Privateers

[Zorg]

This is from the USCG site:

The Corsair Fleet

During the first desperate months of 1942, when U-boats were sinking ships on American shores almost with impunity, the Navy found itself desperately short of the small craft needed to protect coastal shipping. In the summer of 1941, Alfred Stanford, commodore of the Cruising Club of America, began the difficult task of convincing the Navy that private boats and their owners could help meet the Navy’s need for small craft. On March 5,1942, the cruising club offered the Navy’s Eastern Sea Frontier Command the loan of 30 auxiliary sailing yachts between 50- and 90-feet, with skippers and skeleton crews. These vessels had sails and a gasoline or diesel engine for auxiliary propulsion.

By April, the offer had grown to 70 seagoing yachts and 100 smaller craft. Yet, the Navy refused. This caused a large flow of letters and editorials to those in command. The outcry caused the Navy to change its policy. On May 4,1942, ADM Ernest J. King, chief of naval operations and commander in chief, U.S. Fleet, requested the Coast Guard Reserve to take over and organize the Coastal Picket Patrol.

The Coast Guard Reserve had been formed in June 1939. The service trained civilian yachtsmen for cooperation with the Coast Guard’s search and rescue work and to assist with law enforcement activities such as boarding boats to insure boating safety regulations were being followed. In 1941 the Reserve had 7,000-8,000 members and 2,000-3,000 boats, most of which were unsuitable for offshore work.

Since there was no provision for the reservist to be called to active duty, legislation was passed to establish a new reserve. In February 1941, a new reserve force was created similar to the other military services’ reserves and the former reserve was renamed the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Congress amended the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Act by authorizing suitable men to serve for as short a period as 30 days, even though regularly disqualified for service in the Navy or Coast Guard because of age or minor physical problems.

On May 23, King ordered all sea frontier commanders to expedite the selection of small craft for the picket patrol also called the Corsair Fleet. The orders stated that the vessels had to be "capable of going to sea in good weather for a period of at least 48 hours at cruising speeds." They could be auxiliary sailing or motor yachts, fishermen, or other privately owned craft. The vessels would be accepted as loans, purchases or requisitions. This task proved too much for the auxiliary, so King ordered the Coast Guard to establish the patrol.

The force was organized into six task groups: Northern, Narragansett, New York, Delaware, Chesapeake and Southern. Their duty was to supplement forces employed in anti-submarine, rescue and patrol duties. The boats normally carried machine guns, four depth charges and a radio. These small boats were to observe and report the actions of hostile forces and to attack enemy submarines when armament permitted.

The owner of the yacht usually remained onboard with the rating of chief boatswain’s mate. At first the crews were made up of college boys, adventurous lads of shore villages, Boy Scouts, beachcombers, ex-bootleggers and rumrunners. Almost everyone who declared he could reef and steer, and many who could not, were accepted. With such a diversified group of people under one organization, the Corsair Fleet was often referred to as the Hooligan Navy.

The Coast Guard also assigned some of its recruits to the patrol and by mid-1943 most of the crews were made up of Coast Guard enlisted men and officered by the former yacht owners. Normal patrol areas were along the 50-fathom curve off the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. The craft patrolled in designated squares of about 15 nautical miles. This could be pleasant in summer weather, but in the winter or stormy weather, crews needed a good knowledge of seamanship and a strong stomach to endure the patrols.

Adventure on the seas

By the time the patrol reached a sizable force, the U-boat threat had lessened, never giving the force a chance to really test its worth. Even so, a few instances did show the Hooligan Navy may have helped the war effort if it had been formed in sufficient time. On Aug. 13, 1942, a flight of 10 airplanes from a base at Westover, MA tested the air defense network along the Massachusetts coast. No Navy ship or shore station made visual or radar sightings of the flight. The only units to accurately report the aircraft were four coastal picket-patrol craft.

The Edlu II, patrolling south of Montauk Point, N.Y., on Sept. 15, 1942, spotted a surfaced U-boat less than 100 yards away. Even though the Edlu II had not yet received depth charges, the small craft began to close, hoping to take the U-boat under machine gun fire. The Nazi vessel spotted the small boat and immediately dove, it is not surprising that the skipper of the submarine chose to submerge, he could not be certain what weapons the Edlu II had. The threat of the picket boats was not realized by some U-boat commanders. One German skipper surfaced his sub beside a reserve boat and reportedly stepped out on the deck. In excellent English he shouted, "Get the hell out of here, you guys! Do you want to get hurt? Now, scram!"

