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The ''Sutil'' was a brig-rigged schooner (Spanish ''goleta'') built in 1791 by the Spanish Navy at San Blas, New Spain. It was nearly identical to the ''Mexicana'', also built at San Blas in 1791. Both vessels were built for exploring the newly discovered Strait of Georgia, carried out in 1792 under Dionisio Alcalá Galiano, on the ''Sutil'', and Cayetano Valdés y Flores, on the ''Mexicana''. During this voyage the two Spanish vessels encountered the two British vessels under George Vancouver, ''HMS Discovery'' and ''Chatham'', which were also engaged in exploring the Strait of Georgia. The two expeditions cooperated in surveying the complex channels between the Strait of Georgia and Queen Charlotte Strait, in the process proving the insularity of Vancouver Island. After this first voyage the ''Sutil'' continued to serve the San Blas Naval Department, making various voyages to Alta California and the Pacific Northwest coast. ==Construction== To meet the need for additional ships following the 1789 Nootka Crisis, Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, commandant of the San Blas Naval Base, augmented his small fleet. Four new vessels built, the schooners ''Valdés'' and ''Activa'', and the twin schooners ''Sutil'' and ''Mexicana''. Construction of the ''Mexicana'' began on 27 March 1791, under the direction of the shipyard ''constructor'' Manuel Bastarrachea and according to Bodega y Quadra's specifications. The ''Mexicana'' was launched on 21 May 1791. In late 1790 Alessandro Malaspina arrived in Acapulco. He sailed to Alaska and Nootka Sound, then returned to Acapulco. On the return voyage he met Juan Carrasco and heard about the discovery of the Strait of Georgia in July 1791. Malaspina knew it was vital that another expedition be dispatched to explore the Strait of Georgia more fully. Malaspina's corvettes, ''Descubierta'' and ''Atrevida'', were unsuitable and not available, since they were to sail to the Philippines. Once back at Acapulco, Malaspina discovered that the Viceroy of New Spain, the Count of Revillagigedo, was already preparing to send another exploration voyage to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. He had assigned the newly finished ''Mexicana'', under Francisco Antonio Mourelle, to the task. Malaspina proposed sending the ''Sutil'' as well, which was under construction at San Blas, and also that instead of sending Mourelle two of his own officers, Galiano and Valdés, should be given the assignment. The ''Sutil'' was built at the San Blas shipyard by the ''constructor'' Manuel Bastarrachea. Construction began on 23 September 1791 and was finished on 15 November 1791. The vessel was essentially identical to the ''Mexicana'', except a slight difference in the rigging, but cost only 8,967 pesos, compared to 10,513 pesos for the ''Mexicana''.〔 The ''Sutil'' was long with a beam of , a depth of hold of , and a tonnage of 33 ''toneladas''.〔The Spanish word ''toneladas'' is a unit of capacity of a ship's hold, roughly equivalent to English terms ton, tonnage, or tons burthen. The exact size of a ''tonelada'' varied but was usually somewhat smaller than the English ton. For older ships it is difficult if not impossible to convert between English tons and Spanish ''toneladas''. See (Glossary of Spanish Names, Blue Water Ventures )〕 The vessel's draft was , forward, and aft. The keel's length was . Although the Spanish word ''goleta'' is usually translated as schooner, the ''Sutil'' was at first rigged halfway between a schooner and a brig, with both a square forecourse and a fore-and-aft one. During his voyage north, Galiano changed it to be fully brig-rigged.〔''The Voyage of Sutil and Mexicana'', p. 61〕 The main-mast and fore-mast both carried courses, topsails, topgallant sails, staysails, and studding sails. The vessel also carried spanker, jib, and flying jib sails. The ''Mexicana'' was similarly rigged, but did not carry topgallants or studding sails.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sutil (ship)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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