Story

A graphic account by Samuel Leech, R.N., of the battle between the 38 gun HMS Macedonian, commanded by Captain John Surman Carden, and the 44 gun USS United States, Commodore Stephen Decatur on October 25th 1812. http://www.nelsonsnavy.co.uk/engagement.html

I just read this thread and the King Howitzers immediately came to mind, as well. Forgive me ressurecting this thread, but by way of Devil's Advocacy see here http://www.cannonsonline.com/product_pgs/barrels/features/danielKing1_howitzer.htm

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SHIPWRECK_FOUND?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_REVOLUTIONARY_NAVAL_MYSTERY?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US BOSTON (AP) -- Somewhere along an industrial stretch of river pocked with rotting piers and towering salt piles north of Boston lies the answer to one of the great riddles of the Revolutionary war. Where is the final resting place of the British schooner, the HMS Diana?

Bummer. I'll be there Saturday.

http://www.luminarium.org/renascence-editions/walton/index.html Izaak Walton (1593-1683) : English biographer, who is best known for THE COMPLEAT ANGLER (1653), a classic guide to the joys of fishing with over 300 new printings. It combines practical information about angling with folklore. The story of three friends, traveling through the English countryside, is enlivened by occasional songs, ballads, quotations from several writers, and glimpses of an idyllic and now lost rural life. "Indeed, my good scholar, we may say of angling, as Dr. Boteler said of strawberries, " Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did "; and so, if I might be judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling." (from The Compleat Angler, 1653-1655)

E! News has learned that some enterprising thieves have broken into the Pirates of the Caribbean star's Hollywood Hills pad and made off with a boatload of cash and jewels. "Yesterday evening around 5:50 p.m.. . .a relative of Bloom went to his home and discovered that it had been broken into and called police," said LAPD spokeswoman Amanda Betat. "As far as the amount of stolen items, it's an undisclosed amount of cash and jewelry. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b134438_pirates_plunder_blooms_booty.html

Anyone going?

$140 bn, eh? What's the number for the 6th Fleet HQ? http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=169228 News articles released on Monday reported that Spain, a country that has opposed historic treasure salvage for many years, has ordered its navy to look for huge gold and silver reserves that were lost at sea in the 16th century. According to these reports, naval mine sweepers are set to commence radar and sonar surveys to attempt to locate shipwrecks on the seabed off the southern coast of Spain. The value of the gold and silver treasure, which is believed to include Inca and Aztec artifacts, is estimated at $140 billion dollars.

TRURO - The mystery of a shipwreck that washed ashore last week in Truro remains a mystery this morning, reports the Cape Cod Times. As of 8 a.m. today, at or near low tide, there was still no wreck to be found near Ballston Beach in Truro, Times reporter Eric Williams said by cell phone from the scene. So the mystery Williams dubbed the "celebrity shipwreck mystery" remains, well, mysterious. http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20090624truro_shipwreck_mystery_unsolved_today/srvc=home&position=recent Sebastian Junger stands on a wreck found at Ballston Beach in Truro in this photo taken on 6/19/09.

The Searats' camp, with sleeping guards. The rest were busy with Touristas.

Raise the Jolly Roger and run out the guns. NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL July 9, 2009 Vol. 39, No. 299 Contact: Richard Julian, Cape Henlopen State Park, 302-645-6852; or Necia Beck, Delaware State Parks, 302-739-9175, necia.beck@state.de.us Pirates are coming to Cape Henlopen State Park LEWES – Cape Henlopen staff invites the public to witness life during the golden age of piracy in the year 1715, as the Sea Rats Atlantic historical maritime crew “comes ashore” at Cape Henlopen State Park. This group of real life sailors who operate period wooden watercraft throughout the Eastern seaboard will offer hands-on activities and demonstrations to the public at the Nature Center on from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 18. Activities include period cooking, demonstrations of how pirates lived while ashore and displays of period wooden watercraft skills and artifacts. Members of the Sea Rats Atlantic look as if they stepped straight out of history down to the smallest detail, including the proper “grit.” This is a free program, but park entrance fees are in effect. More information is available by contacting the Nature Center at 302-645-6852. -30-

WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Ranking Member Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) has introduced legislation to provide immunity to U.S. merchant mariners who wound or kill pirates while responding to a pirate attack. http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index....ll_permitt.html

For your Lady customers, you might want to consider making accessories that can fit these - http://tacticalcorsets.com/

Those are CRABS, you git! Don't you know not to mess with the trollops????