In another instance the reserve craft Jay-Tee had a close encounter with a U-boat. According to the Saturday Evening Post the crew of the 40-foot reserve craft was searching for survivors of a gun duel between a German sub and a merchant vessel. When the Jay-Tee got to the scene of the battle the merchant vessel was gone. While searching the area they spotted a submarine a mile or so away. The sub then submerged and surfaced several times. The crew of the Jay-Tee remained to see what would happen. Suddenly the Jay-Tee was lifted out of the water. The captain rushed to the side to see that the submarine had surfaced underneath his yacht, and watched as it submerged once again. The damaged Jay-Tee made it back to port. The crew’s claim was substantiated by the boat’s broken back, sprung planking, and streaks of German paint on the hull.

[El Pirata]

Great pics! Thanks Coastie!.....can't help but wonder if that knife in his bill might explain his slight speach impediment.

Naw he just talked funny period.

[michaelsbagley]

Uhm, wow.... I found a neat little quip about privateers, and this thread seemed to be the most appropriate(?)... Not a lot of insight to be found in this passage, except for maybe the names of the ships and as to how the shares of the prize are doled out.

From the London Gazette - Oct. 17th, 1713 Facsimile of the entire page can be found on this link

Notice is hereby given by the Agent to tbe Captors;

That the Officers and Companies of Her Majesty's Ships to

whom the Diana, a Privateer, is Condemn'd as Prize,

may receive their several Shares of both the Hull and

Bounty for the said, Prize at Mr. Master's House on

Tower hill, as follows, viz. the Russell on the 16th, the

Monk on the 18th, tbe Deptford on the 19th, the Romney

on the 20th, the Kent on the 23d, the Burford on the

25th, the Medway on the 26th, theSunderland on tbe

27th, and the Sweepstakes on the 30th of November next,

the Mountague on the 2d, and the Phoenix Fireship on tbe

3d of December next : And that the Shares of such as

shall not then be paid, may receive tbe same every Tuesday

and Saturday Morning, during the space of three

Years, at the Place aforesaid.

I have attempted to clean up some of the bad OCR translation, but pardon me if I missed anything.

[Mission]

This is sort of related to Michael's post and I thought some might find the material interesting. It's from Edward Cooke's account of Woodes Rogers' Fleet in the book A Voyage to the South Sea and Round the World in the Years 1708 to 1711:

Friday, July 29, 1709. a general Committee was held Aboard the Duke for farther settling what should be Plunder, and agreed, that Gold Rings found in any Place, except in a Goldsmith's Shop, all Arms, Sea-Books and Instruments, Cloathing, and Moveables about Prisoners, be reputed Plunder, excepting Womens Ear-rings, unwrought Gold and Silver, loose Diamonds, Pearls, or Money. All Plate in the Use aboard Ships, but not ashore, unless about the Persons of Prisoners; all Manner of Cloaths ready made, found on the Upper Deck, and between Decks, belonging to the Ship's Company and Passengers, to be Plunder, excepting as above limited, and what is in the whole Bundles and Pieces, and not open'd in this Country, that appears not for the Person's Use who owns the Chests, and design'd for Merchandize, which not to be Plunder. Forty Roupies to be allowed James Stretton in India, as Smart-Money. To William Davis and Terrick Derrickson, 20 Roupies each on the same Account. To the Boats Crews that were engag'd with the Marquis [a prize ship] when taken, one Bail of Serges, one of Linnen, and two of Bays, to be sold when and where they shall think convenient. A good Suit of Cloaths to

__

be made for each Man that went up the River above Guayaquil [A town in Ecuador they took]. These Things given over and above their Shares, as an Encouragement for having behav'd themselves well.

Sunday, July 31. John Brigs, one of our Men, dy'd. [This is not related to the account of the plunder, but some sort of illness was caught by many men in Guayaquil. About 20 men eventually died from it.] Tuesday and Wednesday, the 2d and 3d of August 1709, divided our Plunder-Goods, on the 5th the Plunder-Plate, each Ship taking their Dividend Aboard, to be deliver'd when they came to India.

