Captured ship: Diamant or Diamond of Martinique (master Jean De Puy or Dupeaux)....

Captured ship: Diamant or Diamond of Martinique (master Jean De Puy or Dupeaux).

History: a French merchant ship (120 tons) bound from Martinique to Bordeaux, laden with sugar, cocoa; taken on 20/30 October 1696 in latitude 43°30'N by HMS Falkland (Robert Hancock commanding), who intendied to take the ship into Bermuda, but bad weather forced them into New Providence, Bahamas. The case was sent into the High Court of Admiralty after complaints about the procedure initiated by Nicholas Trott, Governor of the Bahamas.

Documents:-

Ship's papers numbered SP 1-SP 33 from the larger bundle of SP 1-SP 272, all in folder HCA 32/1867/18; descriptions of the Diamant's ship's papers are continued in HCA 32/1867/18B:

• SP 1: ship's pass;
• SP 2: bill of lading;
• SP 3: invoice for sugar loaded on Le Diamant on account of Compagnie Royale de Guinée; the sugar comes from the sale of enslaved people by the company; La Martinique 30 August 1696;
• SP 4: letter from Moyencours; business matters relating to the sugar trade; there was complaint that the sugar he sent was wet when it arrived in La Rochelle and he blames the sailors; La Martinique 18 August 1696;
• SP 5: letter from Banchereau to Trahan, merchant in Bordeaux [cousins]; business matters relating to sugar, wine and cacao trades; he mentions some Jewish merchants trading in Bordeaux; Banchereau asks Trahan to send a thurible for a church; Banchereau informs Trahan of the death of Cattier; his widow will send sugar to Trahan to purchase more enslaved people for her plantation; La Martinique 30 July 1696 \ 3 September 1696;
• SP 6: letter from [signature illegible]; business matters; he encloses a bill of lading, invoice and certificate for the sugar he sends to France; La Martinique 2 September 1696;
• SP 7: account of sugar on board Le Diamant;
• SP 8: account of sugar on board Le Diamant;
• SP 9: extract from registry of Admiralty of La Martinique; Blaise Busques, captain of the ship Le Dons, appeared before the court; Busques explained he was unable to unload a cargo in Guadeloupe due to a mutiny from sailors; 9 July 1695;
• SP 10: letter from [signature illegible] to Mess. Rodrigues & Silva, bankers [perhaps Sephardic Jews], in Bordeaux; he encloses invoices for a cargo of cocoa; La Martinique, 30 August 1696 [in Spanish];
• SP 11: letter from Becquet; business matters related to shipments to France and payments from debtors; news of the capture of ship Le Guillemet by Spanish frigates; the officers were executed, and the crew sent to galleys and mines; La Martinique, 2 September 1696;
• SP 12: letter from B. Maurellets; he sends a list of goods on board ship St Pierre on account of the late captain Rampal; La Martinique, 2 September 1696;
• SP 13: letter from B. Maurellets; business matters; explains the best goods to export from and import to this island; he is disgusted with the island and its inhabitants and is looking forward to going back to Marseille; Maurellets is surprised that the command of a ship was given to Captain Rampal as he thinks him an incompetent man;
• SP 14: letter from Lavigny; he asks to be appointed to the position of Morel Lachapelle who recently died; he has certificates of good conduct from the governor and intendant; La Martinique, 1 September 1696;
• SP 15: letter from Lamartinier to Heron [king’s conselor of finances] in La Rochelle; Larmartinier is surprised that Heron has not been paid by S. Leonard for the sale of the cargo on ship l'Unison; he sends bills of exchange; La Martinique, 31 August 1696;
• SP 16: letter from [Hallies?] to Miss Widow Thiersetin in Nantes; he is grateful to her for taking care of his nephew’'s education; he asks to ensure he learns about arms and fighting as it is necessary in this country; La Martinique; 1 September 1696;
• SP 17: letter from J. Rossal to Izaac Duc, merchant in Bordeaux; business matters relating to sugar trade; Rossal is going to Fort Royal to collect the remaining of his sugar cargo; many people are dying from diseases; La Martinique 2 September 1696;
• SP 18: letter to Cossard, merchant in Saint Malo; informs there is a cargo of sugar for him on board Le Diamant; post scriptum from Vallence Cattier informing Cossard that the death of her husband forced her to renounce business; she sends him some documents of interest; La Martinique 1 September 1696;
• SP 19: custom bond; 5 March 1694;
• SP 20: letter from Regnaud to business partners; he hopes to hear from them soon as he has not received a letter since 1693; he asks them to recommend him to the new governor and intendant of the island; he encloses a memoir on the state of commerce; La Martinique 1 September 1696;
• SP 21: letter from Banaraÿ to Jean Beluteau, merchant in La Rochelle; business matters; he sends a sugar cargo to Beluteau; he also sends sugar destined to the succession of the late merchant Runeaudouin; La Martinique 5 September 1696;
• SP 22: letter about clothing expenses; undated; unsigned; no addressee;
• SP 23: letter from Prunes & Doyen to Domiez; business matters; they received his letters and cargo, mainly eau-de-vie; they ask him to insure the next sugar cargo; they enclose bills of lading and invoices; La Martinique 28 August 1696;
• SP 24: certificate of good conduct and character issued by Gabaret, governor of Martinique, to the name of Sieur de la Garique Savigny; 1 September 1696;
• SP 25: notary document stating that Jean Dupeux, captain of the ship Le Diamant, will bring a cargo to Bordeaux, and if anything should happen to it, Blanchereau, merchant, will pay the required fees; Fort Royal, 28 August 1696;
• SP 26: letter from Lambardé &cie to Mess Benoist frères; business matters; he sends them a sugar and cocoa cargo on ships L'Enflamé and Le Diamant and enclose invoices and bills of lading; La Martinique, 14 July / 3 September 1696;
• SP 27: incomplete letter from Latouche; business matters about insurance; he encloses a memoir from his surgeon;
• SP 28: letter from Petit to Pierre Poirier, merchant in La Rochelle; business matters; Petit sends Poirier a sugar cargo on the ship La Fleur de May; La Martinique 1 September 1696;
• SP 29: invoice for a cargo of sugar on L'Enflamé loaded by Valence Cattier on account of Gaspard Lechef; La Martinique 1 September 1696;
• SP 30: letter from B. Maurelles to Silva Lejeune, merchant in Bordeaux; business matters about bills of exchange; La Martinique 2 September 1696;
• SP 31: invoice for barrels of sugar loaded by Bamhereau on account of François Dumont; La Martinique, 2 September 1696;
• SP 32: letter from Sage & [Etminville?] to Bertrand Lacheze in Bordeaux; business matters; they send sugar on Le Diamand and enclose bills of lading;
• SP 33: letter from Rilord to Jeremie Leonard, merchant in Bordeaux; business matters about sugar trade; news that the English captured 60 enslaved men; capture of two French ships on which Rilord and Leonard had a sugar cargo; La Martinique 30 May 1696.