Regional timber supply for shipbuilding and maintenance of war fleets in Cadiz: methods, agents and phases (1717-1736)

In the period of 1717-1736, the southern peninsular forests became a new resource frontier at the service of the Spanish Navy, in the context of the Bourbon Reforms. The timber supply for shipbuilding and maintenance of war fleets in Cádiz was made through four methods: direct administration by commissioned services; purchase from regional middlemen merchants; articulation between contractors and direct administration; articulation with the Royal Exchequer. The rhythm of supply was the reflex of different needs and constraints in three phases: maintenance of fleets during the period of consolidation of Cádiz as a naval and commercial center (1717-1727); the first shipbuilding series (1728-1731); the impact of the 30’s Mediterranean campaigns and the shipbuilding production of Ciprian Autran (1731-1736).The research leading to these results is part of the author’s contribution as fellow of the project ForSEAdiscovery (Forest Resources for Iberian Empires: Ecology and Globalization in the Age of Discovery) and has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP72007-2013) under REA grant agreement n.º PITN-GA 2013-607545Peer reviewe