[London] General Evening Post, June 10, 1740.

Whereas we have received frequent Complaints from Merchants and Planters trading to, and interested in our Island of Jamaica, that an illegal Trade is carried on between our Subjects of our said Island, and the Subjects of the French King, by the Exportation from our said Island not only of the Silver Coin thereof, but also of a great Number of Negro Slaves, and by the Importation into it in Exchange, Sugars and Indigo, of the Growth and Manufacture of the French Settlements in America, by Means of which Commerce, our said Island is drained of its Silver Coin, the Subjects of the French King are enabled to carry on great Settlements in the French Colonies in America, the Produce of our Islands lowered in its Value, and wee are defrauded of our Customs:

And we having very much at Heart the Encouragement of the Fair Trader, as well as the Observation of our Part of the Treaty of Peace and Neutrality in America, concluded between England and France the 16th of November 1686, whereby the Subjects and Inhabitants of each Kingdom are prohibited to trade and fish in all places possessed, or which shall be possessed by the other in America, under the Penalty of Confiscation of all such Ships as shall be found trading contrary to the said Treaty.

We have therefore by the Advice of our Council of our said Island, thought fit to issue this our Royal Proclamation, not only to signify to our said Subjects the Purport and [Content] of the above-said Treaty, but also our express Will and Pleasure, that no such illegal Trade as is herein before described, be carried on between our Subjects of our said Island, and the French Settlements in America, by any of our Ships of War attending any said Island, or by any other Ships or Vessels, under the further Penalty of our severest Displeasure

And for the Encouragement of those who shall discover such illegal Trade, we are pleased to declare, That whomsoever shall discover to the Officers of our Customs, or to our Receiver-General of our said Island, or his Deputy, the Importation into our said Island of any Sugars, Indigo, or other Goods, of the Growth and Manufacture of the French Colonies in America, or shall seize on any such Sugars, Indigo, or other Goods, so as the same may be condemned in the Court of our Admiralty of our said Island, such Person or Persons so discovering or seizing, shall be entitled to the Value of the third Part of such Goods so imported, discovered, or seized upon.

And we do hereby strictly charge all our Officers, Civil and Military, within our said Island, to be aiding and assisting in the Execution of our said Pleasure herein contained.

Given at St. Jago de la Vega, the 27th Day of July, 1720, in the 6th Year of our Reign.

Witness his Excellency Sir Nicholas Laws, Knt. Captain-General and Governour in Chief of that our said Island, and the Territories thereon depending in America, and Chancellor of the same.

Good save the King.

[London] Daily Courant, December 8, 1720.

The London Evening-Post, March 8, 1755.

‘The 20th of November his majesty’s ship Assistance chaced a French privateer of 18 guns, and a schooner privateer with a prize, into Tiberon bay, on the west end of Hispaniola, where the French had a battery of five guns. The vessels hauled close to the shore, under cover of the battery; but it falling calm, capt. Weller, was obliged to tow in with his boats. The 21st he burnt the snow and schooner, sunk the prize, and dismounted all the guns on the shore. He had two men killed in the action, and his masts and rigging much damaged. The privateer snow was late the Duke Pacquet, taken in January last, commanded by one Palanqui, who has done great prejudice to our trade in this and the late war.

The 24th of November the Princess Mary returned from cruizing off Monte Christi, and brought in a Dutch ship loaded with sugar, coffee, and indigo, one of the fleet that sailed from Cape François under convoy of the French ships on the 13th of November. It appears by the confession of her men, that she carried out from Holland to Cape François, cannon, powder, shot, and other military stores, and was returning freighted with their produce. I have ordered her to be tried in the Admiralty court.

I sailed from Port-Royal, the 6th of December, with his majesty’s ships the Augusta and Princess Mary. The 13th I made the Augusta’s signal to chace off Cape Tiberon, who took a small French sloop loaded with sugar; and the French set fire to a large ship in the bay, to prevent her falling into our hands. She blew up before the Augusta’s boat could get on board. I have since been informed she mounted 16 guns, and had 65 men on board.

The 14th we took two French privateers with our boats, one of eight carriage and 12 swivel guns, the other of four carriage and eight swivels: Most of their men swam ashore.

By the prisoners I was informed, that a rich fleet was ready to sail from Port au Prince, under convoy of two armed merchant ships of 24 guns each. I directly sent a good sailing small sloop, that I have hired for a tender, to look into that port, who returned with an account, that eight loaded ships were come out of the harbour into the road, and lay, with their mizen top-sails loose, unmoored.

I immediately ordered the Augusta to stretch to the southward to guard the passage between the island of Guanava and Petit Guava, and I kept to the northward with the Princess Mary between the Guanava and Cape Nicolau. The 24th, in the night, the Augusta fell in with the French fleet, consisting of eight ships, a snow, and a brigantine, and by noon, next day, had taken the eight ships and the brigantine; the snow only escaped. I have sent capt. Forrest, with the prizes, to Jamaica, with orders to return to me directly, as I hope to meet the fleet that is expected at Cape François from Europe. The prisoners say the ships we have taken are the richest that ever sailed from Port au Prince.

