I have made good progress on Chapter 2. covering many issues, such as speed and watering of the crews, coastal shipping and beaching, shipworm and life expectancy, visibility, and seaworthiness.
I am currently checking the section dealing with Byzantine innovations: full deck, dromons, and galea. Though I filtered the data from my previous search, I resolved to look for more info. The chapter comprises 13 pages (about 5 K words) and will probably be much longer. I would like to add a section of transport galleys carrying supplies and horses.
I have requested and received John E. Dotson's article, "Safety Regulations for galleys in mid-fourteenth century Genoa: Some thoughts on medieval risk management." The report was unavailable in my search engine, and I asked the author to send me a copy. John is the emeritus professor at Southern Illinois University. He agreed to answer my questions, and for the first time, I have a correspondent who studies the same field and can give me some guidance. I wanted to know his opinion on the life expectancy of light galleys and their cruising range. The professor admitted that the issues were slippery but gave me some hints. He also sent me two additional articles which somehow cover the subject.
Besides writing a chapter, I am preparing a zoom lecture for the Institute of Integration. Based on Unit IV of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East," this presentation reflects the medieval myth of the confrontation between Alexander the Great and the clans of the chaos of Gog-Magog. There is abundant data, and I may divide the discourse into two parts.
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