History of the Post-Office Packet Service between the years 1793-1815 / Compiled from Records, Chiefly Official

by Arthur H. Norway

INDEX.

• “Adelphi” captured, [87].
• Admiralty, Packet Service taken over by, [303].
• Admiralty Courts, [24].
• Agents, Packet, their duties, [29];
  • malpractices of, [29]–32.
• Altona, [160], [161], [163], [171].
• American ships, largely manned by British seamen, [224], [225].
• “Anaconda,” 243.
• “Antelope,” fight between, and the privateer “Atalanta,” 44–49, [305];
  • her crew rewarded, [50], [51];
  • capture of, [60].
• Anthony, Captain, [178]–183, [196].
• “Arab” captured, [52].
• Armaments of the West India Packets reduced, [37];
  • scheme for increasing them, [72].
• “Atalanta” privateer, [44].
• “Attentive,” H.M.S., [135], [142], [143].
• Auckland, Lord, [85], [118], [120];
  • inquires into suspicious captures of Packets, [88]–93, [97], [99], [102].
• Balloon postal service suggested, [118].
• Berlin decrees, as affecting the postal service, [157]–159.
• Bideford, [16].
• Blewitt, Captain, [241], [242].
• “Bona,” 227, [228].
• Bonell, Captain, [21].
• Boulderson, Captain, [208].
• Bounties to wounded sailors, [20].
• Bourrienne, M. de, quoted, [148], [152], [153], [264], [265].
• Bridge, Captain, succeeds in landing his mails, [113]–117.
• British subjects, seizure and imprisonment of, on French territory, [147]–151;
  • some attempts to escape, [151]–155.
• Bull, Captain James, [72].
• Bull, Captain John, [203], [204], [205], [208], [209];
  • his early misfortunes, [124]–126;
  • his reputation made, [127];
  • capture of his ship, [128]–130, [196];
  • his fight with the “Primrose,” 274–283.
• Bullion, amount carried by the Packets, [10];
  • how transported to London, [11].
• Bullock, Mr., and the “Prince Adolphus,” 77–79.
• Caddy, Captain, [243].
• Calais Packets, [13].
• Calder, Sir Robert, [210], [211].
• Captains, Packet, their incomes, [9];
  • instructions issued to, in time of war, [38], [51];
  • absenteeism among, [57]–59;
  • system of fines for absenteeism, [121].
• Carne, John, [152].
• “Carteret” captured, [86].
• Chamberlain, Mr., [173];
  • his escape from Lisbon, [175].
• Chamberlayne, Mr. Henry, [112], [113].
• “Champion,” 111.
• “Chesterfield,” capture of, [86];
  • beats off an American privateer, [287]–290.
• Chronological History of the West Indies (Southey), cited, [76].
• Cock, Captain James, [227] et seq., [270]–274.
• Conference between the merchants and the Postmaster General, [73], [74].
• Continental System, Napoleon’s, [147] et seq.;
  • Post-Office attempts to evade it, [155], [156], [160]–163, [172], [264]–266;
  • the Berlin decrees, [157]–159;
  • causes of its failure, [159], [160], [264], [265].
• Contractors, the, for the Packets, [15], [16], [18].
• Cooper, Captain John, [20].
• “Cornwallis,” her fight with the Spanish privateers, [178]–181;
  • and with the lugger, [182], [183].
• Corunna, Packet communication with, [14], [18].
• “Countess of Leicester,” 73.
• Court of Inquiry into captures of Packets, [99], [100].
• Cunninghame, Captain James, [247];
  • his description of his fight with the “Saratoga,” 248–252;
  • his services rewarded, [253].
• Curtis, Mr. Edward, [45]–47.
• Cuxhaven, despatch of mails to, [110];
  • mail service at, during the great frost, [111] et seq.;
  • the port closed, [155].
• Deake, Captain, [59], [98].
• Deane, Captain, [168], [169].
• Decree ordering seizure of British subjects on French territory, [147]–151.
• Demerara, privateers repulsed from, [237]–239.
• Denmark, English mails seized in, [165]–168.
• “Despatch” Packet illegally seized, [39], [40].
• Dominica, French expedition against, [134], [135];
  • its repulse by Captain Dyneley, [136]–143.
• “Dominica,” H.M. sloop, handed over to the French by her crew, [133].
• “Dryad,” 273.
• “Duke of Clarence” captured, [89].
• “Duke of Marlborough,” 124, [127], [208];
  • capture of, [128]–130;
  • fights with privateers, [184]–186, [202]–205;
  • her fight with H.M. brig “Primrose,” 274–283.
• “Duke of Montrose,” 135 et seq.;
  • her fight with a privateer, [240], [241];
  • how captured and regained, [297].
• “Duke of York” captured, [83];
  • surrender of, [98], [99];
  • result of the Inspector’s inquiry, [100]–102.
• Dundas, Mr. Henry, [91].
• Dyneley, Captain, [135];
  • repulses the French expedition against Dominica, [136]–143;
  • his last fight, [144]–146.
• “Earl Gower,” how captured, [98].
