Captured ship: La Conquerante of Dunkirk (master Gerard Morel of Dunkirk, age 39)....

Captured ship: La Conquerante of Dunkirk (master Gerard Morel of Dunkirk, age 39).

History: a French merchant ship (200 tons, 14 guns, 30 men), bound from Cap François, Saint Domingue to Dunkirk, laden with indigo, etc; taken in fight on 15/26 August 1744 - the French ship Ruby having been taken that day by the Salamander, and all her crew escaped to La Conquerante [see HCA 32/149/21] - six leagues off Cape Ortegal by the privateer Salamander (Henry Strangways commanding) with the privateer Tygress (James Pipon commanding) in sight and claiming joint capture, and brought into the River Thames.

Documents:-

Court Papers:

• [Examinations taken in London, see: HCA 13/90, fos 136, 140, 147, 149-151, 154-155, 158-159, 161, 172-173]
• [CP 1-CP 3]: three allegations;
• [CP 4]: release;
• [CP 5-CP 6]: commission to take depositions in Dartmouth, with allegation;
• [CP 7-CP 9]: two substitutions and a release;
• [CP 10]: depositions (from prisoners of war and privateer crew) on the joint capture of both French ships, taken in Dartmouth;
• [CP 11-CP 13]: commissioners' affidavit, interrogatories and list of potential deponents;
• [CP 14]: proctor Farrant's bill of expenses, of £126 16s 10d, taxed by the judge at £100;
• [CP 15-CP 16]: attestation as to papers, and abstract and translation of the 15 ship's papers.

Ship's papers, now numbered SP 1-SP 5, SP 5A-SP 14

[Decision: condemned as prize, 27 September 1744]