Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 68

[Footnote 7: This sum should apparently be 1075 4s. Also, the sum total, below, is not quite correct; but, even in depreciated Rhode Island currency, it was a sum worth contending for in prize courts.]

Given under Our Hands at Newport this 8th Day of June 1745.

Signed by WM. STRENGTHFIELD.

WM. MUMFORD.

GEORGE WANTON.

[Endorsed:] An Acct. of Dutch Ship _William_ Cargo a Prize.

_162. A Proctor's Account. 1745._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society.]

Zachariah Bourryau Esqr. Dr. to John Smith.

Foster Cunliffe Esquire[2] and others Owners of the Ship Called the _Angola_[3] whereof George Smithson lately and Philip de Anieta afterwards was Master and her Tackle, Apparel and Furniture and Also of the Goods, Wares and Marchandize Laden therein Agt. James Allen Commander of the Private Ship of War _Revenge_ and James Wimble Commander of another Private Ship of War _Revenge_.[4]

[Footnote 2: Foster Cunliffe (1682-1758) was one of the chief merchants of Liverpool, if not indeed the chief, thrice mayor, "a merchant whose sagacity, honesty, and diligence procured wealth and credit to himself, and his country", says his monument in St. Peter's Church--and one of the first to appreciate and utilize the advantages of the African slave trade. H.R. Fox Bourne, _English Merchants_, II.

55-57; Enfield, _History of Liverpool_, p. 43.]

[Footnote 3: The _Angola_ (the name indicates a ship engaged in the African trade), on her way from Jamaica to Liverpool, had been captured by the Spaniards and then retaken. Gomer Williams, _The Liverpool Privateers and the Liverpool Slave Trade_, p. 659. For the law in such cases, see doc. no. 150, note 8.]

[Footnote 4: Enclosed in a letter of Rear-Adm. Sir Chaloner Ogle to the Privy Council, Feb. 19, 1744, is one of Dec. 3, 1743, from "James Wimble, captain of the English privateer _Revenge_, lately cast away upon Hispaniola". _Acts P.C. Col._, VI. 260.]

In a Cause of Appeal from the Vice Admiralty Court at Rhode Island to the Lords Commissioners of Appeal for prizes.

_Aprl. 1745._

For Proctors retaining fee 0. 6. 8 For Attending Several times at the Admiralty Office and looking up the Proceedings 13. 4 For Attending before the Lords and Exhibiting for the parties Appellate when the Cause was a.s.sign'd for Sentence and Informacon next Court day 1. 6. 8 Coach hire and Expences 6. 0 For Compounding for the Process and Attending 1.18. 8 For Perusing the Process 13. 4 For making answers and Abbreviating the Acts 1. 6. 8 For Copies for Council 16. 8 Acts of Court 10. 8 Clerks and Officers 2. 6 Sportulage 2. 6 -------- 8. 3. 8 --------

Trinity Term 1745

Term fee 6. 8 For drawing A long Allegation in Acts of Court 13. 4 For a Copy of a long Allegation in Acts from the Adverse proctor 10. 8 For a fair Copy of the whole for the Court 13. 4

_July 15._

Attending at the c.o.c.kpit when their Lordships decreed Rest.i.tution of the Ship and Goods paying one Moiety for Salvage 1. 6. 8 Coach hire and Expences 6. 0 For Attending upon the Register and Settling the Interlocutory Order 0. 6. 8 Register Bill for Order of Court 1.16. 8 Acts of Court 13. 4 Sportulage 6. 8 --------- Total 15. 3. 8

JOHN SMITH

London January 31th 1746/7 I hereby do Certifie, that the within is a true Copy of the acct deliver'd me by Mr: John Smith Proctor, witness my hand

ZACH: BOURRYAU.

_163. A List of Gunner's Stores._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society.]

Gunners Stoors

8 Barrels of Powder 50 dubbel headed Shot 500 lb of Musket Baals for great guns and Swivel and small Arms 6 bunches of gun Match 6 lb of fine Brimstone 3 lb of Saalpeter 2 lb of Rossin 5 quire of Cathress[2] Paper 8 quire of White Paper for Small Arms, Cathress One hand Vice 4 Ladels for the great Guns 2 Ladels for the Swivell guns 500 Iron Shot for the Swivel guns Scheat Led for the guns 400 hundred of Flints 12 thomkans[3] Swivel guns 6 thomkans for great Guns 4 gunners handspeak[4]

5-1/2 lb of brown thred 2 dozen of Cathress Needels 6 Sail Needels and 2 plaats[5]

4 Schains of twine 2 Lines for thomkans 6 Schains of Maarlen[6]

6 blocks for gun takels and 24 fadem of roop for guntakels faals[7]

3 Caases for Powder flaaks[8]

2 fyles and 4 bitts for the guns 2 Iron Schouranrod[9] for the Small Arms To thousand off pump heals Half a Gallon of Sweet oyle

[Footnote 2: Cartridge.]

