Captured ship: Graf Bernstorff (master Gert Belmer, supercargo Willem Charles Van...

Captured ship: Graf Bernstorff (master Gert Belmer, supercargo Willem Charles Van Braam).

History: [a Danish East Indiaman (chartered in Batavia as larger than the previous Johanna on which the outbound voyage was made), bound from Batavia to Copenhagen, laden with sugar, coffee, sappan wood and rattan; came into St Helen's Roads, Isle of Wight, on 13 February 1799, after suffering damage, and was seized by HMS Seine (David Milne commanding) under suspicion of being Dutch].

Documents: numbered by the court in one sequence now spread across many references. This piece mostly comprises parts of the private archives of the officers of the Graf Bernstorff:-

1. Aquatint print of a cape with lighthouse and a single-decked man-of-war. Seated figure of Britannia and signal flags. [Once with 10: 'No 760', below, this was transferred in 1933 and is now HCA 65/34]. [1792-1793]

2. 'Nos 201-299': a bundle of letters and papers belonging to the officers of the Graf Bernstorff. 1798-1799.

3. 'No 721': a folder of patterns for sails. [1798].

4. 'No 722': a brief notebook of accounts from the Johanna. 1797-1798.

4A. 'No 724': notebook inc. Uitgaafaande (expenses) 1798. Inc. notes in English on the dimensions of boxes; and a list of 33 girls' names and (presumably) the place of residence of each e.g. Helena Caap de Good Hope, Therese Baay Fals, Singala Colombo etc. There is another copy of the same list in the pocket at the back of the notebook, and on the reverse of the list a verse"Piron aux dames du balcon". (Added from HCA 30/753 on 28 June 2023).

5. 'No 737': report. 1797.

6. 'No 748: a rough notebook, with tucked inside a list of the crew of the Graf Bernstorff: Gert Belmer, captain; Frederick Christian Lind, lieutenant; Gosewyn Van Nellen, lieutenant; etc. 1798.

7. 'No 756': intermittent private log of several voyages, ending with the [Graf Bernstorff] at Brading, Isle of Wight, February 1799. 1788-1799.

8. 'No 757': writings with calculations, artillery lessons. [1798].

9. 'No 758': victualling book for the Musquetier; with an essay in a better hand, 'Om vertuyd zynd onder zeyl te gaan'. 1793.

10. 'No 760': journal or log of the Ysselnoorde Zeylande, which previously contained the aquatint and signals listed above as 1. 1792-1793.

11. 'No 763': Letter book for the Graf Bernstorff (Captain Belmer), containing copies of authorisations and certificates that the ship is a Danish ship from Tranquebar; with a Circulation Book at the other end of the volume. 1797.

12. 'No 767': lieutenant's journal or log, of Der Resolutie, commanded by Daniel Hendrik 1794-1795, and of the Voorland, commanded by J Arens 1795, and of the Vreedenbüch, 1795; and lastly of the Graf Bernstorff, 1797. [The paper cover - a toothed design in black on a grey ground - for this lieutenant's log book, going with him from ship to ship, has been transferred to HCA 30/754/12]. 1794-1797.

13. 'No 770': lieutenant's journal or log, of the Jupiter, (named as an 'Arab' ship), sailing Batavia-Muscat-Batavia. 1796.

14. 'No 776': 'No 767': lieutenant's journal or log. 1795.

15. 'No 779': lieutenant's journal or log, for the [Graf Bernstorff ]. Covered in white [sailcloth ?]. 1798.

16. 'No 781': journal of G Van Nellen of the Graf Bernstorff, Batavia to Bombay to Copenhagen: 1797- 4 February 1799.

17. 'No 782': manuscript notebook of navigation exercises etc. [1798].

Re-catalogued to this level of detail in 2017 and 2023.

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