Captured ship: Peace or Vrede of Amsterdam [commander Cornelius Jansen Sloeger]....

Captured ship: Peace or Vrede of Amsterdam [commander Cornelius Jansen Sloeger].

4 items 63-66. 63: 1 document, numbered 63 (4 pages) 63/ Allegation [no date, endorsed by HCA as received 3 November 1674]: ship Vreade (otherwise Vrede, Peace), master [commander] Cornelius Jansen Slooger (otherwise Slogar). Ship Vrede, otherwise Peace, 'is a merchants of Amsterdam' [NB: the meaning here is imprecise: that she belongs to a merchant of Amsterdam, and/or that she is a merchant ship], ship was on a merchant voyage from Amsterdam, bound for Cuba and in ballast for the Bay of Campecha [Campeachy, Campeche, New Spain, now Mexico] where the crew would fell logwood or Campecha wood and lade it for return to Amsterdam. This type of voyage is normal practice for traders of many nations for 20 years. Bay of Campeche is open and uninhabited by permanent residents. Ship and lading taken by HMS Portland (George Canning commanding).

64: 1 document, numbered 64 (4 pages) 64/ Allegation [no date, endorsed by HCA as received 9 December 1674]: ship Vrede (otherwise Peace), master [commander] Cornelius Jansen Sloogar (otherwise Slogar). Ship Vrede, otherwise Peace, 'is a merchants shippe belonging to Amsterdam'. On this voyage, ship was not a privateer and not intending as a privateer, but on a merchant design. Although she had a privateering commission from the Prince of Orange, she was not relinquishing or hindering her merchant voyage. In the late war it was usual for both the English and Dutch in merchant voyages to the East Indies and other parts to take 'commissions of marte or warre' [privateering commissions] from their governments, 'and yett such shippes were not accompted or looked upon to be private men of warre' by either side. On the British side, these ships were not and should not be condemned to the person of those captors in the King's service, but to the King himself. 65: 2 documents: 1 document, numbered 65, plus 1 unnumbered enclosure (9 pages)

65: Allegation, 29 November 1675: ship Vrede and Captain Canning. Ship Vrede, master Cornelius Johnson Sloeker, was taken on 10 Oct 1673 in the West Indies by HMS Portland (George Canning commanding) and brought into Jamaica. Ship and cargo of logwood valued by [Vice] Admiralty Court of Jamaica at £1200, of which the Governor took 1/6 for the King and Lord High Admiral, and the cargo at £4/ton. After these deductions, the ship and lading were sold and of the proceeds 2/3 distributed amongst the officers and men, 1/3 to Canning. Enclosing special interrogatories: ship Vrede, 30 November 1675.

66: 1 document, numbered 66 (4 pages) 66/ Allegation (no date). Ship Vreede [Vrede], commander Cornelius Sloaker. Ship Vreede [Vrede] is of 150 tons and had 22 guns when taken by HMS Portland (Canning commanding), was fitted and manned as a privateer, not as a merchant ship, and was ready to fight. Before capture (whilst in a creek to careen and refit), Vrede had been cruising as a privateer on the coasts of Jamaica and Campeche for several months 'under the colors of the States of Holland' and had taken several ships belonging to subjects of England. Ship had Prince of Orange's commission aboard, but no papers concerning a trading voyage. No goods were aboard at capture other than those taken from her English prizes. Depositions given that the ship was on a trading voyage are false. Moreover, the King states that no subjects of 'the States of Holland' have been allowed cut wood at Campeche by the English, who have had possession for the last 7 years, and that privateers taken by HM ships should be given to the captor commander and crew.

History: a Dutch privateer; taken on [10 October 1673] in the West Indies by HMS Portland (George Canning commanding), and sold at Jamaica.

Court Paper, numbered CP 1:-

• [CP 1]: copy of warrant to Capt Cannynge [Canning] awarding proceeds of prize (already sold), 5 March 1675;

Extra information:-

• See the four detailed allegations at HCA 24/147/63, HCA 24/147/64, HCA 24/147/65, and HCA 24/147/66.
• See British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714, p.103: Portland was at Jamaica under Canning [at least as early as 1673/04/06].
• See also IND 1/9012, f.70, which gives the commander's name and the prize as brought into London. Condemned 16 February 1674/1675.