Being rather busy i have only been able to type over the past few days,but took time out to present this to avoid this topic going stale like old bread or one of those hard ships biscuits.
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A BEANO BOY MOMENT IN TIME
Below a ship taken as A PRIZE is mentioned in an opened book from The Great Library.
Once the dust was blown off it.
Sir Percy,above seen in the picture taken on November 5th, a Sunday evening of 1899, was certainly surprised to find it.
As indeed i was.
But BB,you are the author? Yes that is very true WingNut,but i only realized it after my tapping typing finger had passed along its way.
Charley Spottit at that certain pin point in time, took the snap shot. Percy, never ever having seen a camera of that tiny black shape and design asked,Will it come out ?
... Charley Spottit smiled away,Of course it will.
Sir Percy now settled down in his favourite comfy leather chair beside a roaring open fire sipped his best French Napoleon Brandy, while Charley sat opposite in a matching chair that was a wee bit flat hard uncomfortable because of a spring having come through its bottom,and it now being nailed over by an inch thick wooden board._Spottit grins and bears it while gulping his Brandy down as if he were a thirsty dried out street drain. For such cast iron wonders were very well spaced out along the winding streets of those old fashioned days.
As he shuffles his bottom first one way than another appearing to be an ill fitting fool....it must be mentioned there is much more to Charley Spottit, than the average eye could ever reason a head upon.
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THE SHIP
This by any and all standards is not a mere Brig she being
a Unite class French Corvette L' CHATAIGNE built in 1756.
Being once all of 20 years old,but still having great success since 1776 against the merchant ships trying to re- supply the two British armies in America ,she was long sort after by the Royal Navy, and well worth the English Kings bounty of over £10.000 put upon her.A further bounty of £6.00 for each crew member killed or taken was also placed upon heads,that England's Topsy Turvy King George saw as cutlass wielding Pirates.
Privateers most certainly.
Privateer: given a Licence to be a Pirate.
However it would be in another war against the British,that this prize ship was claimed for England. And like Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Biblical times, that same King George the third was for sure locked up tight in Bedlam!
He even ate grass like good old ancient Neb did,but both still remained a King and retained their Kingdom.
although both spitting them out, hated the worms that came up during their grazing!
UPON THE FIRST DAY... A NEW YEAR
Taken as a Prize intact 1st January 1798 by HMS FORTUITOUS . 'MARSEILLE' . where she sheltered safe and sound ( they thought ) beneath the guns of the old sea fort guarding the harbor. She having a crew of 221 ,carried 24 twelve pound long guns on her main gun deck and 14 nine pound long guns on her quarter deck. HMS FORTUITOUS with a crew of 118 souls would be heavily outnumbered, but surprise is best served up in full measure after a belly full of ships Grog. Dutch Courage, some call it even today.
The British frigate entered the harbor flying French colours and came alongside the corvette,Marines and crew boarded her without firing a shot, It being a hand to hand fighting situation for the French with whatever best came to hand. France was in turmoil and mistrust at that time and keeping all ones crew armed to the teeth was a something most ships Officers were deeply concerned about.So favouring their own skin they did not.
The ships Watch bravely tried in vain to burn the ship rather then surrender her to the British . The blaze nearing her powder magazine was soon exstinguished by the actions of Acting Sub Lieutenant Giveins and members of his boarding party. It was deeply regretted that Giveins was killed in this his first commanding action as he was most liked amongst the ships Officers and crew alike.
With the French crew confined and well guarded below deck, The two ships set sail. turned about without even a challenge shouted out from ashore.
Beneath the cold of the silent sea forts guns, and the half frozen sentry's noses they made way to the open sea.
All aboard were very rich men. One 5th share going to the Captain. The ships Master, Doctor,Officers and Midshipmen took each a share in two 5th's. Another 5th was shared by the ships Cook and Carpenter and 1st and 2nd Mates. The last 5th being divided up with the Company of Marines and ships crew.
The Ships Purser got nothing,
Nothing? as he had bought his position from the crown.It was he alone that stocked the ships supplies needed from black powder to livestock and food and was authorized to make a tidy profit on stuff sold aboard ship. 14 oz instead of 16 to the pound was legally allowed.
THE DRY DOCK PLYMOUTH
Somewhere in the clamber of a British ship yard it seemed far to much was going on.
Re-configuration of her main mast delayed her commission ,and it was a size best suited for a 32 Gun rated Ship.
i'mmmm.
Over a cup of sweet strong builders tea,It seemed rather odd to me that this type of ship almost carried double the quantity of cannon that they were duly rated by,,, anyway.
Below her waterline she glinted by way of a deep shimmering copper sheet that put a glitter to every eye ball inspecting her bottom.
that sounds very rude,crude in every way. Yes the worm eaten hull having been replaced with oak and was nailed over in that expensive stuff, making this ship very fast,and safe from sea worm.
No relation to me. Declared the Bookworm.
Boy that bookworm is smart.
And fussy too, he only eats through BB's best books.
After conversion her name reverted to its English translation of the French,as in late November of 1799 she became HMS CHESTNUT a sixth rated ship carrying 24-32 pound Carronades on her main gun deck,with 14 of the same on the quarter deck with 4 - Nine pound long guns as chasers. Her powder magazine now enlarged would keep all those guns blasting away for ages while the powder monkeys ran to and from their assigned guns. Powder Monkeys; were children, some of which were born under the Guns.
we'll leave that to your own imagination to work out. These women who served were never listed in the ships log.
The guns fired a 32 Ib ball,shell,chain or canaster.
Sometimes all combined together in one firing.
Only BB,would be crazy enough to fire it.
shock!
shock
I'm not shocked!___ BB