• “Earl of Leicester” piracy case, [26]–28.
• East, Mr., [149], [150].
• Elphinstone, Captain, [242].
• Espriella, Don Manuel, his impressions of a Falmouth inn, [7].
• “Eurotas,” 271, [273].
• “Expedition” captured, [53].
• “Express,” 243, [244].
• Falmouth, before its selection as the Packet headquarters, [3];
  • growth and prosperity of, [4], [5];
  • effect of the railway on, [12];
  • why selected for a Packet station, [14]–16;
  • natural advantages of the port and harbour, [16], [17];
  • a nest of smugglers, [29];
  • the mutiny at, [197] et seq.;
  • magistrates in sympathy with the mutineers, [211], [214], [215];
  • removal of the Packets from, [216], [217];
  • and their return, [220].
• Fares paid by passengers, [10].
• Flynn, Captain, [151].
• Fowey as a Packet station, [219].
• Freeling, Mr. Francis, [85], [93], [112], [120], [246], [253].
• Frost, the great, of 1798, [110] et seq.
• Furze, Captain, [267]–270, [287]–290.
• Giltinan, James, [177].
• Gothenburg as a Packet station, [155], [171].
• Gower, Lord, [85].
• “Grantham,” 125;
  • capture and re-capture of, [72].
• Gwin, Daniel, [18].
• “Halifax” captured, [87].
• Hamburg, mails smuggled into, [155];
  • occupied by the French, [157];
  • Mr. Nicholas’ agreement with the P.O. officials at, [162], [163].
• Hammond, Captain, and the Danish grain-ships, [26]–28.
• Hartney, Captain, [239].
• Heligoland as a mail depôt, [111], [155];
  • capture of, [172].
• Helvoetsluis, the port closed, [109];
  • seizure and imprisonment of British subjects at, [148]–151.
• “Hinchinbrooke” wrecked, [245].
• “Hinchinbrooke” beats off an American privateer, [283]–287.
• Holland, closing of her ports, [109].
• Holyhead Packets, [14], [41], [106], [107].
• Husum as a Packet station, [155], [156].
• Inspector of Packets, and the suspicious captures, [92], [93];
  • his inquiries into the private trading abuses, [97], [100]–102.
• James, Mr., [184]–186, [202], [203], [283]–287.
• “Jane,” capture and re-capture of, [89].
• Jones, Captain John, [21].
• Kempthorne, Captain, [44], [60], [61].
• “King George” captured, [54], [122]–124;
  • action fought by, [62], [63].
• Kirkness, Captain, [236]–239.
• “Lady Emily” wrecked, [245].
• “Lady Harriet” captured, [87].
• “Lady Mary Pelham,” 235, [236], [254], [255];
  • the conduct of her lawyer-captain, [261], [262].
• “Lady Nepean,” 168, [169].
• “Lapwing,” 267;
  • her fight with a privateer, [268]–270.
• Leston, Mr., [149].
• Letters, the practice of duplicating, [53].
• Lisbon Packets, private trading permitted on, [104], [197];
  • its prohibition, [201].
• “Little Catherine,” 296.
• Mails, the insecurity of, [53], [68], [70], [117];
  • demand of the merchants for increased security of, [70], [71], [75];
  • delays in forwarding, [73], [110], [159];
  • smuggling them into Germany, [155], [156], [160]–163, [174], [264]–266;
  • seizure of, by the Danes at Tonningen, [165]–168.
• Maitland, Sir Thomas, [127].
• “Marquis of Kildare” captured, [89], [90].
• Merchants, West India, [18];
  • their influence on the Post-Office, [36], [37];
  • complain of the insecurity of mails, [68], [246];
  • their memorial to the Postmaster General, [70], [71];
  • their conference with him, [75], [76].
• Milford Packets, [14], [106], [107];
  • the arming of, [41], [42].
• “Montagu,” 239, [255], [256];
  • her fight with the “Globe” privateer, [258]–263.
• Moorsom, Captain, [225], [226].
• “Morgiana,” her fight with the “Saratoga” privateer, [247]–252.
• Mudge, Captain, [132].
• Mutineers pressed, [209];
  • their demands, [210];
  • meeting of, ib.;
  • magistrates in sympathy with, [211];
  • their delegates pressed, [212], [213];
  • return to their ships, [215];
  • fate of the delegates, [220],221.
• Mutiny of the crew of the “Speedy,” 290, [291].
• Mutiny of Packetsmen, causes leading up to, [197] et seq.
• Naval History (James), cited, [49], [50], [52], [80], [278];
  • its account of Captain Bull’s case examined, [280]–283.
• News, foreign, Packet boats as vehicles of, [6], [36], [37].
• Nicholas, Mr., [161]–163.
• Nicholls, Mr. William, [292]–295.
• Nodin, M., [51], [52].
• Norfolk Herald quoted, [300]–302.
• North Sea (Harwich) Packets. See Packets, North Sea.
• Norway, Captain, his character and career, [255], [256], [262], [263].