[Footnote 3: Tomkins, old form for tampions, the plugs set in the muzzles of cannon.]

[Footnote 4: Handspike.]

[Footnote 5: Plates.]

[Footnote 6: Skeins of marline, soft line used for seizings.]

[Footnote 7: 24 fathom of rope for gun-tackle falls.]

[Footnote 8: Flasks.]

[Footnote 9: Scouring-rods, ramrods.]

_164. Suggestions as to plundering Hispaniola._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society. Inserted as a specimen of a kind of information, useful to marauders, which privateers often brought home. The fragment is undated, but it is one of the papers of the _Revenge_, presented to the society by Professor Norton, and is no doubt of the same period as those which precede. It relates to the French or western part (now Haiti) of the island of Hispaniola; for the war with Spain which had begun in 1739 had widened in 1743 into a war with France also, the "War of the Austrian Succession", which continued till 1748.]

The Tradeing Vessells from France that comes to Highspanyola puts in At St. marks where They Sell Some part of their Cargo payeble in Indego from thence they go to Lugan, Pettygouas, and queldesack[2] to Sell The Remainder of their Cargo and Load with Sugars and then Return to St. Marks, to Take in their Indego. their is a plain that is Called Lertibonnee[3] adjoyning to St. Marks. The Inhabitants have Two or Three Hundred negros a peice. The plantations Lye near the water Side and it is Very Easey Landing and no fortafacations. in Sending of a man a Sh.o.r.e That can Speak french to the negro Houses to ask to Speak to the negro Commander promise him his freedom and a Little money. by that means he will Bring all the negros to the water Side. If your Intent is to Cruce off Cape francoy,[4] Mr. Granshon merchant Their Expects a Sloop from Portobello[5] The Latter End of august or the Begining of Sepr. which went from their Richley Loded aboute Three months ago, and is Expected Home with one Hundred and fifty Thousand Peices of Eight on Board. Their is allways Vessells comeing to Buy Goods at the Cape from the Havannah, Carthagena and Portobello, which bring their money to buy the Goods.

[Footnote 2: St. Marc is in the middle coast of Haiti, at the east side of the great bay that indents the island from the west. Leogane and Pet.i.tgoave lie at the south side of that bay. The Cul-de-Sac is the great plain, then famous and rich for sugar, which lies north of Port-au-Prince, at the southeast corner of that bay.]

[Footnote 3: L'Artibonite.]

[Footnote 4: Cap Francois, now Cap Hatien, on the north coast of Haiti. It was the capital of French St. Domingo.]

[Footnote 5: At the Isthmus of Darien.]

and If you are Desirous to know how affairs are at the Cape you may put a man ash.o.r.e that is quallafyed at the poynt above the Fort at the mouth of the Harbour which is called Laurosh Uptecoly[6] where their is a Very good Landing place and where he will find a main Road four mile Distance from the Cape. If it should be Demanded of Him who he is and where he came from, That he is a Conotur[7] and that he comes from Dechonse and is a Seeking to put himself In partnership with Some person to go a fishing. If you are Intended to Cruce off St. Luce[8]

you may be sure that their will Sail Eight or Ten Ships from thence the Latter End of august or the Begining of Septr. which Some of them to my Certain Knowledge will Have a Considerable Quantaty of money on Board. aboute the middle of Lillavash[9] Steering towards the Sh.o.a.r Between a Small Town Called Lacoy[10] and another Town Called Turbeck their is a Landing place called Levieuxbourk where you will See a Single House by the water Side where their Lives a Cooper that has told me Several Times that he was Very Desirous to go and Live among the English. address your Self to Him and He will Direct you how to get the negros off the Neighbouring plantations which Lye near the water Side and no fortefacations. Inquire their for Mr. Kennotts House who Trades Largly with the English and Tell him that you Have got Flower, Beef and negroes to Sell on Board. you anchoring at Lillavash, He will Come and Bring other Inhabetents on Board to Trade with you and by that means you may Keep them and make them Pay a good Ransome for their Visitt.

[Footnote 6: La Roche au Picolet.]

[Footnote 7: Canoteur, canoe-man.]

[Footnote 8: St. Louis, on the south side of the western or Haitian end of the island.]