Evening star., 1928-02-26

More than 1000 American privateers
preyed on British shipping during the
Revolution under commissions from the
Continental Congress.
The first authentic information on
the extent of the American sea power
came to light with the discovery, in
the files Of the State Department, Of
tattercd ledger giving the number of
commissions issued to the various colo
nies for Quitting privateers.
Out Of total Of 1.030 such priva-
teers commissioned, Massachusetts alone
furnished 28O.
The ledger was a part Of the records
OF the Naval Board OF the Continental
Congress The records discovered in
the files Of the State Department con-
tanned also a journal of the Congress
from May 10 to June 26, ITS, and
various rough drafts of recommended
tions. letters of marque, court martial
proceedings, etc. that passed through
the hands of the board. All these rec
ords have been transferred to the Lii
brary of Congress.
Naval History Obscure.
The men who served the Colonies on
the seas left scanty records. and the
naval history of the Revolution, &C.
cording to Library of Congress officials,
is a very obscure chapter in the story
of the Republic. A few outstanding
exploits. such as those of John Paul
Jones. stand out, but no permanent
record was kept of the thousands of
others.
The sea warfare was in charge of
three naval diviSions-the Eastern, with
headquarters at Newport; the Central.
with headquarters at Bordenton. N. j..
and the Southern, with headquarters
at Charleston. These division boards
functioned under the neval board of
the Continental Congress. but they kept
their own records. so that the officials
at Philadelphia had only vague idea
of who actually was in the service. At
the end of the war. it is likely. the
division boards destroyed their records.
No trace of them ever has been found
Nobody knows the names Of the ships,
the captains and the crews OF a great
many of the Colonial vessels.
The best records to date have been
a large collection of bonds filed with
the Continental Congress by the cap
tains Of the privateers. by which they
agreed to confine their activities to
British shipping and property. These
bonds usually were for $4,000. to be
sacrificed in case the captain violated
lIiS dSlctiIleIlt. ! illS HdS dUOut TIE
only hold. 1t is explained. which the
Congress had on these privateers. There
was strong temptation to turn from
privateering to out-and-out piracy, and
many probably did so. sacrificing their
bonds for the rich prizes which they
were able to capture.
Captured Boats Sold.
Privateering was very popular and
profitable. The captain and crew kept
what they got. The only rule was that
captured vessel must be brought into
a port where there was a Continental
admiralty court. where 1t was appraised
and sold. The proceeds went to the
men who had captured it. and with
good luck an ordinary seaman might
have very comfortable sum laid by
This. it was explained at the Library
OF Congress, was one OF the reasons
why 1t was so hard to procure enlist
ments in the Continental Army. For
the soldier there was nothing but hard
living. constant danger and extremely
low pay.
The sailor had no harder life, was
subjected to no great danger and with
good luck might secure from a single
voyage what was moderate fortune
for those days. 1t has been known by