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 121-SP 150 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 32/1867/18D and continue in HCA 32/1867/18F:

• SP 121: letter to Mondichel, merchant in La Rochelle, from Gillet; business matters about eau-de-vie and indigo; La Martinique 20 August 1696;
• SP 122: letter from Lafontayne Toraine to La Gastuniere [brothers]; business matters; updates on sugar loaded on different ships; La Martinique 28 July / 10 August / 2 September 1696;
• SP 123: letter from Carrier to Silva le jeune, merchant in Bordeaux,; ships St Louis and l'Americain arrived safely; news of the death of merchant Cattier; he sends him sugar; La Martinique 3 September 1696;
• SP 124: letter from De la Martiniere; business matters about sugar cargo; news of the death of Cattier; Fort Royal 7 September 1696;
• SP 125: invoice for sugar loaded on Le Diamant by Jean Baptiste Maurellet on account of Silva le jeune; La Martinique 2 September 1696;
• SP 126: letter to Jean Lostan in Bordeaux, from Prunes; Prunes informs Lostan that his ship is half loaded and hopes to leave at the beginning of October; 8 crew members died from disease; La Martinique 28 August 1696;
• SP 127: letter to Dion de Lerse, merchant in Marans, from Charron; business matters; he sends sugar on l'Enflammé; Martinique 30 July/3 September/ 1696;
• SP 128: letter to De Phelipeaux from De Servillié; De Servillié asks for the position of Morel, captain in Compagnies franches de la Marine, who recently died; he has been serving as a lieutenant for the past five years and some less experienced officers got a company before him; Martinique 15 September 1696;
• SP 129: letter to Pierre Debec, merchant in Nantes, from Vianey; business matters; he drew two bills of exchange and asks Debec to honour them; Martinique 4 September 1696;
• SP 130: letter to De Pontchartrain from De Servillié; De Servillié asks for the position of Morel, captain in Compagnies franches de la Marine, who recently died; he has been serving as a lieutenant for the past five years and some less experienced officers got a company before him; Martinique 15 September 1696;
• SP 131: letter from Bourquene; he hopes to have a commission in the new Compagnie du Senegal; business matters; he sends funds through the Compagnie de Guinee; Martinique 9 September 1696;
• SP 132: letter from Vallance Cattier to Gaspard Le Cert in Bordeaux; she hopes he received the sugar she sent him; her husband died after 20 days of illness; Martinique 30 August / 1 September 1696;
• SP 133: wanting;
• SP 134: letter from Prunes to Pierre Perniés, merchant in La Rochelle; there are enemy ships waiting off the coast so all ships leaving the island are at risk of being captured; Prunes asks to send lard and flour for provisions; Prunes sends sugar; Martinique 20 September 1696;
• SP 135: letter to Jacques Hanapier, merchant in Nantes; business matters; La Martinique 3 September 1696;
• SP 136: business letter from B. Maurelles; Maurelles gives his opinion that good profits should not be expected under the current circumstances; Martinique 4 September 1696;
• SP 137: letter from Carrier to Miss Louise Lamoureux in Bordeaux; Carrier last wrote to her under the cover of his brother; his affairs will not allow him to settle in France as it is currently a miserable place; he suggests she comes to Martinique; he asks if she could send him women shoes; Martinique 7 June / 3 September 1696;
• SP 138: letter from Giraud to Comin, merchant in Bordeaux; business letters; he sends sugar on Le Diamant; Martinique 4 September 1696;
• SP 139: letter from Keraudren to Rinbaud; business matters; he sends sugar on Le Diamant; Martinique 2 September 1696;
• SP 140: letter from Widow Duchesne; business matters; ship St Louis safely arrived bringing cloths and shirts; she sends sugar; she asks to send a bonnet for daughter and an altar frontal; she is saddened that there are suspicions about their business; Martinique 1 September 1696;
• SP 141: letter from Bley; business matters about the slave and sugar trades; news of the death of Cattier; Cattier died paying what he owed Bley for the sale of two enslaved men, but Raguienne, who settles Cattier's affairs for his widow, will pay him soon; he worries that their enemies captured some of their ships; the English took a French ship commanded by Sieur Duplessis and some crew members were killed or wounded; privateers and freebooters [flibustiers] are still going around the island; Sieur Morel, infantry captain in Guadeloupe, died and needs a replacement; Martinique 31 August 1696;
• SP 142: letter from Banchereau to Francois Dumont, merchant in Tours; he sends sugar on le Diamant; Martinique 3 September 1696;
• SP 143: letter from D. Leroy to Acart, merchant in Bordeaux; Leroy sends sugar and asks Acart to sell it as advantageously as possible; Martinique 3 September 1696;
• SP 144: letter from Lahoussaye to Noé & Jean Benoist fraires [frères], merchants in Bordeaux; he sends cocoa on the ship L'Enflammé (Captain Viviens); Martinique 9 September 1696;
• SP 145: invoice for sugar and cocoa loaded on Le Diamant by Blanchereau; Martinique 2 September 1696;
• SP 146: letter from Maunier to Acquart; Maunier is very happy with the wine he received from Acquart by the ship L'Americain; he sends sugar on Le Diamant; 3 September 1696;
• SP 147: invoice for sugar loaded on Le Diamant by Maunier; Martinique 28 August 1696;
• SP 148: invoice for sugar loaded on Le Diamant; undated;
• SP 149: letter to Silva le jeune, merchant in Bordeaux; news of the death of Cattier; business matters about sale of wine; two ships were lost to privateers; Martinique 4 September 1696; [final pages missing];
• SP 150: letter from Carrier to Jacques Vendery merchant in Bordeaux; informs that he loaded sugar on his account on L'Enflammé; includes invoice for the sugar; Martinique 25 July 1696.