I generally serve them with soy sauce....

Sweeney Todd approves!

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's Pirate Party, striking a chord with voters who want more free content on the Internet, won a seat in the European Parliament, early results showed Sunday. The Pirate Party captured 7.1 percent of votes in Sweden in the Europe-wide ballot, enough to give it a single seat. The party wants to deregulate copyright, abolish the patent system and reduce surveillance on the Internet. http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnough...=22&sp=true

Long-lost Armenian ship, the stuff of legend, to become a “living museum” in the Caribbean Explorers unravel mystery of the “Quedagh Merchant” hijacked in 1698 http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2009-06-...n-the-caribbean

Gentleman of Fortune has an entire page on building one http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/handmortar.htm

Dixon's Gunmakers Fair [ Friday July 24th, Saturday July 25th, & Sunday July 26, 2009 ] For those unfamiliar with this Fair, it's an annual gathering of muzzleloading gunsmiths amateur and professional, as well as the suppliers for that craft. If you're in the area or passing by on any of the dates above, it's well-worth the visit. For planning purposes, the Fair is roughly 30 minutes west on RT 78 from where it intersects the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension (about 45+ minutes West of Allentown, all told). http://dixonmuzzleloading.com/index.php?se...n=gunmakersfair

The 7,000-square-foot exhibit, which coincides with the International Year of Astronomy, also features a dazzling array of 16th- and 17th-century scientific instruments from the institute's collection. Scattered through the exhibits are also oil paintings of members of the Medici family, a powerful dynasty that was famous for its patronage of arts and science, including the work of Galileo. http://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/inde...ures_marve.html "Galileo, The Medici and the Age of Astronomy," through Sept. 7, Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St., Philadelphia. Hours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Cost: $20.75 adult; $19.75 seniors, students, military; $14 ages 4-11. Info: 877-834-8497 or www.fi.edu.

The perhaps a flintlock signaling pistol. http://www.ambroseantiques.com/fpistols/flare.htm A VERY RARE BREECH-LOADING REVOLUTIONARY WAR PERIOD FRENCH FLINTLOCK NAVAL OFFICER'S FLARE/PRYOTECHNIC PISTOL, ca. 1760-1770: In overall fine original flintlock condition. The cannon-form, Blunderbuss-type, sliding, 7", flared, 90+ caliber, brass fore-barrel with smooth rounded surfaces and two (2) baluster turnings, at the muzzle. Breech loading -- with the sliding, outer barrel "sleeve" under-mounted with its locking stud and cut with large opening for loading with powder and a Paper signal Flare. The rear section of the breech with a chamfered, iron, inner "sleeve"/powder-chamber with a matching touch-hole, an untouched age patina with the expected pitting and light wear: brass barrel-tang. Molded and finely relief carved walnut fullstock with a classic French/Germanic curved grip with a hooked butt. Chiseled flintlock mechanism with a working-life replaced French gooseneck hammer and an extensively chiseled lockplate with relief snake-head vine tendrils the frizzen-back and powder-pan bridle, en suite. High quality, chased, engraved and embossed Gilt-Bronze mounts: the pin-fastened trigger-guard with an etched and embossed, urn-type, forward finial with a grotesque mask base and an acanthus leaf spray: the bow with a finely embossed reclining figure of the god Mars, atop a stand of arms & cannons. Matching, embossed and chased, gilt, grotesque mask butt-cap with a deep relief-chiseled mask and screw-fastened, long top finial with stands of Arms and Classical figures: the figures bordered by Snaked-head Vine Tendrils, en suite with the lock. A somewhat crudely replaced, plain, pierced, Rifle-type, flat, copper-alloy sideplate. Made with no provision for a ramrod, as is a Breechloader. In overall fine, original flintlock condition. The barrel(s) with smooth, steel gray iron and brass-toned surfaces, some expected light scattered discoloration/surface nicks and light wear overall: the breech with matching surfaces and an untouched age-patina. Very good lock with dark steel-gray surfaces and in functional order: the mainspring a somewhat weak replacement. Fine stock with sharp contours, quality relief carvings around the lock and sideplate mortises, the mounts and at the barrel tang: various repairs, fills and repaired chips. Retains 75%+ finish with smooth surfaces, some handling marks and wear. Very fine mounts with sharply embossed details, fine quality casting and a pleasing age-patina: retain 45% gilt finish. A very unusual and rare example of fine quality Breech-Loading Gilt Mounted French Naval Officer's Flare Pistol, from the "Ancien Regime". In original flintlock condition and dates to, ca. 1760s. Overall length, 14" (when extended) & 13" (when closed). Price: $3,775.00 You could mate your barrel to a Queen Anne. http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info....roducts_id=9271 http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info....roducts_id=9272

