settled out of its original mix. It has been around too long. It is less reliable and more dangerous than other powders, but it is cheap!
French White Letter (powder)	1	-	-		$160	Per cask. This powder is not fresh, but it has been stored and mixed properly and gives good report when fired.
Red Letter (powder)	1	10	-		$240	Per cask. This powder is hard to get. It is Port-Royal's best powder, and the ingredients are superior. This is new powder that stores well.
White Letter Primer	2	-	-		$320	Per cask. This is a fine grain high quality powder, used to prime both handguns and cannons. Fine grain priming powder is a neccessity. Each cannon shot used as much primer as a fully loaded musket uses common powder.
Powder horn	-	-	10		$6.70	Holds the coarse reloading powder for pistols and muskets. Contains around 40 shots worth of powder.
Priming horn	-	-	6		$4	Holds the finer priming powder.
Cartridge box	-	2	6		$20	Holds between 12 and 20 paper cartriges for a musket.
Bayonet	-	2	6		$20	Socket type bayonet.
Sample Cargoes/Treasures
Leather shoes (fromFlorence)	400	-	-		$64,000	For a crate of around 200 shoes.
Furniture (from Paris)	1,800	-	-		$288,000	For a crate of around 30 pieces of furniture.
Fans (from China)	3,200	-	-		$512,000	For a crate of 800 fans.
Rugs (from Turkey)	1,000	-	-		$160,000	For a crate of 50 rugs.
Books (from Europe)	1,200	-	-		$192,000	For a crate of 200 books.
Pewterware (from London)	600	-	-		$96,000	For a crate of 200 pieces.
Glassware (from Amsterdam)	800	-	-		$128,000	For a crate of 200 pieces.
Jewellery (from Venice)	6,000	-	-		$960,000	For a crate of approximately 50 pieces (for example, letter openers, crucifixes, music boxes, inkwells, etc.)
Jewellery (from Spain)	4,000	-	-		$640,000	For a crate of approximately 100 pieces (for example, rosaries and rings from Cadiz, bracelets and pendants from Seville, smallswords from Toledo, etc.)
Bar of Gold	1,500	-	-		$240,000	For a single 5lb bar.
Bar of silver	50	-	-		$8,000	For a single 5lb bar.
Silverware	10,000	-	-		$1,600,000	A crate of approximately 200 pieces. (for example, cups, urns, plates, forks, knives, spoons, etc.)
Semi-Precious gemstones	40,000	-	-		$6,400,000	For approximately 300-500 gemstones,, weighing approx. 100lbs (for example, opals, topaz, lapis lazuli, etc.)
Precious gemstones	200,000	-	-		$32,000,000	For approximately 500-1,000 gemstones, weighing around 100lbs (for example, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, rubies, etc.)
Pearls	12,000	-	-		$1,920,000	For approximately 300 pearls (weighing about 30-40lbs)
Ivory	40,000	-	-		$6,400,000	For a crate of about 10 tusks.
Sandlewood (from China)	1,000	-	-		$160,000	For about 100lbs weight.
Silk	800	-	-		$128,000	Per bolt.
Cask of Pepper	200	-	-		$32,000
Cask of Cloves	400	-	-		$64,000
Cask of Rosemary	100	-	-		$16,000
Cask of Ginseng	1,600	-	-		$256,000
Cask of Medicinal herbs	800	-	-		$128,000
Cask of Vinegar or olive oil	20	-	-		$3,200
Cask of good rum	30	-	-		$4,800
Cask of poor rum	10	-	-		$1,600
Cask of (European) Wine	50	-	-		$8,000	This includes wine made in the vineyards of New Spain.
Cask of fine wine	100	-	-		$16,000	This is wine from well known wineries and of excellent vintage.
Cask of local fruit wine	30	-	-		$4,800	This is made in many different ways and with different fruits.
Cask of Beer	10	-	-		$1,600	Beer of acceptable quality (mixes equally with water to make small beer)

[Original Article]

Income
The following shows the average annual incomes for different professions in the early 18th century. The difference in income between the upper and lower classes is quite clear.

