Of loot and income...

[Zephaniah W Nash]

I know I've seen some references to some total hauls and annual amounts of loot taken - and compared to equivalent modern monetary amounts - but can't seem to find them anywhere now.

Likely in the books that got waterlogged...

Anyone have any of these sources handy? Was asked recently about how much pyrates "earned," either on a general level or for some specific historical figures or ships.

Thanks for any help that's forthcoming.

[Capt. Sterling]

Well Gregory King's Scheme of the income & expence of the several families of England' calculated for the year 1688 states Common Seamen had a yearly income per family of 20pounds per year. and the yearly income per head was 7 pounds with yearly expenses per head of 7 pounds 10 shillings.. so they seemed to be spending more then they made ... I realize this is not pyrates but it might help put things in perpective when the pyrate figures roll in....

[Captain Every]

There is a number of tables of the richest prizes captured by various pirates during various periods in J.Rogozinski's "Dictionary of Pirates" (Wordsworth Editions 1997). There are some figures:

Caribbean and South America's Pacific Coast, 1628-1686:

(the greatest) P.Hein commanding 31 vessels and 2300 men - 11-14 million Dutch guilders,

F.L'Ollonnais with 8 ships and 660 men - 260000 pesos=65000 pounds,

H.Morgan with 10 small ships and 500 men - 250000 pesos=62500 pounds,

etc.;

Indian Ocean and Red Sea, 1690-1722:

(the greatest) J.Taylor and O.La Bouche - 875000 pounds, being 3600 pounds per share,

H.Every and his squadron - 325000 pounds, being 1000 pounds plus jewels per man from Every's "Fancy" (who took most of the loot),

E.Condent - 150000 pounds, being 2000 pounds per share,

etc.

These are the maximum, the minimum being nothing at all, and a death in the first battle, so it's hard to calculate a mean sum

There are more figures in the book, so I'll put them here too if you wish.