Evening star., 1898-04-23
PRIVATEERING.
Brave Men Engage in the Trade and
Secure Big Prizes.

SeCuTe dig Tflzcbs
From Chambers Journal.
The first mention of privateering-possibly
in this case piracy-in connection with
Liverpool, is In the year 1868, when a ship
belonging to Sir Thomas Stanley, son Of
the Earl Of Derby, brought a prize into the
Mersey amid great rejoicngs." 1t was in
the reign of George IL, however, that pri-
watering was taken up business en-
terprise by the Liverpool merchants. In
11I4 Liverpool possessed four privateers
which. during the French and Spanish war,
captured about a dozen ships-a small set
off, however, to the round hundred sailing
10 and taken from Liverpool by the enemy.
The breaking out Of the seven years
war, in 1lo6, came as blow TO Liverpool.
whose trade il. black ivory" had been
making prodigious strides. Swarms of
French privateers found their way into the
Irish and at one time actually block
AIDED the town for several weeks. lnsur-
aLce rates Went up enormously, and trade
was practically at a StandStill The mer-
chants, however did not wait for ruin with
folded hands. Taking the hint from the
enemy, they not only fitted out their useless
ships as privateers, but built new vessels
for the service. These they let loose ON the
enemy's commerce, and the result was re-
markabe. One of the first privateers to
leave the port returned in few weeks
with O French West Indiaman worth f2O,-
in quick succession. Then the whole coun-
try became mad after privateering," and
the mania even spread to the colonies. The
Liverpool priva ateersmen, second to none In
courage and seamanship, made many
prizes, but, on the whole, the result of the
war to the merchants was disastrous. In
the first four years alone 143 vessels be-
longing to the port were captured by the
French, and this more than counterbal-
anced the gains of the privateers.
The experiences of the seven years war
were repeated during the American war for
independence. The Americans at the out
set sent forth q fleet of privateers. and soon
The trade OF Liverpool sank to small dimen-
sions. Yet it was only when the French
and Spaniards joined in the war that Liv-
erpool entered with its old energy into the
rrivateering business. But, once started,
SO great was the zeal displayed that be-
tween August. 171S, and April, 1779, 12O
private cruisers were fitted out. An entire
stop was put to the commercial progress
of the port. however. and. beyond the oc-
casional hustle Of numerous sales by auc-
tion of the cargoes of prizes taken from
the enemy, there was little business trans
acted" 1t was. indeed, only the activity
and success Of the privateers that saved
many of the Liverpool merchants from
ruin.
The greatest of LiverpooPs privateering
heroes was parsonage famous in his day
and not yet utterly forgotten-namely,
Capt. Fortunatus Wright. Soon after the
he. conformity with some English merchants
in Leghorn, fitted out the Fame privateer
to cruise against the French. The Gentle
mans Magazine for December, l746 stated
that the Fame Capt. Wright) had cap
tLred sixteen French ships in the Leyant,
worth 100000 Capt. Wright's most re-
markable achievement, however, was in
1856. when the renewal of the war with
France became imminent. In that year he
built small vessel at Leghorn called the
st. George, TO cruise against the enemy.
His project becoming known, French
xebec of sixteen guns and two hundred and
eighty men bore down upon Leghorn and
lowered outside the harbor in order to
capture him when he came out. So much
injury had Wright done to French COM
merce during the last war that the French
king had promised the honor Of knight
hood, a pension Of 1900 lives per annum
for life and the command of a sloop-of-war ar
10 whoever should bring him into France
alive or dead. The candidate for knight
hood, therefore, impatiently waited for
HIM. The Tuscan government being at this
time in close sympathy with the French
would not allow Wright to leave port with
more than four guns and twenty-five men.
With this armament he left the harbor on
July Is. having three other small vessels
under convoy. No sooner was he clear of
the harbor. however. than he took on board
eight other guns, which had been secretly
slowed BY the convoy for his use. He also
prersiled upon fifty-ffye q their men, com
posed OF Siavonians, Venetians, Italians,
Swiss and few Englishmen, to enter on
board his ship. Next morning the French
p'an bore down upon him, and at 12 o'clock
the engagement began, In sight of about
three thousand well-wishers of the French.
In three-Quarters OF an hour the xebec was