Hmm how about a piece with about a 30 inch barrel, flintlock, no truniuns? You didn't mention the bore diameter, but there are historical examples of what you're describing. I can't remember the title or author at the moment (I'm far from my library), but there is a reference book on 18th century naval small arms and weapons. There is a style of weapon that's essentially a pintle-mounted short barreled musket (though with a barrel longer than a blunderbuss') with a bore generally over .75" and up to 1". If you were to fit your barrel as described to a tang, then inlet it into a shortened First Model Brown Bess stock w/ lock, then fit a bronze rowboat oarlock to the stock at the balance point : you'd be on the mark. ps - this book *may* have references, but I don't think it's the one I'm thinking of... BATTLE WEAPONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. Neumann, George C. 1998. 400pp, 1600+ photos, 8.5x11, photographic collection of muskets, rifles, pistols, swords, bayonets, knives & other arms used by both sides in America's War for Independence SC. NEW Item # 100115 And if you can flip through this book, it might also have examples MUSKETS OF THE REVOLUTION AND THE FRENCH & INDIAN WARS. Ahearn, Bill. 2005. First printing. 248pp, nearly 500 detailed photos & illust, 8.5x11; covers the smoothbore longarms in early America, including British, French, Dutch, German, Spanish & American weapons including intimate details of men who carried them & desperate battles in which they served on both sides of conflict; includes many never-before-published photos; HC. NEW Item # 106655 pps- 'boat gun' is one name, but not the Frenchified term I'm trying to remember. In any event, see here http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/images/560/E/86/E8649.jpg For a pistol version, see http://www.oldguns.co.uk/images/2881.jpg A good flintlock blunderbuss pistol by Theops. Richards, 8inch three stage cannon barrel signed THEOPS RICHARDS on the top flat, border engraved stepped lock, full stocked with engraved brass mounts, steel capped wood ramrod with concealed worm. £3,250 Stock Number 2881 and if your mis-cast barrel goes up to 15", you could even make one of these A brass barrelled Irish flintlock blunderbuss, 15.5inch four stage barrel with flared ring turned muzzle, engraved CORK on the top flat and stamped with Irish Registration marks CB-1136, indistinctly signed border engraved stepped lock, half stocked with brass mounts, undersprung bayonet released by a catch forward of the trigger guard. £3,450 Stock Number 2682 http://www.oldguns.co.uk/images/2682.jpg

New York, NY (AHN) - About 70,000 glass beads from all around the world have been found on an island off Georgia. It's the largest 17th century bead repository ever found at what is believed to be one of the Spanish empire's most remote and wealth outposts. The beads, made of French and Chinese blue glass, Dutch layered glass and Baltic amber, were discovered as part of a continuing research project at the former Mission Santa Catalina de Gaule on what is now known as St. Catherine's Island off the coast of Georgia. The site, founded in the 16th century, was the capital and administrative center for the province of Guale in Spanish Florida for almost a century, according to a statement from the American Museum of Natural History. Rest of article at http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7014770623