The drive for profits
Owners rarely went on voyages, so the captain was in command and his employment relied upon the profits returned.
Profits depended on how many enslaved people were delivered and on how low the costs could be kept. This had direct consequences for the terrible conditions the enslaved Africans were placed in.
Enslaved people were shackled and closely packed in a ship's hold. The ships were adjusted to maximise the number of enslaved people that could be taken on board.
The height between decks where the enslaved people were kept was 1.73m (5 ft 8 inches), but the shelves where they lay often measured less than 0.45m (1ft 6in) in height. Enslaved men were usually shackled together at the foot.
In theory, each man was allotted a space of 1.8m (6ft) by 0.4m (1ft 4in). Whether they were tight packed or loose packed appears to have been dictated by how much profit could be made rather than any humanitarian concern.The argument was a matter of simple maths.
Tight-packing meant more people were carried on board for little more cost. These gains could be measured against losses: the death rate was higher and weaker enslaved people were less resistant to disease.