Maritime Inscription

The maritime inscription is the recording on a list of the people which can be invited to be used on the vessels of the king as France.

“the Press”

Before 1669, the system of recruitment was that of “the Press”, i.e. the capture in the localities of the littoral of the men whose navy had need to supplement the crews of the vessels of the King. This system could not allow the rise to power of a royal navy intended to protect the expansion from the Foreign trade and to fight the other maritime powers such as England and Holland.

The maritime inscription

For these reasons, the maritime inscription was created by ordinances of Louis XIV, inspired by Jean-Baptiste Colbert:
  • September 22nd 1668 enrôlement and census of the sailors;
  • September 4th 1669 distribution of the registered sailors by évêché;
  • July 13rd 1670 institution of the service of the classes, i.e. service by bearing on the vessels of the King, with capital punishment for the deserters;
  • September 23rd 1673 creation the “Case of the Invalids”;

The littoral provinces are divided into departments

In each one of them, a police chief of the classes holds the roles of the officers marines, sailors, sailors.

They are divided into four classes in Brittany, Guyenne, Normandy, Picardy; 3 in Poitou, Saintonge, Aunis, Ile de Ré and island of Oléron, river of Charente, Languedoc and Provence. The police chiefs of the classes mention in their springs names, ages, residences, qualities and description of the registered sailors, their women and the number of their children. A role is posted with the door of each parish.

Can engage with the trade only the registered voters whose class is not called with the service. A foreign sailor who serves the King becomes French after five years.

It is only the prospect for touching a half-pay in the event of nonemployment on the royal fleet which ensures the success of the maritime inscription in Brittany: in 1667,5 140 Breton sailors; in 1773, Colbert counts only 6773 sailors apart from Brittany but 20.000 sailors Breton. At the beginning of the war of Holland (1672), the Ambassador of the Netherlands writes that the King of France does not have what to arm 40 vessels.

In 1672, Colbert decides to pay balances it in residence to avoid the vices of the return of countryside and to encourage the wives to make take on board the sailors.

Case of the invalids

It is fed by a reserve of 2% on the pay of the crews. The Hotels of the Invalids open with Rochefort and Toulon. If those prefer to return on their premises, they touch 3 years of balance at the time of their demobilization. In 1675, the sailors of Galères ask to profit from the same provisions.

1677, Colbert decides that it pay could be versed to the families throughout campaign.

March 1682, Colbert decides that the priests will give a free instruction to the children of registered sailors. These measurements made it possible the maritime inscription to equip the navy with a considerable quantity sailors, sailors and officers marines.

Petty officer: name given to the whole of the Masters, foreman and leading seamen who ensure in the navy, with ground and the sea, the various services such as the constructional work, the artillery, sail making.

Sources

  • Michel Franceschi Rod, Dictionary of the Great century , Beech (Municipal Files of Montpellier, melts historical).

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