Profession	Income
	£		Dubloon		Modern US $
Nobleman	5,000 - 25,000		6,500 - 35,000		$800,000 - $4,000,000
Colonial Governor	1,000 - 5,000		1,300 - 6,500		$160,000 - $800,000
Gentry	1,000 - 5,000		1,300 - 6,500		$160,000 - $800,000
Officeholding Lawyer	1,000		1,200		$160,000
Army Colonel	365		480		$58,000
Navy Captain/Army Major	237		316		$38,000
Yeoman farmer/Plantation Owner	40 - 250		50 - 300		$6,400 - $40,000
Army Captain	146		195		$24,000
Physician	120		160		$19,000
Justice of the Peace	63		85		$10,000
Army Lieutenant	73		100		$12,000
Court Poet	50 - 60		65 - 80		$8,000 - $9,500
Army Sergeant	54		72		$8,600
Lower Clergy	10 - 50		12 - 60		$1,600 - $8,000
Navy Midshipman	27		38		$4,300
Skilled Craftsman	30		40		$4,800
Sculptor	20 - 100		25 -130		$3,200 - $16,000
Skilled Labourer	16 - 18		20 - 30		$2,500 - $3,000
Apothecary	10 - 15		13 - 20		$1,600 - $2,400
Army soldier	15		20		$2,400
Unskilled Labourer	12		16		$1,900
Navy Seaman	11		15		$1,750
Agricultural Worker	10 - 13		13 - 17		$1,600 - $2,000
Teacher (Male)	12		16		$1,900
Subsistence Farmer	6		8		$950
Teacher (Female)	8		10		$1,250
Woman Labourer	5		7		$800
Militiaman	4		5		$600
Servant	1 plus keep		1 plus keep		$150 plus keep

Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship



The pirate ship performed several roles. The crew had to be fed and kept in readiness. It was also the store room for plunder. As pirate crews were usually larger than those on merchant vessels, space was often at a premium. The ship also provided the means to attack, so it had to be well armed. It was also the sole means of escape, so speed was vital. Or as Daniel Defoe wrote in his General History, it acted "as a light pair of heels being of great use either to take, or to escape being taken." It is difficult to find contemporary illustrations of pirate ships. Pirates altered captured vessels to suit their particular needs, so it is sensible to examine the types of ships they acquired. Traditionally a 'ship refers' to a vessel with three masts and a full suite of square-rigged sails. Very few pirate vessels were 'ships' in the truest sense.

[Original Article]

Black Pearl

The Black Pearl, originally HMS Wicked Wench in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The Black Pearl is easily recognised by her distinctive black hull and sails. This turns out to be an advantage in more than one way. Not only do the black sails act as a sort of intimidation tactic, but the Pearl's crew can put out the deck lamps for added stealth at night. The ship was originally named Wicked WenchThe Black Pearl. She is said to be, "nigh uncatchable". Indeed, in the two films she either overtakes or flees all other ships, including the Interceptor (regarded as the fastest ship in the Caribbean) and the Flying Dutchman (which is actually faster against the wind). Her speed is derived from the large amount of sails she carries (provided she sails with the wind), in addition to oars called "sweeps." Disney wanted to rename the Wicked Wench on the ride to Black Pearl but were denied licensing rights. before she was ordered burned and sunk by Lord Cutler Beckett. It was later raised from the sea floor by Davy Jones after making a pact with Jack Sparrow who rechristened her

[Original Article]

Caribbean In the 17th century, Piracy

Caribbean In the 17th century, Piracy





In the 17th century, piracy in the Caribbean Sea was quite common. Roving gangs of bandit sailors took over ships, then attacked ships and towns to seize precious booty ranging from gold and jewels to kegs of whiskey. At one point, there were so many pirates, that an entire town became their home and base of operations. That town was known as Port Royal: The Pirate Capital of the World.

The mainland varies in character by region with each region having its own appearance and feel. New Andalisia (modern Venezeuela) has rocky and sandy beaches, with the sands quickly giving way to verdant vegetation. Within a mile from shore, the vegetation becomes dense jungle, at least in uninhabited regions. The settlers slashed or burned the area around the village for agriculture.

New Granada is mountainous in the south, with the isthmus of Panama being a 50 mile wide mire from Pacific to Atlantic. The jungle vegetation in both New Andalusia and New Granada is insect-infested and Malaria is common.

New Spain ranges from forested mountains in the south to deserts in the north. The central region is mountainous and rocky, with lands being cleared or terraced for farmland.

Larger Islands are much like the mainland, with sandy beaches, dense forest or jungle, and a mountainous interior. Some islands have active volcanoes, with a constant plume of smoke rising from their cones.

Small islands are formed from volcanic action or reefs. Small, circular islands formed by reefs are called atolls and have low vegetation on the outer edge and a body of salt water in the center. Small islands formed by reefs and tidal action have little in the way of large vegetation and frequently are not fertile enough for sustaining crops. These islands are hard to spot from a distance unless they are sizeable or in shallow water, such as the Bahamas. Therse small, low islands are referred to as cays.

Small volcanic islands are dominated by the peak (or peaks) of the volcano. These islands have steep slopes and fertile ground.