The Men's Shares on Board the Duke of

Cloaths, &c. when cast up, were --------- 403

The Dutchess's, --------------------------------- 330

The Marquis's ------------------------------------ 149

____________________________ Total 882

The Remainder of the Men's Shares of Plunder, I had sent Aboard me in the Marquis, being our Dividend of the Plate, in all 36 Pounds Weight, amounting to 136 l. Sterling, the Duke and Dutchess having their Proportions, to be shar'd in India according to every Man's Share. There was also put Aboard the Duke and Dutchess a Box of Amber Neck-Laces, five Boxes and a Bag of Gold and Silver, a Quantity of Gold Rings, Tooth-Pickers, and Things of Value, not then shar'd. In each Bag of Gold 1 Pound 14 Ounces." (Cooke, p. 155-6)

I must admit, I am quite curious what he means by "Smart-Money."

[Mary Diamond]

I must admit, I am quite curious what he means by "Smart-Money."

Myself, as well. Any idea why women's ear-rings were not counted?

[Mission]

I am a little fuzzy on the concept of Plunder as explained in this book. I have the feeling from something I read previously that there was a qualitative difference between things reserved for the ship's investors and that divided amongst the crew. As if by "Plunder" they mean things that will be divided up now and "not Plunder" they mean things that will be taken back to England. I am not sure of this interpretation, however.

[Mission]

Ah, the book actually has an Index, so I found the quote I was thinking of when I answered a few minutes ago.

"[April 13, 1709] ...A Committee being held, it was agreed, for the Encouragement of Officers and Men, That all Bedding and Cloaths, Gold Rings, Buttons and Buckels, Liquors and Provisions, for their own Expence and Use, with all Sorts of Arms, except great Guns for Ships, should be allow'd as Plunder, to be equally divided to every Man aboard, or ashore, according to his whole Shares. That all wrought Gold or Silver, Crucifixes, Watches, found about the Prisoners, or Wearing-Apparel of any Kind, should also be Plunder, excepting Money, Womens Ear-rings, loose Diamonds, Pearls, and precious Stones; and, in Case any thing was not sufficiently explain'd in this Order, a Committee should, after the Expedition, meet again, upon Application made to them, and determine what farther ought to be reputed Plunder, without Fraud to the Owners, or Prejudice to the Officers and Men. That no Person should misinterpret this Allowance, so

__

as to secure or conceal either wrought or un-wrought Gold or Silver, Pearls, Jewels, Diamonds, or Precious Stones, not found about Prisoners, or their Wearing-Apparel, which should be look'd upon as a high Misdemeanour, and severely punish'd. That none should keep any Plunder, but deliver it to his Officer publickly, and carry it to the Place appointed to deposite it." (Cooke, p. 127-8)

This is why I thought there was a qualitative difference between Plunder which the men divided and materials to be returned to England to the owners and investors. It is still not very clear to me. Note also that the quote I previously gave came later and so it supersedes this one.

[Mission]

Ah, the good old index. From their articles:

"1. That all Plunder taken on board any Prize by either Ship, shall be equally divided between the Companies of both Ships, according to each Man's respective whole Shares, as shipp'd by the Owners, or their Orders."

2. That what is Plunder, shall be adjug'd by the superior Officers and Agents in both Ships.

...

5. Publick Books of Plunder are to be kept in each Ship, attested by Officers, and the Plunder to be apprais'd by the Officers chosen, and divided as soon as possible after the Capture. Every Person to be sworn and search'd, as soon as they come aboard, by such Persons as shall be appointed for the Purpose; the Person or Persons refusing, shall forfeit their Shares of Plunder, as above." (Cooke, p. 13-14)

So it would appear that on this voyage 'Plunder' was something that was given to the men. However, I don't see anything about things reserved for the owners. The owners do get a large share of the 'profits', though. It seems to me that they got 2/3 and the crew got 1/3 of the profits. So perhaps plunder was considered an expense? The agreement between the owners and the men said,

"3. If any Provisions, or Ships Materials, taken in any Prize, shall be wanting for the Use of the abovesaid two Ships [the Duke and Dutchess], one third Part of the Value of such Provisions and Materials so made use of, shall be paid for by the Owners to the Officers and Sea-men." (Cooke, Introduction)

That doesn't help much, does it?

[Rev.Sam]

Mission-

I think the way Plunder was divided amongst the crew and the owners depended on the cargo and the ship. Most likely, what ever coin they got for selling both were given over to the owners (or the crown) while having a small trickle down effect through the crew. I hope that helps?

