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MERMAID
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(54) |
4th rate
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Built in 1708, Deptford DY as RUBY.
Sold in 1748. |
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- Renamed MERMAID on 23rd. May 1744.
- 1744 Capt. James DOUGLASS, appointed 9th. March. On 18th. May 1745 MERMAID, and the SHIRLEY GALLEY, Capt. ROUSE, fell in with a French Man of War, and engaged her, the former Broadside to Broadside; and the latter, too small to lay alongside, annoyed her when he could. The enemy proved to be a ship of force and they fought and sailed with him until at last they fell in with the British fleet. It was nine o'clock at night before Commodore WARREN in SUPERB could engage her and after a few broadsides she struck. She was the Vigilant (64), Marquis du Maisonfort, with 560 men. A new ship on her first voyage.
- Capt. DOUGLASS was appointed to command her and command of MERMAID given to Mr MONTAGUE.
- 1745 Capt. William MONTAGUE, Cape Breton. On Saturday 20th. July 1745 Capt. MONTAGUE arrived in Whitehall with letters to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, from Commodore Warren and Lieut. General Pepperrell, commanding the forces in the expedition against Cape Breton, giving an account of the surrender of Louisburgh on 16th. June after a siege of 49 days.
- 1745 Capt. Clark GAYTON, promoted to post rank on 6 July.
- Commodore Warren informs us that he, in company with the Mermaid, he had taken a French ship of war, of 64 guns and 560 men, called the Vigilante, the marquis de Fort Maison, commander, bound from Brest to Louisburg, with a great number of small cannon and ordnance stores. That he had also, in company with one of our cruisers, taken a second ship with provisions, bound from France to Louisburg. that there is now a regular blockade of Louisburg, both by sea and land; and that he had put the said Vigilante into commission for his majesty's service.
- August 1st. 1745
- The Chester and Mermaid have brought in to Louisburg the Heron, a French East India ship from Bengal, pretty rich. By her we learn that the Triton is on her passage, and that this is the appointed rendezvous for their India trade; therefore it is to be hoped more of them will fall into our hands.
- He arrived in the James River at Williamsburg from Cape Breton, to convoy the homeward bound ships to England.
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