View of the Model of the "Mercedes" with a Cross Section Revealing the Distribution of the Cargo

This is the model of the frigate "Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes" that was built in the Naval Museum in Madrid. It is open on the starboard side, where it was hit by the cannon shot from the English ships, revealing the inside.

As well as its cargo of coins, the frigate was carrying high-value goods such as leather, cascarilla bark, and vicuña wool. Cascarilla or quinine is the brittle bark of trees that grow in the Andes, used for digestive problems, diarrhea, fever, and even malaria. Vicuña wool comes from an American mammal belonging to the camel family. It was (and still is) highly valued for its quality. This image shows an example of how goods were stowed in the ship's hold (distribution of the cargo). Ballast, made up of stones and old cannons that were no longer in use, can also be seen in the background.

In 2012 a team made up of a ship model builder, their assistant, a naval engineer, and an apprentice built the model. Model maker Miguel Godoy led the construction, which was based on a study of Spanish naval shipbuilding in the 18th century, led by Professor Fernández González. The model is identical to the original, and was built using plans drawn in 1782, the plans of the frigate "Santa Casilda," and the 1784 guidelines written by Engineering Director José Romero y Fernández de Landa (although others were used in the original design and construction).