Iris
In a letter dated
August 8, 1799, from Ralph Fisher to “Captn Thos Taylor” of the Ship Martha,
care of David Miller in St. Vincents, he states: “The Iris I hope will sell at
the same house. [T]hat ship / in company
/ has rather two prizes a spaniard [the Bonetta] and frenchman [the Ceres] the
former arrived here.” In a letter of the same date, from Ralph Fisher to David
Miller Esq. and Co. in St. Vincents: “Am favord with yours of the June
in reply to mine of April as the African Trade is now virtually abolished from
the restrictions few african ships can fit under them and we have every reason
to think W Pitt the next sessoins will totally abolish it[. F]or this reason
negroes must sell high[;] the average in Jamaica is now £74 sterling and
will be much higher[;] however we give you the preference on lower terms if an
extension of bills will cause a much greater average we are willing
to allow it. Our mutual friend Mr
Botton has given me a guarantee for our ship Iris who sailed hence for Angola
on the 17th __. I hope you
will induce Captn Cannon to stay with you, he has orders also to
give you a decided preference. I
hope you will procure both ships a freight to this port…. The Iris’s
number is 420 Negroes”
In a letter dated
August 9, 1799, from Ralph Fisher to John Hawker in Plymouth, it states: “We
thank you for your very paslite favor of the 4th Inst[,] the [Spanish] vessel [Bonetta]
bound for the River Palete[1]
from St Andero[2] taken by our ship Iris
&c. arrived here on Sunday last, the French Ship [Ceres] from the Isle of
France we have not yet any account of[.] From your kind information and other
ac[coun]ts we are endeavouring to secure her a Prize”
Ceres
On or about
August 11, 1799, the French ship Ceres, with Captain Stoney from the Isles of
France, a prize of the Lottery, the Iris and likely the Diana, Mary and Louisa as
well, arrived in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales.[3]
Iris
In a letter from
Ralph Fisher to “Captn Cannon” of the “Ship Iris Care of David Miller” in St.
Vincents, dated August 12, 1799, “John Botton Esqr of this place has given us a
guarantee for David Miller Esqr and Co of St Vincents for the sales of your
cargoe, therefore make the best terms you can in respect to average and length
of Bills, the last average at Jamaica was 74 Sterling for your government [£74
x 414 slaves = £30,636]. I hope you will
get from 65 to 70 at St Vincents don’t stay there without they will warrant you
at least £60 sterling 10th the benefit of sales make the best terms you can,
slaves must be had at any price from the state of the African trade. [T]he
difference between selling to Windward and Jamaica is £10 in favor of the
windwd islands and this guarantee is a good one. I hope Messr Miller and you may agree we
don’t mind 3 Mos in the extension of bills to make a great average[. W]e
congratulate you on y[ou]r success, the Spanish Barque is arrived, the
Frenchman, not yet we are endeavouring to get £15,000 insured on her. I am still without any further Accts from
Lindo Lake and Co, I still receive only copies of what you have seen they
behave strangely. [W]herever you sell endeavor to get a full freight for this
port”.
On August 13, 1799, the Iris logbook
states: “The Lottrey[,] Mary[,] Diannah and Louisah in Company”
A letter dated
August 27, 1799, from Ralph Fisher to W. Luke Ward, Blockmaker, in London:
“Inclosed you have a bill value £49.6/ amount of your account against ship
Iris, it was not before this day we recd W Humblis reply in this
account.”
North America
On September 10,
1799, £71+ was paid to Deputy Registrar Pedley for a set of appeal papers.
Iris
September 17,
1799: The Iris is heading for and in the vicinity of Loango in Africa per the
logbook.
A letter dated
October 6, 1799, from Ralph Fisher to David Miller Esq. and Co. in St. Vincent:
“I hope you will prepare for the Iris and induce Captn Cannon to
stop with you.”
