The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 11
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 11
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
This neutral ship, employed in the exportation of the produce of
Dominica by virtue of the proclamation of his Britannic Majesty in
favor of neutral ships bound for the British Colonies, conquered by
France in the course of this war, would not have been condemned as a
legal prize, had it remained in the power of the British privateer,
and been brought into a port belonging to his Britannic Majesty. She
could not, then, be condemned by the Admiralty of Philadelphia, since
that Court could not consider her otherwise than as a neutral vessel,
sailing under the faith of his Britannic Majesty's proclamation, which
the commander of the English privateer was no doubt ignorant of, and
after which she could no longer be considered as a recapture.
This affair, Sir, deserves all your attention, and the particular
protection which I request you to grant it, that the owners of this
vessel may obtain, from the Council of Prizes of the United States the
justice due to them.
It is feared at Dominica, lest the Ostendian ship Eeirsten, Captain
Thomson, which sailed for the said Island, and was taken by an
American privateer and brought into Boston, may likewise have been
condemned; and should this have been the case, I also request your
interposition in favor of the owners of the said vessel.
I have the honor to be, &c.
BOUILLE.
* * * * *
MEMORIAL OF THE COUNCIL OF DOMINICA.
To his Excellency the Marquis de Bouille, Marshal of the King's Camp
and Armies, Lieutenant General and Governor General, in and over the
Islands of Martinico, Dominica, Grenada, and St Vincent, Tobago, &c.
&c.
The Memorial of the Council and Assembly, representing the capitulants
of this Island.
By virtue of the 17th Article of the capitulation signed by your
Excellency, the capitulants of this Island were authorised to ship the
produce of their estates, in neutral ships, to neutral ports in
Europe, and to receive from them the necessary supplies of provisions
and plantation stores.
Annexed to the oaths of the respective shippers of produce on neutral
vessels, his Excellency the Marquis du Chilleau, his Majesty's
Governor in this Island, granted to the master of each vessel his
certificate, that such shippers were capitulants, and the produce
laden in such vessel was the growth of their estates, and therein
recommended those vessels and their cargoes to the protection of all
his Majesty's subjects, those of his Most Catholic Majesty and to the
Americans in alliance with France. These certificates were always
respected till now, and in consequence such neutral vessels, although
detained and examined at different times, arrived at their destined
ports.
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