The Hornet sloop has drove ashore and destroyed a French snow of 12 carriage guns, and taken a small schooner privateer off Cape Rose.’”

The London Magazine: Or, Gentleman’s Monthly Intelligencer, February 1758.

Cork Evening Post, 19 June 1760.

Cape Francois, 1759

“Kingston [Jamaica], June 4.  Tuesday Evening arrived at Port-Royal, Mr. Perin Trott, late Surgeon’s Mate of the Greenwich, from Cape-Francois.  He escaped by breaking the Goal there, on the 18 ult. in Company with two other Gentlemen; they seized a Fishing Canoe on the Beach, in which they immediately embarked.

Mr. Trott says, there were at the Cape, when they came away, one Frigate of 30 Guns, together with the Greenwich, which lay there as a Guard-ship, though more resembling a Hulk, she having lost her Top-mast, and most of her standing Rigging, in the late Engagement, which began at 10 in the Morning, and lasted ‘till 9 at Night, during which Engagement the gallant Capt. Rhoddam [Robert Roddam, 1719-1808)] was the whole Time upon Deck, notwithstanding being attacked by two 74, one 64, and one French Frigate of 36 Guns: The Enemy fired wholly at his Rigging, and as they fired high, he had only a few Men wounded; but the Greenwich killed and wounded many of the French.  Capt. Rhoddam, we hear, will soon be sent down to this Island.

There has been a Duel between Mr. Perkins, late Captain of the Marines, and Mr. Wallace, late Third Lieutenant of the Greenwich, at Cape Francois: The Gentlemen, to shew their Courage, agreed to fight with Pistols, Toe to Toe; by which Resolution, a Ball entered the lower Part of Capt. Perkin’s Belly, which went through his Body; Mr. Wallace received another, which passed under the lower Rib, and went through his Body also; they were immediately conveyed to the French Hospital, but no Englishman was suffered to come near them; so we fear the Lives of those brave young Officers, will be unfortunately lost.

There are upwards of 500 English Prisoners in that small and most wretched deplorable Goal of Cape-Francois, and what with their close Confinement, (not one being allowed the least Privilege of walking out) together with other cruel Treatment, short Allowance of bad Provisions, and uncommon barbarity to the Sick, render them Objects of the greatest Pity and Compassion; and if some Method is not speedily taken for their Relief, they will all inevitably perish.”

—Pennsylvania Gazette, 4 August 1757.

At 8 at night the small bower parted, we were forced to heave a head, to clear the ship of the rock under her bottom, and let go the sheet anchor, veer’d out one third of a cable on it, and near two thirds of the best bower, and bent the small bower cable to the spare anchor, and rode between the sheet and spare anchors.

At 6 in the morning parted the spare anchor, so that we had nothing left to ride it out, but the sheet anchor and not above have a cable on it, with one strand cut by the rocks; could not veer any more cable, the gale still continuing at N.E. right on shore, so that the officers and company came begging we might throw overboard the guns and cut the cable, as it was high water and the only time, without any other prospect, to save their lives:

I agreed with them, for the preservation of so many lives; and by the providence of Almighty God, after heaving overboard our guns, and cutting the cable, beat over a great number of rocks, with the loss of all our capital anchors, the mizzen-mast and rudder, and almost every thing on deck hove over-board, which the people thought might contribute to save their lives, if they had been beat off two stages that had been built in the morning for as many to get on as could; and the rest were to take their chances with myself and officers; but thank God we have not lost one man, and if vessels could be sent us from Providence, we may save a great many of the ships stores and furniture, ship and all with good pilots.  We are now riding between the stream anchor and the ketch anchor: he ship floats every tide, and makes very little water.’  Dated at an island in lat. 27.20 N. near the Bahama Bank, Dec. 10, 1759.

By Capt. Adams, who arrived here last night from Providence, we learn, that his Excellency General Shirley, with the Honorable Mr. Bradford, arrived there safe on the 31st ult. in five days from the key where they were cast away, in one of the vessels which Mr. Gambier, president of the Bahamas, had dispatched for them.

Soon after the General’s arrival at Providence, two other of the vessels sent by Mr. Gambier, with skilful pilots to assist his Majesty’s ship in distress, brought in most of the Mermaid’s powder, shot, and some of her sails, &c. and gave hopes that not only the ships company and furniture would be saved, but that they should likewise be able to get the ship out of her dangerous situation, and bring her into port.”

—New-York Gazette, 4 February 1760

TMT: William Shirley (1694-1771) served as governor of the Bahama Islands from January 1760 through November 1768.