Captain Twill
Academic Fight Circle, Research, Share, Discuss & Debate Maritime History.
1,545 topics in this forum
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Two sleeps?
by Jib- 8 replies
- 819 views
Have you ever heard of this idea: http://slumberwise.com/science/your-ancestors-didnt-sleep-like-you/
Last reply by Silver, -
- 2 replies
- 1.3k views
I know of three basic ways ships carried boats. 1. On davits, basically timbers or metal beams shaped like upside down versions of the letter "J," with the boats hanging over the ocean from the short end of the "J." I think I read somewhere that davits didn't come along until the 19th century. Is that right? 2. On the open deck, upside down to keep rainwater out of them. This has to take up a huge amount of deck space. 3. Towed astern. This is actually shown in many of the pictures in the Osprey books on pirates. This has the obvious advantage of keeping the boats out of the way, and saves the time spent launching them, but I shudder to think of what would happ…
Last reply by Coastie04, -
- 0 replies
- 995 views
I was wondering how old "HMS" prefix for RN ship is. If the trust wiki it was used as a prefix since 1789. But it also says "HMS is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally." . Simple Wiki Says that " It is the official prefix of Royal Navy ship names since 1789." I take that it was it used informally before that as it seems that links it to decades earlier and to gaop. Firstly in many books including Charles Johnson's General History navy ship are called as "His majesty's ship" which is just full version of HMS. Also in other works of the early 1700s "His majesty's ship" is used to mean navy ships Also looking a…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 7 replies
- 7.9k views
Hi all. I hope you are all keeping well. I have a question regarding the wooden statues that were so often found at the front of the ships - mermaids etc. Do they have a significance? What did they represent/relate to? Were there specific ones for specific countries or departments etc? Forgive me if there is already a post about this - I am just musing here, and would appreciate any advice or opinions Warmest regards, Jacqui
Last reply by Mission, -
- 2 replies
- 507 views
Say that a Pyrate had a fleet. How were the commands given to the other ships. I've heard of Jean Doublet, a French Privateer, wrote that they had set recognition signals depending on the day of the week, "she to Windward is to hale up all her Sails, and lower her Top-sails, with her flying Jib loose; and she to Leeward is to answer with making what Sail she can, her Ensign in her Fore-shrouds, and fire a gun." and I know of the broadside battle formation below, but was there a certain way that pirate "admirals" communicated with other ships? Thanks for you help, in advance.
Last reply by Silver, -
- 4 replies
- 753 views
Lately I have been studying naval traditions of Gaop Now I am wondering prize money.At least accordingly to Wikipedia (yes yes) The prize money as it was know in Nelson's era was established in 1708 and it suffered only minor changes before Napoleonic wars ended. Though there had been rather similar system earlier in the 17th century... " This practice was formalised via the Cruisers and Convoys Act of 1708. An Admiralty Prize Court was established to evaluate claims and condemn prizes, and the scheme of division of the money was specified. This system, with minor changes, lasted throughout the colonial, Revolutionary, and Napoleonic wars." Also as another modern so…
Last reply by Daniel, -
- 2 replies
- 460 views
...if suddenly confronted, while up into the rigging, during his watch, with stomach cramps? The beginning of the "flux", or a food poisoning or something? I guess he can't get down until the watch ends, the bossun will be angry with him anyway... but if he doesn't go to the "heads"... it would be worse.
