Captured ship: Conquis or Concord or Conquest of La Rochelle (master Joseph Compere...

Captured ship: Conquis or Concord or Conquest of La Rochelle (master Joseph Compere or Campere).

History: a French slave trader ship (160 tons, 20 guns), bound from La Rochelle to Loango and the French Antilles, transporting around 140 enslaved people; taken in fight on 9/19 April 1697 on the coast of Loango by the English slave trader ship Johns Bonadventure (John Ford commanding) and the Dutch privateer Dolphin of Middelburg (Mathieu Boegart commanding); the captors divided the goods and enslaved people between them at Angola but ransomed the badly-damaged Conquis back to Compere, and the Johns Bonaventure then sailed for Carlisle Bay, Barbados, where the captives were sold by inch of candle.

Documents:-

Ship's papers numbered SP 51-SP 77 from the larger bundle of SP 1-SP 77, all in folder HCA 32/1865/24; descriptions of the Conquis's ship's papers continue from HCA 32/1867/18B:

• SP 51: letter to Compere from Gomme; is sending him more captives and is currently with a fever but just had a bleeding so hoping to feel better; undated;
• SP 52: letter to Compere from Ginocher; relating to the organisation and storing of merchandise on the ship; 8 February 1697; letter to Compere and Gomme from Ginocher; relating to the food on board which is too hard to eat; on board Le Conquis, 15 February 1697;
• SP 53: letter to Compere from Alard; was unhappy to learn from his brother that they could not trade; hoping he will have better success on that matter; undated;
• SP 54: letter to Compere from Ginocher; is sending him some merchandise, including tobacco; 18 February 1697;
• SP 55: letter to Compere from Ginocher; asking for the sailors bringing the merchandise to follow his orders; takes care of his dogs when Compere is not on board the ship and they have not caused trouble so far; 10 February 1697;
• SP 56: letter to Compere from Gomme; has just taken a new enslaved man; is also sending two captives acquired from the king; need for cotton and salt; Loango, 20 March 1697;
• SP 57: letter to Compere from Gomme; about negotiations with local authorities for the acquiring of enslaved people; visit from the king’s son, and he had to give him a gun; the mafouque was with the Portuguese, and the latter had to give cloths and tobacco to satisfy local people; is sending him two captives; Loango, 6 April 1697;
• SP 58: letter to Compere from his brother; wishing him a happy Easter; update on negotiations with local authorities for the acquiring of enslaved people; did not trade for the past few days and are now threatened by local people; if this continues, they will have to go back on board the ship; undated;
• SP 59: letter to Compere from Gomme; trade with the Portuguese and the mafouque; the latter is displeased about the trading of guns; they have only been able to acquire one young enslaved man; Loango, 5 April 1697;
• SP 60: letter to Compere from Gomme; relating to negotiations with local authorities for the acquiring of enslaved people; are only able to acquire enslaved women; strong enslaved men are purchased by the Dutch; worries about their safety and fear they will be forced to leave; Loango, 7 April 1697;
• SP 61: account of material used on board the ship Le Conquis for the months of July and August 1696;
• SP 62: account of material used on board the ship Le Conquis for the months of September, October and August 1696;
• SP 63: account of material used on board the ship Le Conquis for the month of December 1696;
• SP 64: account of material used on board the ship Le Conquis by the gunner for the months of July and August 1696;
• SP 65: account of powder used in November 1696;
• SP 66: account of material used on board the ship Le Conquis by the gunner for the months of October, November and December 1696;
• SP 67: account of material used on board the ship Le Conquis by the carpenter for the months of August and September 1696;
• SP 68: account of material used on board the ship Le Conquis by the carpenter for the months of October, November and December 1696;
• SP 69: account of food used by the cook on board the ship Le Conquis for the month of September 1696;
• SP 70: account of food used by the cook on board the ship Le Conquis for the month of August 1696;
• SP 71: account of food used by the cook on board the ship Le Conquis for the month of October 1696;
• SP 72: account of food used by the cook on board the ship Le Conquis for the month of October 1696, including an account of the number of enslaved people on board;
• SP 73: account of food used by the cook on board the ship Le Conquis for the month of November 1696, including an account of the number of enslaved people on board;
• SP 74: account of food used by the cook on board the ship Le Conquis for the month of December 1696, including an account of the number of enslaved people on board;
• SP 75: account of the material used by the master of the boat on board the ship Le Conquis;
• SP 76: account of the material used by the master sailmaker on board the ship Le Conquis for the months of August to December 1696;
• SP 77: signed declaration of Compere stating that he will take care of his crew according to regulations; signed La Rochelle, 22 July 1696.