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Lot 251
Unique Record Book of British Prizes Taken In Period Before War of 1812. This prizebook for the British Carribean Fleet from 1805 to 1810 is a phenomenal piece of history, fresh to the market, being the actual prizebook of :"Jamaica Station under the command of James Richard Dacres,", listing every prize taken by British privateers and the British Navy between 1805 and 1809. Upon the sinking of Port Royal into the ocean, the prize court at Kingston, Jamaica, from which this record originates, became the headquarters of British operations in the Carribean.
The record book is 17 x 11"; brown suede covers are worn, with some spine damage, but the interior is clean and intact, with records written on laid paper. The book is divided into several sections, each repesenting the accounts of one of the various prizemasters serving the British fleet. What is essentially a second book is kept in the back of the tome. To read this portion the book must be turned over and inverted. This section of the book is devoted to the capture of neutral ships (primarily American) and ships whose status was disputed in the prize courts. Not surprizingly, the vast majority of contested ships were ruled as legitimate prizes, though there were several vessels who were ruled as being illegal captures and released.
The seizing of prize ships was incredibly profitable to all involved. When a ship was captured and judged a legitimate prize, it would be sold along with its cargo, and everyone in the chain of command, from the lowest ranking seaman to all those ranking above the lucky privateer, recieved a share of the spoils, according to a complex and rigid set of rules. The lure of quick profits did much to keep seamen at their posts, for even an ordinary seaman's share from the capture of a good merchantman could amount to eight to ten years of regular pay, while costing his own government nothing.
Where such profits are involved, it is essential that accurate records of the nature and value of spoils be kept. This prizebook provides the reader with a mind-boggling amount of information. From 1805 until the end of 1809, literally every prize taken by the British in the Carribean is listed. Along with the selling price of the ship and the name of the vessel that captured her, the exact value of the sundry commodities of the vessels cargo was recorded in painstaking detail. Everything of any value was accounted for, with entries ranging from captured slaves, sausages, a jar of honey, lottery tickets, and even a mouthpiece for a clarinet, all dutifully recorded. It is interesting to note that one of the captured vessels was named the Amistad. One cannot say with certainty that this was the same ship as the infamous slaver, but it would be strange to find a large number of ships with such an unusual name.
In addition to captured ships and seamen, the spoils system also applied to goods taken in land campaigns. At this time, the Dutch were allied to Napoleon, who, being at war with England, made her colonies fair game for capture and the taking of spoils. By far the largest monetary gain listed in the ledger is for the capture of the Dutch island of Curacao and the adjacent Dutch islands. One entry lists a total of 169 slaves taken at Curacao, and another 274 slaves taken at Bonaire, which were sold by the prize court for an astonishing 42, 452 pounds, 5 shillings and sixpence.
The portion of the book, concerning the seizure of "Neutral" vessels and their cargo, brings new light as to the causes of the War of 1812. Literally hundreds of vessels that are clearly American, with names like the "George Washington", are listed as captured and sold along with their contents. Especially damaging were the many listings of seizures of huge quantities of American silver dollars, which were already in short supply at home. One entry, for example, lists an order for 13 boxes for carrying the dollars seized by one vessel in 1805. Another typical entry lists 10 boxes for the same purpose.There are repeated examples of of dollars being seized in large amounts, boxed up, and shipped to England. This drain of hard currency from the American economy would severely hamper the activities of our merchants.
Another important statistic is the extensive amount of listings of ship's captain's collecting "Head Money" for the impressment of American seamen. In one entry, for example, one captain receives 2,895 dollars in "head money" for one voyage. Another page lists the "Head Money" gathered for the crews of 12 captured ships.
It is hard to overestimate the importance of the data contained in this book. The careful record keeping of the statistics contained within provides us with hard data on the exact numbers of American vessels, cargo, and seamen seized by the British during this critical period leading up to the War of 1812. These records should provide a wealth of new knowledge for historians. This is truly a one-of-a-kind piece of history.
Estimated Value $8,000 - 10,000.
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