[Mission]

By Jove if Cooke doesn't spell the entire list of stolen Cargo out! This man is fastidious in recording every document that resulted from the voyage of Woodes Rogers! I was going to type it in, but the format would be extremely funky and the list tiresome to enter. So I just scanned it all in and created one big list. These would be the things that were not distributed to the men as discussed earlier. (Cooke, p. 345-6)

[Capt. Sterling]

Nice Mission, I think I may have to ... ahem... kiss you back

[Mission]

Ewwwwww...

While reading through Cooke, I recalled your interest in Rogers. Then it occurred to me that Rogers had his cheek badly wounded and I wondered if you were not basing your character, at least in part, on Woodes Rogers? If so, you really must procure a copy of Captain Edward Cooke's two volume book. It is rather expensive, so I recommend the library. That's how I got mine. Curiously, I only just realized that there was a second volume (despite the fact that the spine of this book clearly says, "Volume 1" at the bottom).

He tends to go off topic and get wayyy deep into the history of the lands the privateers visited, but because of the opening summaries for each chapter, it would be very easy to skip these asides. (I am reading them because I knew almost nothing about the history of Mexico up to that time and find Cooke to be a most easy-to-read author. He does a very nice job summarizing other men's work as well.)

He also covers many things that Rogers' account doesn't mention and, like I said above, lists the full content of every single document relating to the voyage.

[Capt. Sterling]

Thanks Mission, got a full title and publisher's info on that? and no, the scar came long before I knew about Rogers' cheek... but I am trying to find out as much as possible about him

Edited January 5, 2009 by Capt. Sterling

[Mission]

N. Isreal/Keizeragracht 539/Amsterdam C.

&

Da Capo Press, a division of Plenum Publishing Corporation, New York

Printed in The Netherlands in 1969.

It's from a series called "Bibliotheca Australiana." So was the Funnell book about Dampier's first voyages, as a matter of fact. Apparently the Cooke volumes are numbers 51 and 52 in the series. I've found them for as cheap as $120 through Bookfinder. But that's too rich for my blood. My Woodall reproduction only cost me $100 shipped from England and I can always get this from the library if I need it. I must say that it has beautiful foldout maps and many illustrations reproduced from the original in it.

I should note that it doesn't contain an extraordinary amount on Rogers per se. It refers to him a lot, especially in the reproductions of the voyage's Committee Actions, but tells you very little about the man himself. It does feature the other side of the argument about putting Dover in charge of the prize which they named the Batchelor. However, it doesn't tell you much about Rogers himself, it talks more about why Cooke thought Dover would be fine as the Captain of the vessel. He doesn't dwell on supposition, he just records the facts as he sees them.

[Capt. Sterling]

Thanks Mission

[Captain Mickey]

Here is the text from a Letter of Marque issued during the reign of Henry the Eighth (my character I am working on is a privateer set in 1567, and sails under the British Flag against the Spanish and the Holy Roman Empire)

Letter of Marque Against Scotland and France,

Henry VIII, 1543

The King's most royal Majesty being credibly informed that divers and many of his most loving faithful and obedient subjects inhabiting upon the sea coasts, using trafic by sea, and divers others, be very desirous to prepare and equip sundry ships and vessels at their own costs and charges to the sea for the annoyance of his Majesty's enemies, the Frenchmen and the Scots, so as they might obtain his most gracious licence in that behalf, Hath, of his clemency, tender love, and zeal, which he beareth to his subjects, by the advice of his most honorable counsel resolved and determined as hereafter followeth:

First his Majesty is pleased, and by the authority hereof giveth full power and licence to all and singular, his subjects of all sorts, degrees, and conditions, that they and every of them, may, at their liberties, without incuring any loss, danger, forfeiture, or penalty, and without putting in of any bonds or recognizance before the Counsel, or in the Court of the Admiralty, and without suing forth of any other licence, vidimus, or other writing, from any counsel, court, or place, within this realm, or any other his Majesty's realms and dominions, prepare and equip to the seas such and so many ships and vessels furnished for the war, to be used and employed against his Grace's said enemies, the Scots and Frenchmen, as they shall be able to think convenient for their advantage and the annoyance of his Majesty's said enemies. And his Majesty is further pleased, and by this presents granteth to every of his said subjects that they, and every of them, shall enjoy to his and their own proper use, profit, and commodity, all and singular such ships, vessels, munition, merchandise, wares, victuals, and goods of what nature and quality soever it be, which they shall take of any of his Majesty's said enemies, without making account in any court or place of this realm or any other of the King's realms or dominions for the same, and without paying any part or share to the Lord Admiral of England, the Lord Warden of the Five Ports, or any other officer or minister of the King's Majesty, any use, custom, prescription, or order to the contrary hereof used heretofore in any wise notwithstanding. And his Majesty is further pleased that all and every his said subjects which upon the publication of this proclamation will sue for a duplicate of the same under the great seal of England, shall have the same, paying only the petty fees to the officers for writing the same.

