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 intended 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 61-SP 93 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 from HCA 32/1867/18B and continue in HCA 32/1867/18D:

• SP 61: letter from Prunes to Benoist frères; English ships around the island prevent merchant ships from coming, hopes the king might send a few warships; Prunes asks Benoist to send smaller cargos to minimise risks; La Martinique 20 September 1696;
• SP 62: letter from Neuily to Chaumons; he asks to take insurance on sugar cargo; Neuily encloses invoices for sugar sent on Chaumons? account; La Martinique 14 September 1696;
• SP 63: Certificate issued by François Roger Robert, King's counsellor, stating that sugar on board Le Diamant comes from the sale of enslaved people by the Compagnie de Guinée; La Martinique 30 August 1696;
• SP 64: letter from La Bardé to Malsacq, merchant in Montpellier; he sends a cargo on Le Diamant, including cocoa on account of the late Guerin; La Martinique 27 July/3 September 1696;
• SP 65: letter from J. Rossal to Hugonin, merchant in Bordeaux; Rossal sold knives to a man who deals with the indigeneous population [original Sauvages]; La Martinique 2 September 1696;
• SP 66: Receipt for sale of sugar on account of Fillassier; Cul de sac; 14 July 1696;
• SP 67: letter from [Daudy?] to Ducoing, clerk in Bordeaux and his cousin; he sent a cargo on Le Diamant and encloses bills of lading; La Martinique, 31 August 1696;
• SP 68: notary document relating to a prosecution to recover money; Fort Royal, 1 September 1696;
• SP 69: letter from Mennier, secretary of the intendant, to the intendant; he forwards him letters to send to France; La Martinique, 1 September 1696;
• SP 70: letter [unsigned] to a brother; asks to send him diverse products including toad powder and oak resin; undated;
• SP 71: letter from Vallance Cattier to Trahan; she informs him of the death of her husband; she is settling her husband's affairs and has decided to retire with her family in their home, but will still be involved in the business; La Martinique, 1 September 1696;
• SP 72: letter from Tahollinier to Benoist frères, merchants and bankers in Bordeaux; business matters; he sends them sugar to sell at the most advantageous price; he encloses invoices; La Martinique, 31 August 1696;
• SP 73: letter from J. Mathieu to his father; business matters; he had to repair his house; family news; he goes to Guadeloupe for business for the next three months; La Martinique 2 September 1696;
• SP 74: Doctor's bill;
• SP 75: letter from B. Perroy to Laguibaud, surgeon in Bordeaux and brother; he hopes that his brother will not neglect to write to him; he is sorry that profits are not as big as expected; La Martinique 10 August 1696;
• SP 76: letter from Bambereau to Jouliz in La Rochelle; he sends sugar on Le Diamant; La Martinique 29 July 1696;
• SP 77: letter from De Bragelongne to the secretary of De Bragelongne in Paris; he has arrived on the island; he learned of the death of Morel. He asks if he could talk to De Bragelongne to get the company of the late Morel for him; La Guadeloupe 24 August 1696;
• SP 78: letter from Nicolas Groux dit Lardilliere to Jassente Comain; he sends a cargo on Le Diamant and asks for wine in return; Fort Royal 5 September 1696;
• SP 79: letter from P. Billate & A. St Arromand to Louis Dansaint in Nantes; business matters; they send a cargo of cocoa; La Martinique 1 September 1696;
• SP 80: letter from [Prescheur?] to Benoist frères, merchants in Bordeaux; he sends sugar and asks for Bordeaux wine in return; La Martinique 3 September 1696;
• SP 81: letter from Regnaud to Germain; business matters about payments for wine; La Martinique 20 July 1696;
• SP 82: letter from Regnaud; business matters; La Martinique 10 August 1696;
• SP 83: letter [in Spanish] to Gomes Pillar; business letter about cocoa; La Martinique 30 August 1696;
• SP 84: letter from Laramy to Pachot, merchant in La Rochelle; he includes three documents from admiralty registry including one about the sedition of the ship le Pons d'Or on 21 June; he hopes to recover insurance money from captured ships; La Martinique 4 September 1696;
• SP 85: letter from Pierre du Coroy to Comaint, merchant in Bordeaux; he sends sugar by Le Diamant and asks to sell it advantageously; he asks for wine in return; Fort Saint-Pierre, La Martinique, 31 August 1696;
• SP 86: letter from Valleson & Rainée; they send sugar on Le Diamant; they ask for best price to sell sugar and cacao; La Martinique 1 September 1696;
• SP 87: letter from Bambereau to Agnus, banker in Bordeaux; business matters; he sends sugar; he has given orders to reimburse the money he advanced for the last expedition of the ship L'Ameriquain; La Martinique 5 September 1696;
• SP 88: letter from Moyencours to her uncle; she saddended to hear of the passing of her aunt; she will retire as soon as she has enough not to be at someone else's charge; La Martinique 20 August 1696;
• SP 89: letter to Miss Lucinet, daughter of Mrs St-Martin in faubourg St Germain in Paris; he had a good journey from La Rochelle; he will send her a parrot at the first opportunity; he thinks of her every day and loves her more than anyone in the world and hopes she feels the same; he asks if she could write to Mr. Begon to get him the company of the late Mr. Morel; he asks her to remember him to Mr. de Bragelongne; La Guadeloupe 24 August 1696;
• SP 90: letter from Prunes to Isaac, merchant in Bordeaux; business matters; he sends sugar with invoices and bills of lading; Isaac's father was wrongly informed that Prunes did not send him money; including a note from E. Huot offering Isaac his services; La Martinique 28 August 1696;
• SP 91: letter from P. Billate & A. St Arromand to Minvielle Bessan in Bordeaux; business matters; they forward a message from Antoine Dansaint and his brother Louis who would like Bessan to consign some goods for them; they send cocoa; La Martinique 1 September 1696;
• SP 92: letter from Alexandre Lheureux; still no news regarding the nomination of the new governor of the island; he asks for a new position in a Compagnie de la marine; La Martinique 21 August 1696;
• SP 93: letter from De Bragelongne; he learned on arrival that the company of the late Morel was free; he asks to contact M. Begon, clerk to M. de Pontchartrin, to get this commission; La Guadeloupe 24 August 1696.