The voyage of the San Miguel

Green markers show ports whose location in uncertain

The ship San Miguel with Andrés Ferrofino as maestre, travelling from Santo Domingo in the island of La Española to Seville with the fleet of general captain Antonio Osorio in the year 1585.

Before arriving to Azores Islands, at an latitude of 43,5 degrees, the vessel weathers significant storms and its hull breaks in the prow. Many goods are damaged and the pilot ant the rest of the crew request the maestre to jettison part of the cargo. The jettison would save the lives of those on board of the ship, as well as the rest of the goods and the vessel. The cargo thrown over board is made up of furs and sacks of ginger. The ships’ scribe register the type and quantity of goods jettisoned.

When the ship arrives to Seville, the maestre Andrés Ferrofino presents a claim before the Casa de la Contratación demanding the declaration of GA and the obligation of the involved merchants to contribute to all incurred losses in order to save the ship, the human lives and the rest of the cargo.

Some of the merchants and traders make themselves known in the trial and try to counter the claims of the maestre.

There is a hearing of witnesses in which the allegations of the claimant are proven.

The next step is the judgement declaring GA and condemning the partition pro rata of 12 wooden boxes of the pilot’s and crew’s belongings, 173 sacks of ginger and 151 furs.

The parties name a third expert appraiser in order to value the jettisoned cargo. The partition of the value of the ship and the freight is also taken into account. The two intervening experts are Diego de Porras and Julio Ferrofino.