Last reply by Elena, -
- 3 replies
- 3.2k views
I don't own much Osprey book, no more than the pirate book (I have discussed a lot about it as you may know) but I have always looked previews etc for interesting books etc. Now this belongs to Twill as the book is not fiction (well at least it tries to tell the truth) The book is a part of the new "Raid" series and its name is "Blackbeard’s Last Fight – Pirate Hunting in North Carolina 1718" ( http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/Blackbeard%E2%80%99s-Last-Fight-%E2%80%93-Pirate-Hunting-in-North-Carolina-1718_9781780961958) Author: Angus Konstam Illustrators: Johnny Shumate Mark Stacey Now my personal thoughts about the book while I don't yet own it. At fi…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 0 replies
- 396 views
I am pretty sure there is no actual thread for this but if you know better put this in correct place. I found no thread for this simple issue Alright so I think the general consensus seems to be that the prey ships usually surrendered to pirates after some warning shots etc. So all in all there weren't that much fighting. However there are cases when there was resistance. I have posted this not rare quote before but I think I post it here too: In an account of the engagement between the English East India Company ship Cassandra and the pirate Edward England in July 1720, Captain James McRae described how his opponent attacked with two vessels, one of 30 guns and the…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 4 replies
- 1.2k views
Not sure if this is the correct forum, but since this is the more history/academic sub forum, I thought I would post it here. Ken Kinkor worked as the historian for the Whydah Project since the very beginning. You've seen him in numerous pirate history documentaries as one of the talking experts. He helped many writers on pirate history, such as Colin Woodard and his Republic of Pirates book. I interacted with him electronically, and he was a huge help to me in my research efforts on pirates (a quick thank you to Colin Woodward for bringing about that connection). Unfortunately, Ken Kinkor passed on June 7, 2013 while doing what he was passionate about, working with a…
Last reply by landlubbersanonymous, -
- 13 replies
- 921 views
Do we know who the French Pirates were, that were mentioned in his chapter? I was also wondering if there is anything else that is known about William Read. I've tried finding info on both the French and Read with little luck. And, while we're at it, does anybody have any info on Samuel Inless? Thanks very much.
Last reply by Fox, -
- 2 replies
- 646 views
Just curious as to what flags a privateer during the GAoP would be allowed to fly? Could an English private man of war fly the Union Jack? What if they were from the colonies?
Last reply by Johnathan Atwood, -
- 24 replies
- 2.4k views
What do we know about colonial inns? Did all of them service a meal? What sort of food was common? Did all of them have a tavern for drinking and socializing? Was music common? What other services were provided (stables etc)? Did they seem to follow a typical layout or building plan?
Last reply by Red Sea Trade, -
- 6 replies
- 698 views
In response to a debate about the practicality of stays for the working woman in English Civil War circles Mrs F. shot this video. It might be relevant to many here, so I'm reposting it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8wwhlnprmE&feature=youtu.be
Last reply by jendobyns, -
- 12 replies
- 1.1k views
"UPON our Mountains, and especially on the Pyrenees, we meet with a kind of wild Goat, call'd, the Shamoy, or Rock Goat. There is a great Trade carried on with these Skins, by which they convey Oil, Wine, and other Liquids, out of the mountainous Countries, and of which they make several other Uses; for these Shamoy Skins, being dress'd, are converted into Gloves, Stockings, Drawers, Breeches, Waste-coats, Petticoats, Caps, &c. because they may be wafh'd as Linen is, and be dyed into what curious Colour you please, as Orange, Lemon, Buff, Buff, Black, Green, Red, Blue or the Like." (Pierre Pomet, The Compleate History of Druggs, 3rd Edition (1737), p. 260) I am guess…
Last reply by Dread Pyrate Greyhound, -
- 25 replies
- 2.2k views
Perusing the 18th Century Material Culture's Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/18thCenturyMaterialCultureResourceCenter ) I came across these little gems. Wooden tricorn hat boxes. Who knew?
Last reply by Dutchman, -
- 36 replies
- 9.2k views
I wondered when did the tradition of scrubbing ship's deck with sandstone started. The sandstone used for that was later called "holystone" but the date when that tradition begun is not easy to find. I think the meaning for that scrubbing, besides the cleaning, was to prevent the planks of being shrunk by watering the deck. But I am not completely sure so feel free to correct me if you want.