Iris and North America
In a letter dated
November 5, 1799, from Ralph Fisher to “Captn George Cannon” care of David
Miller in St. Vincents, he states: “we would wish you by all means to stop at
St Vincents with Messr Miller and Co can you only reach
£55 sterling average but make the best terms you can, I hope you will get a
full freight for this port…The owners of the ship North America has appealed
very forcibly to this country, I don’t know how it will end, their lawn is a
very strong one the money is lodged in the admiralty at Jamaica but quite
£4,000 cuny”
Iris
A letter dated November 7, 1799,
from Ralph Fisher to Robinson and Heywood in Manchester: “Have inclosed you two
drafts value £352.15/ for my division of the Iris’s present voyage amot
£387.0.3 Dist 10 PC is £38.14.3 makes the Wt sum £348.6/
the balance of £4.9/ please credit me for on accot of the Iris last
voyage…
One Bill 200
One “ 152.15 - 352.15/”
A letter dated
November 25, 1799, from Ralph Fisher to “Captn George Cannon” of the Ship Iris,
care of Hardy Pinnock and Britan in Kingston, Jamaica: “Referring to what we have
wrote and your original orders, we have to say we place implicit confidence in
Messr Hardy and Co you’ll make the best terms you can
with them in respect to dates of bills, we have wrote them our opinion
respecting produce and dollars, if you take any the price must be considerably
reduced to what it has been as there is no sale here if you take any it
must be the first quality but observe we prefer their
drafts and at all event, bring the whole proceeds in your ship
Write us fully on your arrival with duplicates and if any property is shipped
for us don’t by any means omit giving us early and repeated information”. A
letter the same date to Hardy Pinnock and Britan: “Referring to mine of the 9th
August I hope on the Iris’s arrival with you, you’ll make him a yard average
and as short Bills as possible if it can be avoided We
don’t wish any produce, except it is very much reduced in price indeed
should have no objection to have part in DoMer, and if any produce, to be in
Sugar, Cotton and coffee of the first quality and some Dye wood,
but we prefer your dasts for the whole, at any rate the whole
home by the Ship Captn Cannon said on the 17th July for
Angola, he has particular Orders, to purchase none but choice negroes, my
respects to W. Aspinall please inform him, I have not heard from him more than
12 months.”
A letter dated
December 23, 1799 to “Taylor and Cannon”, captains of the Martha and Iris, in
St. Vincents: “Referring to mine of 6th Octr and 5th
Novr have to say I wish you both stop to Windward, if Messr
Miller and Co will draw bills, if not for the Iris, a cash and
produce sale, by the ship, if it can be avoided do not go down to Jamaica, they
will be so strong, the Martha I don’t doubt will have sold her cargo ‘ere this
reaches, wish the ship sold and the Bills all drawn in 1/8 parts in my favor
don’t on any Acct leave one shilling behind for either ship”
A letter dated
January 22, 1800, from Ralph Fisher to Alexr Lindo Esqr and Co. in London: “Will
thank you to inform me in course, whether you are agreable to give a guarantee
for our mutual friends in Jamaica for the Iris who this voyage is gone to
Angola, you know her number is 420[slaves;] wish the bills discounted as low as
you can to 3.6 and 9 on 6.9 and 12 as you think proper, but no produce, if this
is agreable, please write Messr Lindo Lake and Co by the first conveyance as no
time should be lost, we expect her down the ensuing month this vessel was to
have stopped at St Vincents, but we have every reason to believe she can’t sell
there.”
North America
On January 25,
1800, a claim (an appeal) was filed with the Lords Commissioners of Appeals in
Prize Causes in London by Samuel Williams, consul of the United States in
London, and agent appointed by the United States to prosecute claims and appeals
in prize causes on behalf of citizens of the United States, for the ship and
cargo on behalf of James Yard of Philadelphia and other citizens of the United
States. This was at the behest of Captain William Burke who had originally
initiated the appeal, but had been impressed and was serving in the Royal Navy.
No enemies of the Crown of Great Britain
(Territories of France, United Provinces of the King of Spain, Governments
titling themselves the Ligurian and Roman Republics, or their factors or agents)
had a direct or indirect interest in the ship or cargo. [Bush, proctor for the
Appellants?, returned the claim of Samuel Williams]
Iris
A letter dated
January 27, 1799, from Ralph Fisher to Alexr Lindo in London: “I am favord with
yours of the 24th will thank you to procure me a guarantee for the Iris, Capn
Cannon for your house in Jamaica I mean to write out via Falmouth to meet the
Packet, which I think will be in time”
A letter dated
January 28, 1799, from J.B. Aspinall to Thos. Aspinall in Kingston, Jamaica:
“Dear Brother….I forgot to mention to you that we have taken one half of the
Iris with R. Fisher, she is ordered down to you and you must do the best you
can for her, or get some respectable house to sell her, no planters bonds on
any account”.
North America
In February
1800, a duplicate copy of the appeal, claim and court proceeding in Jamaica
arrived in London and was filed with the appeals court.
