Wednesday 27 September 2023
Naval Interest: A George III vellum Letter of Marque, dated 1778, with blue stamp duty seal to...
View MoreLot 337
Description
Naval Interest: A George III vellum Letter of Marque, dated 1778, with blue stamp duty seal to left border, giving authority for Thomas Fallaise "fitly qualified who hath equipped furnished and victualled a ship called the Surprise...of about 150 Tons...mounted with fourteen guns having shot of four pounds weight and sixteen swivel guns and navigated with 70 crew and belonging to the Island of Guernsey whereof to the said Thomas Fallaise is commander and Henry Le Mesurier and Andrew Bonamy of the said Island of Guernsey Merchants are the Principal Owners...to set forth in a warlike Manner the said Ship called the Surprise.....and therewith by force of arms to apprehend seize and take the Ships Vefsels and Goods belonging to the ffrourh (sic) King or his Vafsals and Subjects or others inhabiting within his Countries Territories or Dominions", given at London and with registrar's signature to the bottom right corner, large engraved initial portrait of George III and decorative border to head, held in a double glazed black frame with gold trim, the document 55 x 64.5cm
Lot Footnotes
Note: A letter of marque is a specialist licence issued by a state authorising a private person, known as a privateer, to attack and capture vessels and goods of a nation they were at war with, for their own profit.
References to the Surprise and Thomas Falaise are to be found in the National Archives at Kew, including 'L'Esperance en Dieu formerly La Joyeuse (master Gabriel Conte), a French merchant ship (schooner, 140 tons, 4 guns, 19 men), bound from Bordeaux to Martinique, laden with wine, flour, beef, pork, hams, brandy, cheese and other merchandise; taken on 11 January 1779 in latitude 46°25'N, longitude 9°33'W from Paris by the privateer Surprise (Thomas Falaise commanding), and brought into Guernsey', - Court papers: 1-7; Ship's papers: 8-12, and 'North Star of Bilbao (master Francis Fawson), an American merchant ship (brig, 200 tons, 2 swivels and a barrel of powder, 9 men, 3 passengers, owned by John Emery of Bilbao [late of Newburyport, Massachusetts), bound from Bilbao to the first port in America, laden with warlike stores on the risk and account of the American Congress, namely the rigging and sails for a 74-gun ship being built in America, and 340 bales comprising sail cloth, blankets, shoes, stockings, and linen for shirts, by Messrs John & Joseph Gardoqui and Sons; taken on 23 January 1779 in latitude 45°N, off Cape Ortegal, Bay of Biscay by the privateer Surprise (Thomas Fallaise commanding), and brought into Guernsey', Court papers: 1-5; Ship's papers: 6-9.
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