Characteristics of privateering activity Menorcan in the 18th century (and 3)

Tactics and geographical scope

Menorcan privateers acted throughout the western Mediterranean, but mainly in the area between Spain, North Africa, Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia. Occasionally, and as already mentioned, there have been raids on the Atlantic, Baltic and North Sea.

75 percent of the corsairs were based in the port of Mahon, although there were also based in Ciudadela, at the other end of the island, and there were even Menorcan privateers who used Gibraltar or some Italian ports (Alguero, Cagliari) as a base. , Genoa or Livorno).

In terms of tactics, keep in mind that the main objective of the privateer was not to destroy or damage the enemy, but rather to capture him with the least possible damage, both to the ship and to the cargo and crew. . Therefore, it can be said that they were “over-armed” for deterrent purposes, since the first thing was to try to make the enemy surrender without a fight. It is significant to note that the casualties suffered by privateers in combat did not reach 20 percent. Illness, accidents and shipwrecks were much more important. On the other hand, the main resource of the intercepted ship, usually inferior in armament, was to flee, so the need for fast ships is understood.