Warship masts and disputed Asian ship sizes

What is the greatest number of masts used on a warship?

Three or four were usual; a seven-mast experiment is recalled uncertainly. Claims about Zheng He's ships raise separate disputes over size and whether the vessels were warships.

Most sailing warships had three or four masts at most. A seven-mast experiment, possibly involving a frigate, is recalled without certainty. Zheng He's fleet introduces disputed claims about larger ships and the distinction between warships and treasure ships. A Spanish description calls a Japanese ship built by William Adams the largest Japan had produced, while Adams's own journal records larger ships he built or acquired. European sailors' reports that Asian ships matched their own in size were often disbelieved at home. These discrepancies leave uncertainty about the scale of Japanese and Chinese shipbuilding. European fleets' advantage in open battle lay in standardised artillery, while Chinese vessels remained capable in close quarters.