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LARK (44) 5th rate Built in 1744, Liverpool.
Sold in 1757.

  • 1746 Capt. David CHEAP, soon after his return to England after surviving the wreck of the WAGER. While on a cruise with Capt. SAUNDERS of the GLOUCESTER under his orders, they captured off Madeira in January 1747, the Port de Nantz, a Spanish galleon of 32 guns and 200 men, burthen about 650 tons, from Vera Cruz; which was sailing from the Havanna for Cadiz with a very valuable cargo worth an estimated 300,000 L, including 105 chests of silver, each containing about 3000 dollars, and much gold, silver and cocoa. The prize was brought into Plymouth.
  • Capt. John CROOKSHANKS.
  • 1747 In June he was ordered to proceed to Newfoundland in company with WARWICK, Capt. ERSKINE, the BEAUFORT packet and a transport as escort for a convoy of 24 merchant ships, sailing from Spithead on the 15th. and finally quitting Plymouth on the 20th. On 14 July, in lat.40:38 N. long.21:22 W. it being almost a dead calm, they discovered a sail to the westward which was found to be a large ship of force, afterwards identified as the GLORIOSA, a two-decked Spanish ship of 70 guns. As a result of the action which followed a charge was preferred against him by Capt. ERSKINE at Louisburg, he was arrested and faced a court martial.
  • The following letter was written by Capt. CROOKSHANKS.
  • LARK at sea. 20th. July 1747
  • SIR, I have just time to give you an account, by a ship we met at sea, of an engagement with a Spanish man of war, which, far as we could judge, was of 74 guns. As we had the misfortune to lose her, you may, perhaps have the Spanish account before ours, and it may in some measure, satisfy your curiosity to have one from us as soon as possible.
  • About 11 at night I ran alongside her, as near as the wind would permit, and, in passing, fired, hoping thereby, though not in close engaging distance, to embarrass her, and give the Warwick the surer chance of securing a station on her lee quarter, designing to stretch ahead, tack, and on gaining the wind, secure our station on her opposite bow; but the Warwick tacked on her quarter, being then a small distance astern of us, which measure I think was the only means of destroying my plan. The Spaniard wore, hauled the wind for a very short time, edged away towards the Warwick and engaged, by which she enlarged her distance from us. We stood after them immediately; but having little wind, and they going nearly before it, we were not able to get up, to sustain the Warwick, till we saw them draw off from each other, and the Warwick's main-top-mast gone. We then stood towards the enemy proposing to have engaged her at daylight; but the Warwick's lying with her head from us, and firing a gun, which I was to conclude a signal of distress, I thought it my duty to quit that design, making the best of my way to her assistance, and to collect the convoy.
  • I am & c
  • J. Crookshanks
  • To the Hon. Mr Legge
  • Although Capt. Digby DENT, the president of the court, by unanimous resolve, announced that Capt. CROOKSHANKS was acquitted of any suspicion of cowardice, disaffection or want of zeal, he was sentenced to be dismissed. He repeatedly applied to Commodore KNOWLES for a court martial on Capt. ERSKINE, but this was refused. On his return to England he immediately applied to the Board of Admiralty for a court martial on Capt. ERSKINE only to be told "he ought to have applied abroad to the commander in chief, Commodore KNOWLES, but not after his condemnation." He seems to have been caught between two jurisdictions without any intention of allowing him his legal rights. Lord ANSON, when he was head of the Admiralty, told him he was lucky to have been tried abroad, in England he would have suffered another sort of fate. In 1758 a paper war broke out between the captain and Ad. KNOWLES, the king referred the case to the Admiralty Board and he was restored to his former place in the captain's list with half pay. He died in his 87th. year at Pimlico on 20 February 1795.
  • 1747 Edward HUGHES was appointed to command LARK pro tem on 5 Sept. by Commodore KNOWLES. This was confirmed by the Admiralty and he was promoted post captain from 6 Feb. 1748.


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