Last reply by Captain Jim, -
- 0 replies
- 393 views
Interloper Slave ships were popular pirate vessels when they could get them, so I thought I'd start a topic about them and their behavior. This is really just to stick this quote somewhere so it's available to everyone. It's from Père Jean-Baptiste Labat's Memoires 1693-1705 (Translated from the original French by John Eaden, 1970): "There are English companies similar to the French African companies which enjoy the sole right of trading in slaves. But this does not stop other Englishmen going to Africa for this purpose, provided that their ship is able to defend herself from the __ companies' vessels, which they have the right to capture her as if she belonged to an e…
Last reply by Mission, -
- 13 replies
- 2.7k views
This is from "Extracts from the Diaries of Dr. John Covel, 1670-1679" in the book Early Voyages and Travels in the Levant, edited by J. Theodore Bent concerning clearing the ship for battle. "It was pleasure to see the great alacrity and readinesse, I may say the eagernesse, of our Seamen in preparing for the dispute. All their Hamocks were down in a trice; their chests and lumber turn'd out into the boates, or stived [Editor's footnote 1: packed away, stuffed] by the main chains or elsewhere, out of the way. We had a clear ship in a very little while..." (Covel, p. 129) I have some questions about this. 1. Wouldn't the hammocks have been below? I have images of them …
Last reply by Coastie04, -
- 12 replies
- 2.1k views
There are really many records of pirates and pirate ships recognized by navy or merchant captains. This happened for example to Vane who was rescued after shipwreck in 1719 in Honduras and then the merchant captain who rescued him recognized him and turned him over to authorities in Jamaica. Or another example George Lowther was careening his vessel in 1723 on an island near Venezuela when Walter Moore, a merchant captain of the South sea company, recognized them as pirates and attacked. Was the world really so small back than that pirates could be recognize so easily. We know that pirates and their vessels didn't differ much from other sailors or ships so how could …
Last reply by JS1990, -
- 9 replies
- 1.7k views
Just for fun I was reading a fashionable study of Jacobite pirates (made by none other than Ed Fox) http://www.academia.edu/772352/Jacobitism_and_the_Golden_Age_of_Piracy_1715-1725 And one question popped in my mind. And I think it is a damn good one This was said there "Even if Jacobitism was rife among Low’s men, it was not among all his consorts. Francis Spriggs’ crew parted with Low in one of their prizes after a disagreement over their rules or “articles.” Richard Hawkins, who was captured by Spriggs and spent some days aboard his ship, observed that “whether they were drunk or sober, I never heard them drink any other health than KingGeorge’s.” Hawkins was wit…
Last reply by Fox, -
- 1 reply
- 740 views
We know that period ships had cats and dogs (for killing vermin and perhaps for company) but do we have any records of pirate ships having any? Forget the buccaneer's hunter dogs now but what about ship's dogs? And because of my love of pictures: A ship's cat there. Nothing special really Two dogs. The one with the periwig (Hogarth's satire) might be just captain's pet but the other might be a ship's dog (see how it is waiting to get food that is soon served).
Last reply by snakemanterry, -
- 3 replies
- 638 views
I often imagine pirates as simply sailing the seas, wind in their hair as they scanned the horizon from the foretop, looking for a sail, and just hoping something turned up. And maybe increasing their odds by prowling shipping choke points like the Mona Passage, the Windward Passage, or (at least in the Barbary corsairs' case) the Strait of Gibraltar. But, as Charles Johnson pointed out, scarcity was "no uncommon thing among them." With poverty and starvation very real possibilities, it would help a lot to know in advance where your prey was going to show up. And at least one source suggests that they did. When George Roberts was captured by Ned Low at Cape Verde in …
Last reply by Fox, -
- 5 replies
- 762 views
Sort of a sub section of 'making fire' and smoking/clay pipes but take a look https://lh5.ggpht.com/gWdUccrMZPxEzJ8y73RaEg72npJeOC4DB10Dw5mvUXFGzTYoYhydq6o4XPqDR4gsdk-uMJLAthRCXBAA2Rv6_0zWwAML=s0 I would post the picture but the stupid board software 'Doesn't allow that sort of image code for this community' ARSE! If you could avert your gaze from the young lady's assets and look at the table you'll see ... stay with me here, the table, look at the table ... there's a slow match for keeping the pipes going.
Last reply by Mission, -
- 2 replies
- 958 views
I'm working on some projects concerning Spain in the Golden Age and I'm looking for any surviving images of Spanish flags for the period. Anything from Navy to Merchant Jacks. I know that the Cross of Burgundy appears on most of them, but I'd like a period example of the style, since the look of the cross is a little different from example to example. I'll also take any examples of Spanish ship pennants and variants of ensigns.
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700,