British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Three Friends (master Nathaniel...

British New York Vice-Admiralty Court.

Captured ship: Three Friends (master Nathaniel Butterfield).

Capture history: a British Bermudan merchant ship (sloop, 40-50 tons, 9 men) bound from Turks Island to Virginia, laden with salt; taken on 28 October 1778 in latitude 37°N longitude 73°30'W by the loyalist privateer Lord Howe (Thomas Ian commanding), and brought into New York.

Intended voyage: from the Caribbean Islands to the United States.

Court papers numbered CP 1-4:-

• [CP 1]: affidavit of papers brought in by the prize master Craddock Kennet, mariner, 9 November 1778;
• [CP 2]: libel in Ian v The sloop Three Friends and her cargo, 9 November 1778;
• [CP 3]: affidavit as to the perishing nature of the cargo, through leaking, by Kennet, 13 November 1778;
• [CP 4]: deposition of Thomas Ingham of Bermuda, mate, 7 December 1778;

Ship's Papers numbered SP 1-13:-

• SP 1: ship's register, Bermuda, 1 September 1778;
• SP 2: customs clearance, Bermuda, 21 September 1778;
• SP 3: permit to pass Paget's Fort, 21 September 1778;
• SP 4: clearance for Caicos Islands, 21 September 1778;
• SP 5: owners instructions to Butterfield for the sloop Robert, 21 February 1777;
• SP 6: bill of lading for the Robert, to St Martin, Danish West Indies, 24 February 1777;
• SP 7: unsigned letter, announcing departure with salt, 12 October 1778;
• SP 8-SP 13: various accounts.

[Papers previously wrongly identified as Court papers: 1-7; Ship's papers: 8-21 (large pencil numbers): sorted and renumbered in 2025].