And, seeing now that it hath pleased the King's Majesty, of his most gracious goodness, to grant unto all his subjects this great liberty, his Highness desireth all mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs, aldermen, and all other his Grace's faithful officers, ministers, and subjects of this realm, and other his Highness' realms and dominions, and especially those which do inhabit in the port towns and other places near the seaside, to shew themselves worthy of such liberty, and one to bear with an other, and to help an other, in such sort as their doing hereupon may be substantial, and bring forth that effect that shall redound to his Majesty's honor, their own suerties, and the annoyance of the enemies.

Provided always that no man which shall go to the sea by virtue hereof presume to take any thing from any his Majesty's subjects, or from any man having his Grace's safeconduct, upon the pains by his Majesty's laws provided for the same. And his Grace is further pleased that no manner of officer, or other person, shall take any mariners, munition, or tackle from any man thus equipping himself to the sea, but by his own consent, unless his Majesty, for the furniture of his own ships, do send for any of them by special commissions, and where need shall require. His Majesty will also grant commission to such as will sue for the same for their better furnitures in this behalf.

[Mission]

This is fun; it's from The Memoirs of Pére Labat 1693-1705, translated and edited by John Eaden. Nice description of the clothing the crew stole, too. This is the same Daniel that was identified by Labat as a pirate previously. He now has a commission or some such that changes his classification from pirate to filibuster (aka. privateer in the English lexicon):

“[Filibuster] Daniel kept the most valuable portions of the cargo [of an shipwrecked English vessel], such as silver, gold fringes, brocades, ribbons, Indian silks, etc., etc., for his own ship, not counting loot that the crew had taken for themselves. The men dressed themselves up in all kinds of fine clothes, and were a comical sight as they strutted about the island [Avis Island, to the leeward of Dominica according to the ms.] in feathered hats, wigs, silk

__

stockings, ribbons, and other garments. They discovered [learned] from the slaves that some cases of valuables and silver had been buried [by the English crew of the wrecked ship], so an inventory of all the cargo that had been found was shown to the supercargo [the person hired by the ship’s owner to manage, buy, trade and sell the merchandise on the ship] of the wreck and compared with his bills of lading. The two lists showed that many valuable articles were missing, and our quartermaster told him that if the lost goods were not found at once that filibusters knew the way to make him open his mouth. Fear made him disclose everything.” (Labat, p. 239-40)

[Mission]

And well between privateer and pirate there is only difference that privateers give some loot to goverment and don't use Pirate Flag...

No, they only takes ships with whom the country issuing the letter of the marque is at war with. They are technically a private extension of the issuing country's forces. Pirates take ships from any nation.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

And well between privateer and pirate there is only difference that privateers give some loot to goverment and don't use Pirate Flag...

No, they only takes ships with whom the country issuing the letter of the marque is at war with. They are technically a private extension of the issuing countries forces. Pirates take ships from any nation.

Yes yes I know but in reality they often just plundered any ship that they come a cross and turned pirate....Like pirates like Blackbeard who probaply was privateer before he started pirating (I migth add that his story and real mane are hot potato to historians)

And actually some pirates Like B. Hornigold even as pirate did not wantted plunder ships of own nationality...

And well between privateer and pirate there is only difference that privateers give some loot to goverment and don't use Pirate Flag...

No, they only takes ships with whom the country issuing the letter of the marque is at war with. They are technically a private extension of the issuing countries forces. Pirates take ships from any nation.

Yes yes I know but in reality they often just plundered any ship that they come a cross and turned pirate....Like pirates like Blackbeard who probaply was privateer before he started pirating (I migth add that his story and real name are hot potato to historians)

And actually some pirates Like B. Hornigold even as pirate did not wanted to plunder ships of own nationality...

