Piracy and privateering around St. Barts - photo 1
Piracy and privateering around St. Barts - photo 2
Piracy and privateering around St. Barts - photo 3

Piracy and privateering around St. Barts

Lot 394
02.06.2022 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 8 190
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 764537
Lot 394 | Piracy and privateering around St. Barts
Estimate value
$ 10 000 – 15 000
ST. BARTS – BRITISH ADMIRALITY COURT AT ANTIGUA. An archive of manuscripts pertaining largely to incidents around the French-held island of Saint Barthélemy from 1744 to 1748, Antigua, various dates, but largely c.1752.In English with several texts in French. 325 pages (approx.), various sizes ranging from 390 x 250mm to 410 x 340mm. (Marginal wear, occasional tears and a a few small gatherings toned and slightly brittle). String bound in 3 volumes in 19th century paper boards. Provenance: Sir Thomas Phillipps, 1792-1872 (manuscript inventory numbers 18723, 19698, and 19700).The British invasion and occupation of St. Barts—privateers accused of piracy. A fascinating archive, largely concerning the aftermath of the invasion and plundering of the French island of Saint Barthélemy in 1746 by British privateers during King George's War (1744-1748) produced for a series of court proceedings. Although a French possession, William Matthew, Jr. (1684-1752), Governor of the Leeward Islands, had offered the inhabitants protection with the eruption of King George's war in 1744. And when several British privateers attacked the island in violation of the governor’s order of protection, revoked the privateer commissions of the offending vessels. In addition Mathew confiscated their prizes in response to the "wicked Things … perpetrated at St. Bartholmews…" The government noted specifically that "The Inhabitants of St. Bartholomew with all their Estates & Effects were under His Majesty's Protection … & this Protection was Violated by the privateers without any Authority or reason since it does not appear that they had forfeited such Protection by any Acts against their Plighted faith & Submissions to His Majesty, or any hostilitys against his Subjects for the misbehaviour of the few in the French Interest can never be imputed to the whole Community, & His Excellency never Effectually Revok'd his Protection or the Commission he had Granted & absolutely refused a Special Commission to take the Island." The owners of the privateers sued the governor for defamation for labelling their acts as piracy. The resulting trials generated numerous depositions on the state of the island of Saint Barthélemy and its inhabitants from the end of the seventeenth century to the mid eighteenth century offering a valuable resource for the study of the island's early colonial history.
Auction house category:Letters, documents and manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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19.05.2022 – 02.06.2022
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