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 people. These restrictive laws necessarily diminished the value of their trade.

Although there are no drawings extant of the vessels of the Genoese during the thirteenth century on which any reliance can be placed, they were as skilful and even more daring in the management of them than the Venetians; and that they were equally conversant with the art of ship-building is certain, from the fact that, in 1268, when Louis IX. king of France contracted with the Venetians for some ships, he also contracted with the Genoese for some others. Of these, two are thus described by Mr. F. Steinitz, from the contracts given at length in the work of M. Jal. "These," he says, "were alike." They were each, by the condition of the contract, "to have thirty-one cubits of keel, and fifty cubits of extreme length, with 40-1/2 palms of beam. The depth of the hold was 17-1/2 palms; of the first deck, nine; of the second, eight; and of the parisade, five palms. Each ship had a large boat, two barges, and a gondola, or small boat, and two rudders (one on each side), nine palms long; the fore-mast was fifty-one cubits in length, and 12-3/4 palms in circumference. The main-mast was forty-seven cubits long, and 11-3/4 palms in circumference. The fore-yard, which was made of three pieces of different lengths, seems to have exceeded one hundred cubits; and the main-yard, which was made of two pieces, to have been four cubits shorter. There was also a separate yard, of the same length as the main-yard, for the 'velon,' a large sail, the nature of which has not been exactly ascertained; but as it had a separate yard, it may