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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GrimCo" data-source="post: 9778636" data-attributes="member: 7044462">Oh, you would be wrong there. Venice Arsenal was largest and most advanced industrial complex in Europe in 14th century, with around 16000 workers. It is fairly well documented example of proto industrialization. Their annual output (new and major retrofit) was 10-20 galleys per year in 13th and 20-40 in 14th century and maintaining fleet of up to 300 galleys at any time. They deforested large parts of Croatian coast (Istria, islands Hvar,Brač,Korčula, hinterlands of Zadar and Šibenik) to get wood for Arsenal. Secret to mass production was standardization of parts. It's fascinating stuff. Specially if you are interested in ships and history of naval architecture. We touched on it briefly in uni (i enrolled in first year of naval architecture, then switched to mechanical engineering in 2nd year, but one of courses in first year covered history of technology with focus on ship building).</blockquote>