Uncle Toby
February 3, 1800
(New York District Court) – A Rule of Agreement directed Benjamin Waterhouse,
William Savage and William Stimpson of Kingston, Jamaica, as merchants, to
examine various witnesses.
Iris
On February 3,
1800, Ralph Fisher wrote to Thomas Aspinall in Kingston, Jamaica, as follows: “I
have heard Messr Hardy Pinock and Britan won’t draw bills, which we prefer to
produce I have just recd a guarantee for Lindo Lake and Co from Aguilar Dias
and son for that ship, if you have not diposed of her, therefore if you think
proper put her into their hands…Your brothers John and James [Aspinall] hold
one half the Iris. Please inform Messr
Lindo Lake and Co there is no appeal for the North America, I will send the
documents for the admiralty to receive the money to remit me”.
Iris and North America
In
a letter from Ralph Fisher to Lindo, Lake and Co. in Kingston, Jamaica, dated
February 6, 1800, he states: “The Iris I expected to have sold at St Vincent,
we have every reason to believe she will not presume she will go down to W.
Tho. Aspinall; Hardy Pinock and Britan can’t draw therefore have desired my
relation to take her under his charge and sell for cash and produce but we
prefer bills, have wrote W.A[spinall]. to that purpose, and informed him I had
within a day or two, only got a guarantee from Messr Aguilar, Dias and Son for
your house, to accept any drafts you may draw for her cargo, therefore please
consult with W.A. on that business, if you sell her I hope you’ll make a point
of giving us the shortest bills possible, ‘tis a doubt whether this gets before
her, they put in their appeal for the North America the last day”
[emphasis added]
North America
On April 2,
1800, Farquhar [proctor for the appellants?] exhibited an affidavit by Samuel
Williams and asked to amend the Claim filed on January 25th, by
inserting the name of Edward Stevens as the sole owner of the cargo of the
North America. Stevens [proctor for the captor and Respondents?] appeared and
opposed the amendment. The Lords Commissioners of Appeals in Prize Causes heard
both sides and gave leave to Farquhar to amend the claim and “assigned
[Farquhar] to libel” [apparently to file a petition]. An apparent exhibit to
the request for an amendment was an affidavit signed April 2, 1800, by Samuel
Williams, consul of the United States in London, who stated that several
letters were delivered to him by David Lenex, agent of the United States in London
for the relief and protection of American seamen, which Lenex had received from
Captain William Burke. The letters outlined the capture of the North America,
the judgment in the Court of Vice Admiralty in Jamaica, the subsequent appeal
and the shipment of the appeal papers with the May fleet for London. Captain
Burke was now on board one of His Majesties armed frigates at Sheerneh, was
personally unable to appear, and could not recall the name of the London
mercantile firm the appeal papers had been sent to. The second appeal arranged
for filing by William Burke, and filed by Samuel Williams on January 25, 1800, failed
to name Edward Stevens of Philadelphia as the owner of the cargo and also
failed to name William Blake as owner of the ship. However, the letters of
Burke accompanying the second set of papers did name Edward Stevens as owner of
the cargo and James Yard as his consignee and Samuel Williams had those letters
in his possession and could file them with the court. Further, the duplicate of
the claim filed in the Jamaica court also listed James Blake as owner of the
ship and Edwards Stevens as owner of the cargo.
Iris
June 19, 1800:
The Iris is leaving the vicinity of Loango, having apparently been there for
nine months (since about September 19, 1799).
[1] River
Plate or Rio de la Plata.
[2]
Santander.
[3]
Lloyd’s List dated August 13, 1799 provides that the ship Ceres, Captain
Stoney, from the Isles of France, arrived in Milford Haven, Wales as a “Prize
to the Lottery of Liverpool.” We know that the Iris was involved due to the log
entry and letters of Ralph Fisher. An August 11th date is used as
the Lloyd’s List date for the Bonetta capture was two days after actual arrival
of the Bonetta in Liverpool. The Ceres shows up in slave voyages in 1802, 1803
and 1804. It is listed at 331 tons and previously a prize taken from the
French. (www.slavevoyages.org, record
nos. 80771, 80772 and 80773). Milford Haven is a natural harbor used as a port
since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1793 on the northside of the
Waterway which gave it its name. By 1797 it was developing as a Royal Navy
dockyard which it remained until it was transferred to Pembroke in 1814 and
became a commercial dock (Wikipedia, “Milford Haven”)
 |
| Lloyd's List, dated August 13, 1799 |
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