▁developed ▁from ▁the ▁car rack . ▁ ▁The ▁g alle on ▁design ▁came ▁to ▁replace ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁car rack ▁although ▁car ra cks ▁were ▁still ▁in ▁use ▁as ▁late ▁as ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century ▁due ▁to ▁their ▁larger ▁cargo ▁capacity . ▁ ▁In ▁Asia ▁ ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 1 4 9 8 , ▁Portugal ▁initi ated ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁direct ▁and ▁regular ▁ex changes ▁between ▁Europe ▁and ▁India ▁- ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁Asia ▁there after ▁- ▁through ▁the ▁Cape ▁Route , ▁a ▁journey ▁that ▁required ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁larger ▁vessels , ▁such ▁as ▁car ra cks , ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁un pre ced ented ▁length , ▁about ▁ 6 ▁months . ▁▁ ▁On ▁average , ▁ 4 ▁car ra cks ▁connected ▁Lis bon ▁to ▁Go a ▁carrying ▁gold ▁to ▁purchase ▁sp ices ▁and ▁other ▁ex otic ▁items , ▁but ▁mainly ▁pe pper . ▁From ▁Go a , ▁one ▁car rack ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁M ing ▁China ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁purchase ▁sil ks . ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 1 5 4 1 , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁began ▁trad ing ▁with ▁Japan , ▁ex ch anging ▁Chinese ▁sil k ▁for ▁Japanese ▁silver ; ▁in ▁ 1 5 5 0 ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Crown ▁started ▁to ▁reg ulate ▁trade ▁to ▁Japan , ▁by ▁le asing ▁the ▁annual ▁" capt ain cy " ▁to ▁Japan ▁to ▁the ▁highest ▁bid der ▁at ▁Go a , ▁in ▁effect ▁confer ring ▁exclusive ▁trad ing ▁rights ▁for ▁a ▁single ▁car rack ▁bound ▁for ▁Japan ▁every ▁year