Edited February 15, 2012 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

One thing to be wary of with Hogarth is that he was a satirist and often exaggerated things. In addition, that man could have been either a seaman or a soldier. (If I have the uniform wrong, someone feel free to correct me. I don't claim to know the clothing styles.)

Although, Swashbuckler, this is about hooks and pirates and that man doesn't strike me as being a pirate!

Having said that... I would love to hear Foxe's take on Privateers vis-a-vis this discussion. As he will no doubt tell you from our decade-long acquaintance, I am strongly opposed to staying on topic in a forum, even when that is part of my job description. :) (Forums are like conversations, not lectures.)

Yes Yes I know but still... My point to that privateer debate is that as privateer captain has law on his side and he can rob only enemy ships but as

virtually it is almost same...

Edited February 14, 2012 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

No since confusing things. I am copying some of the OT posts from the Hand Hooks? Thread into here so that future searchers can find all the info related to privateers in one thread.

These two posts preceded the three posts above, but the software automatically sorts things by date of the post, so they are appearing a bit out of order. Sorry about the mess.

I still maintain privateers are a different species. If they are operating properly, they have a legal letter and only take ships of the nations their letter of the marque details.

And well between privateer and pirate there is only difference that privateers give some loot to goverment and don't use Pirate Flag...

And these two quotes followed them:

I would love to hear Foxe's take on Privateers vis-a-vis this discussion. As he will no doubt tell you from our decade-long acquaintance, I am strongly opposed to staying on topic in a forum, even when that is part of my job description. :) (Forums are like conversations, not lectures.)

^{I will respond on privateers and pirates when I've given it some more thought...}

There. All neat and tidy. I think.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

This is fun; it's from The Memoirs of Pére Labat 1693-1705, translated and edited by John Eaden. Nice description of the clothing the crew stole, too. This is the same Daniel that was identified by Labat as a pirate previously. He now has a commission or some such that changes his classification from pirate to filibuster (aka. privateer in the English lexicon):

"[Filibuster] Daniel kept the most valuable portions of the cargo [of an shipwrecked English vessel], such as silver, gold fringes, brocades, ribbons, Indian silks, etc., etc., for his own ship, not counting loot that the crew had taken for themselves. The men dressed themselves up in all kinds of fine clothes, and were a comical sight as they strutted about the island [Avis Island, to the leeward of Dominica according to the ms.] in feathered hats, wigs, silk

__

stockings, ribbons, and other garments. They discovered [learned] from the slaves that some cases of valuables and silver had been buried [by the English crew of the wrecked ship], so an inventory of all the cargo that had been found was shown to the supercargo [the person hired by the ship's owner to manage, buy, trade and sell the merchandise on the ship] of the wreck and compared with his bills of lading. The two lists showed that many valuable articles were missing, and our quartermaster told him that if the lost goods were not found at once that filibusters knew the way to make him open his mouth. Fear made him disclose everything." (Labat, p. 239-40)

I know that quote... it is good reference for stolen clothing...

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Many privateer Like Drake or Morgan were part-time pirates when they operated agains Spaniards even during the peace and so they violated the terms of letters of marque...W. Kidd that is nowdays know as legendary pirate was perhaps only privateer since "the Quedah Merchant" was sailing under Frech passports and it was his only real price (and his Letter of marque was agains pirates or Frech) ... often pirate turned privateers or privateers to pirates.. For example Woodes Roger was about to put John Rackhan as privateer captain agains spaniards and S. Bonnet wanted to get letters of marque from Danish island of St. Thomas .... there is just small gap between privateer or pirate....

Edited February 15, 2012 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

Drake and Morgan may have taken Spanish vessels during peace without knowing of said peace. News traveled very slowly at this time. In the book on Hamilton I am reading, the editors noted how it took over a year for news to travel from England to India regarding just such an occurance. (I am not saying Drake and Morgan did or didn't know, just noting something that we sometimes forget in this day and age.)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Drake and Morgan may have taken Spanish vessels during peace without knowing of said peace. News traveled very slowly at this time. In the book on Hamilton I am reading, the editors noted how it took over a year for news to travel from England to India regarding just such an occurance. (I am not saying Drake and Morgan did or didn't know, just noting something that we sometimes forget in this day and age.)

yes yes... but in privateering money was often greater incentive for the fatherland, or religion...(but for example Drake hated the Pope and catolics and was real patriot)