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British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Lexington [of Salem] (master...

Catalogue reference: HCA 32/388/9

What’s it about?

This record is about the British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Lexington [of Salem] (master... dating from 1781 Oct 11 in the series High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.

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Full description and record details

Reference
HCA 32/388/9
Date
1781 Oct 11
Description

British New York Vice-Admiralty Court.

Captured ship: Lexington [of Salem] (master David Smith).

Capture history: an American merchant ship (brigantine, 60 tons, 3 guns, 10 men) bound from Salem, Massachusetts to Baltimore, Maryland, laden with rum, wine, brandy; taken on 11 October 1781 off the Capes of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, about 12 leagues from Cape Henry by HMS Amphion (John Bazely commanding), and HMS Nymphe (John Ford commanding), and brought into New York.

Intended voyage: within the United States.

Court papers numbered CP 1-4:-

  • [CP 1]: affidavit of papers, 17 October 1781;
  • [CP 2]: libel in Advocate General at the relation of Bazely and Ford v The brigantine Lexington and her cargo, 17 October 1781;
  • [CP 3]: deposition of David Smith, 19 October 1781;
  • [CP 4]: monition, 17 April 1781.

[Decision: condemned, if no response to the monition by 7 November 1781].

Ship's Papers numbered SP 1-2 (Massachusetts papers):-

  • SP 1: ship's register, Elias Hasket Derby owner, 29 November 1779;
  • SP 2: clearance from Salem, 29 November 1779.

[Papers previously wrongly identified as Court papers: 1-4; Ship's papers: 5-6 (large pencil numbers): sorted and renumbered in 2025].

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference
HCA 32/388/9/1-6
Legal status
Public Record(s)
Language
English
Closure status
Open Document, Open Description
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C13506629/

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Series information

HCA 32

High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers

See the series level description for more information about this record.

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Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

110,019 records

Within the department: HCA

Records of the High Court of Admiralty and colonial Vice-Admiralty courts

37,272 records

Within the series: HCA 32

High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers

12 records

Within the piece: HCA 32/388

Captured ships with names beginning with L. (Described at item level)

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British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Lexington [of Salem] (master...

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