_ 231 _ The reason why I ordered caravels and not other vessels to be built was that the galleons, in order to be able to fight, need many men, both sailors, bombardiers and lascars, and there are not enough in India. If we had to arm eight galleons in the manner customary when going into battle, there would be no men and no bombardiers for the rest of the fleet. The galleys could not be rowed, and when they are not rowed, they are the worst warships of all. When I considered all these problems, there seemed to me to be no other type of ship suitable for India but these caravels. When they have forty men they are very well manned, and with four bombardiers and a man in command of them they can employ all the artillery and they are effective fighting ships, which can confront all the good conditions and storms at sea. To give authority and reputation to our power a large number of ships is needed. A well-armed fleet alarms and harms enemies and gives courage to friends, while if it is ill-armed it is not respected by opponents and gives little inspiration to those who go to fight in it. When I arrived at the city of Goa, I found the entire fleet at sea and all the artillery on board, with sails at the ready and supplied with water. There was a great deal of gunpowder, sulphur, saltpeter and other munitions in the
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