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LAUNCESTON (44) 5th rate Built in 1741, Rotherhithe.
Sold in 1784.

  • 1742 Captain Peter WARREN.
  • From letters from on board Launceston.
  • Barbados, Dec. 1, 1744. We made this Island the 24th. of last month, when we saw a sloop, which we gave Chace to, and found her to be a French Privateer, of six Carriage Guns, 14 Swivels, and 87 Men. We took her without any Resistance, and brought her into this Port, where the Commodore was received with the greatest Respect and Marks of Distinction, and Thanks were returned him for this, as well as for the many other Services he has done. This Privateer, who kept plying off and on to Windward, had taken several of their Vessels almost under the command of their Fort. She is called Le Marie Charlotte, fitted out of Martinique.
  • St. Chistophers, Dec. 30th. I wrote you in my last that, we had taken a French Privateer as we were going into Barbados; and since, in our passage thence to Antigua, we took a small sloop, in sight of Fort St. Pierre, Martinique, where she was bound, laden with Flour and Gunpowder. Next Day we chased another into Guadeloupe, where the French hawled her up high and dry, so that we could neither take nor burn her. We run so close to the Shore, that they fired a great many small shot into our Prize Sloop and Barge.
  • 1745 Capt. Robert MANN, a lieutenant promoted to the command of LAUNCESTON by Commodore WARREN at Louisburg. On 4 July he sailed from that place to convoy fourteen cartel ships to Rochford with the French prisoners taken in arms and the French inhabitants of Louisburg who wished to leave. That it would have been wiser to have taken them to a neutral port is shown from this extract from Mr Gibson's Journal.
  • "No sooner were we arrived in the road of Rochfort, than Commodore Mac Lemarrough (Mac Namara)in a ship of 74 guns, obliged us to come to under his stern. We obeyed, and shew'd our passports, which when he had read, he insister that every master should deliver into his hands his particular journal. Some, looking on it as an unreasonable demand, with resolution oppos'd it, but were confined in irons upon his ship for their refusal. Soon after he sent for me. Being admitted into the cabin, he order'd me to sit down at his green table, and give an account of my own proceedings in writing; which orders I readily complied with, and delivered into his hands. Upon the receipt of it, he told me that the cartels could expect no favour at Rochfort; and since he was informed by several of the passengers that I had been a very busy, active fellow against the interest of his most christian majesty at Louisburg, if he could find out any any article whatever that was in the least contradictory to the declaration I had delivered, he would send me to the Tower. He immediately sent on board for my trunk, and insisted on my giving him the key. I did, and he took out all my papers, and read them over in the first place; after that he broke open the letters addressed to London. These indeed he seal'd up again, and having put them into the trunk, dismissed me. His next orders were that the cartels should not go on board the Launceston on any pretence. He charg'd us likewise likewise not to go on shore; and gave strict orders to the garrison to watch us night and day; and in case any of us attempted to set foot on shore, the guards were directed to shoot us. Nor would he permit a boat to bring us the least supply of any kind; insomuch that we were oblig'd to live wholly on salt provisions, and drink water that was ropy and very offensive to the smell, for above six weeks successively. When this cruel commodore sailed with his fleet, about two-hundred sail of merchantmen and seven men-of-war for Hispaniola, another as cruel took his place. On Sunday eve he sent out a yawl, with orders for all the cartels to unbend their sails. We did as directed, and on Monday morning his men came in their long boat and carried our sails on shore, into the garrison, which surprised us to the last degree, as we had been detained so long and lived in expectation of our passports every day. At this unhappy juncture Captain Robert Man was taken violently ill of a fever; and notwithstanding intercession was made that he might be removed on shore, as the noise on board affected his head too much; yet the favour was inhumanly denied him, and to every officer in the ship besides."
  • Adm. TOWNSEND met part of the French fleet sailing for Hispaniola, and destroyed it.
  • In 1746 Capt. MAN was appointed to LYNN.


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