Saltash

Posted by Brian on Saturday 6th of February 2016 03:40

December 1740 - An extract of a report of Capt. Peter Toms, Commander of his Majesty's Sloop the Saltash, who was sent by Capt. Reddish, Commander of his Majesty's ship Anglesea to Antigua, to get intelligence of the French men of war at Martinico. On Sunday morning the 19th of October 1740, standing in with Port Stl. Pierre on sun-rise I saw ten sail of ships and one sloop coming out of Port Royal Bay (in Martinico) I stood within a league of the headmost ships, and found them to be French men of war, three of them seemed larger than the rest, which I took to be ships of 70 guns, one of which had a flag at her mizen-top-mast-head, but afterwards struck it; the other seven I took to 50 and 60 gun ship, and I believe none of them less than 50 guns; two of them had pendants at their main-top-mast-head, and one of them had a blue pendant on the fore-top-mast-head; they were becalmed. At 9 o'clock having some wind, the two headmost ships made sail, and with a Jack hoisted to their mizen peaks, hauled down their ensigns. and steered about W. by N. the rest followed them. I made them so plain, that I saw their lower deck ports open to the after-part of their fore-changes and their sides painted with rosin and tallow.