Pirates, history and Money

Betting the House on Real Estate by Robert Kiyosaki

Posted on Monday, December 11, 2006, 12:00AM

In the late 1980s, my wife, Kim, and I began investing in small, single-family homes. When it was time to move on to bigger properties, we purchased a six-unit apartment building in downtown Portland, Ore.
We paid only $105,000 for the building, and the owner allowed us to put very little down and carried the note. It was in a rough area of Portland, which is why the price was so good, but Kim and I were convinced that the area would clean itself up as Portland grew.
Today, almost 20 years later, the building is still in a bad area. In our panic to get people into the apartment building, we didn't screen potential tenants very well. We didn't run a credit check nor did we require a criminal background check. After the building was filled, our real problems began.
The Friday Night Fights
One night, as Kim and I were finishing dinner, a police officer called and asked one of us to come to the apartments. When I arrived at the building on a warm summer night, I found the tenant from unit No. 4 hanging over the balcony yelling at the tenant who lived below him in unit No. 1.
I approached the officer who had phoned and asked him what the problem was. Chuckling, the young policeman said, "The guy who lives upstairs is a transvestite."
"Oh." That was all I could think to say.
"And the woman who lives below him is a hooker."
"Oh."
The officer continued: "...and the argument is about who is better looking."
Chuckling out loud, I asked, "And who's winning the argument?"
"I can't really tell," said the officer. "The guy upstairs is older, so he's pointing to a picture of himself in full drag when he was younger. And the hooker is strutting her stuff right here on the street, claiming to be younger and hotter. I might have to arrest her for indecent exposure if she takes any more off."
A crowd was gathering, with people looking out their windows or standing in the street watching. Apparently, it was much more entertaining than anything on TV.
Eventually the argument stopped, and a few months later the prostitute moved on.
Things Heat Up
Shortly thereafter, a young single mom who wanted to move into the building gave me a sob story about how she was down on her luck and couldn't come up with the security deposit.
Feeling sorry for her and her two kids, I bent my own rules and rented her the apartment that had just been vacated by the prostitute.
Three weeks later, the fire department called to say that there was a fire in one of my units. Arriving on the scene, I was informed that the young mother had built a fire on the floor of the apartment to keep warm.
That fire nearly ended my career as a real estate investor. I was so fed up with real estate, tenants, and property management, I almost considered investing in mutual funds.
The Rich Get Lawyers
Many novice real estate investors soon quit the profession and invest in a well-diversified portfolio of bonds. That's because, when you invest in real estate, you often see a side of humanity that stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and saving money shelter you from.
I'm not talking about only the poor tenants, either. Some of the worst tenants I've encountered have been affluent, well-educated people. In fact, in my experience they're often the worst.
Many times, instead of simply picking up their phones and calling the onsite building manager to handle a problem, these folks call their attorney (who's invariably on speed-dial) and threaten a lawsuit first.
Instead of quitting real estate with this building -- which we considered -- Kim and I sought out advice from professional real estate investors. We're glad we did: Some of the lessons we learned from the fiasco at the six-unit apartment house have made us very rich.
Three Simple Rules
As I've said many times, mistakes are designed to make you rich. Three of the priceless lessons Kim and I learned from this experience are:

1. Decide if you're going to be a slumlord or landlord. One way some investors make a lot of money is by collecting the rent but not fixing or maintaining the building. Over a number of years the property deteriorates, as do the tenants. The owner then puts the property up for sale at a distressed price, hoping a true landlord will come along and rehabilitate the project.
   Today, one of the ways Kim and I increase our wealth is by looking for properties run by slumlords. We purchase them for a good price, rehabilitate them, get rid of bad tenants, bring in good ones, increase the rents (which increases the appraised value of the property), and borrow out the increased equity tax-free. Then we move on to look for more badly managed properties.
2. Decide if you're going to be a small-time manager or a big-time investor. Another lesson we learned from professional managers is that it's not economically feasible to hire higher-paid, college-educated property managers if the building has fewer than 100 units. Put another way, we learned that if a building had fewer than 100 units, Kim and I were the de facto managers.
   This inspired us to write a long-range plan that outlined how we would gradually buy bigger and bigger buildings until one day, we could afford to buy great buildings in great neighborhoods with 100 or more units.
   It was a 10-year process. Today, we own over 1,000 apartment units and have well-educated professional management overseeing the properties. Managing your own property can be a full-time job. That's why we would rather pay people to manage our properties, which allows us to be investors.
3. Mistakes are good. It's human nature to blame someone else for your shortcomings or upsets. I've met many people who have only horrible things to say about real estate and property management. I'm sure most stories are based, in some part, on fact. But mistakes are a part of life, and we learn by making them rather than avoiding them.
   For example, a friend of mine recently purchased a 120-unit apartment house as his first real estate investment. He never asked Kim and me for any advice -- even after he found out we'd passed on purchasing that same complex.
   His first real estate investment is now eating him alive, and as a result he says all real estate is a bad investment. He blames everyone for his mistakes. But as I'm fond of saying, "The word blame stands for ‘be lame.'"
   Today, his 120-unit slum continues to deteriorate as it sits on the market. As a result, it looks like a better investment for Kim and me every day.

[Original Article]