• Packet Service, Post-Office, its chronicles neglected, [2], [239], [303], [304];
  • established at Falmouth, [3], [4];
  • as the vehicle of foreign news, [6], [36], [37];
  • number of seamen employed by, [8];
  • minor Packet stations, [13], [14];
  • reasons for the choice of Falmouth, [14]–16;
  • the contractors, [15], [16], [18];
  • the Corunna Packets, [18];
  • West India and other Packets established, [19];
  • pensions and bounties awarded in, [20], [21];
  • a fighting service, [21];
  • lax administration in, [22] et seq.;
  • piracy as practised by the ships of, [22]–28;
  • malpractices of the controlling agents, [29]–32;
  • corruption at headquarters, [32];
  • the beginning of the reforms, [35];
  • armament and type of ships altered, [36]–39;
  • instructions to captains in time of war, [38], [51];
  • superior officers and the absentee system, [57]–60, [84], [121];
  • the working of the new system, [60]–62;
  • the demands of the merchants for increased security of mails, [70], [71], [75];
  • amount of annual deficit, [71];
  • suspicious captures of Packets, [88]–93;
  • the private trading system, [93]–95;
  • scandals rumoured in connection with this, [96]–98;
  • result of inquiry into these, [99]–104;
  • partial prohibition of private trading, [104];
  • the North Sea service during the great frost, [110]–119;
  • success of the firmer administration, [120], [121], [222], [223];
  • seizure of its employés at Helvoetsluis, [149];
  • how the Continental System was evaded, [155], [156], [160]–163, [172], [264]–266;
  • the Berlin decrees as affecting, [157]–159;
  • reduced to impotence by Napoleon’s policy, [176], [177];
  • mutiny at Falmouth, and its causes, [197] et seq.;
  • removed to Plymouth, [216];
  • return to Falmouth, [220];
  • taken over by the Admiralty, [303].
• Packets, Falmouth, their routes, [8], [19], [178];
  • tonnage and type of, [15];
  • reforms in the armament and type of, [36]–39;
  • captures of, by French ships, [52] passim;
  • scheme for increasing their armaments, [71], [72];
  • time spent in building, [84], [85];
  • suspicious captures of, [88] et seq.;
  • captures of, by American ships, [226], [232], [241], [251], [270], [300].
• Packets, North Sea, [13], [14];
  • the arming of, [40];
  • type and armament of, [108];
  • ports of Holland closed against, [109];
  • their stations at the outbreak of war, ib., [109];
  • during the great frost of 1798, [110] et seq.
• Packets, West India, armaments reduced and type altered, [37], [38];
  • number employed, [83];
  • private trading on, [93]–95;
  • abuses in connection with this, [96]–104;
  • private trading prohibited on, [104]. See Packet Service and Packets, Falmouth.
• Parker, John, [210], [213], [218], [219];
  • letter to the attorney, [220], [221].
• Pasco, Boatswain, [47], [48], [49], [305].
• Pascoe, Richard, [210], [213], [218], [219];
  • letter to the attorney, [220],221.
• Passengers, number of, carried by the Packets, [9];
  • fares paid by, [10].
• Patterson, Captain, [132].
• Pender, Mr., [58].
• Pension fund established, [121].
• Petre, Captain James, [193], [194], [195].
• Phillimore, Captain, [271], [273].
• Piracy practised by Packet officers, [22]–25;
  • the case of Captain Hammond, [26]–28;
  • prevented by decreasing armaments, [37], [38].
• Plague at Malta, [245], [246].
• Plymouth, [16];
  • Packet station removed to, [216], [217];
  • the disadvantages of, [217], [218].
• “Portland,” two actions fought by, [63]–67;
  • capture of, [74].
• Portugal, Napoleon’s demands from, [173];
  • her ports closed against British ships, [174];
  • seizure of British subjects in, [175].
• Postmaster General, the office held jointly by two ministers, [4]n;
  • on bounties to wounded sailors, [20];
  • and the Quaker merchants, [41], [42];
  • rewards the crew of the “Antelope,” 50, [51];
  • on absentee captains, [57];
  • conference with the West India merchants, [73], [74];
  • on the surrender of the “Duke of York,” 102.
• Post-Office headquarters, lax administration in, [32];
  • influence of the merchants upon, [36], [37]. See Packet Service.
• Post-Office Packet Service. See Packet Service.
• Press-gangs, Packetsmen seized by, [201].
• “Prince Adolphus,” 207, [208];
  • capture and redemption of, [77]–79.
• “Prince Edward” captured, [73].
• “Prince Ernest” captured, [74];
  • her fight with a privateer, [193]–196.
• “Prince of Orange,” 113–117.
• “Princess Amelia” captured, [89], [225], [226].
• “Princess Augusta” burned, [53].
• “Princess Charlotte” captured, [89].
• “Princess Elizabeth” captured, [70].
• “Princess of Wales” captured, [77].
• “Princess Royal,” her fight with a privateer, [79]–82;
  • captured, [88].
• Privateers, American, formidable character of, [224];
  • Packets captured by, [226], [232], [251], [270], [300].
• Privateers, French, [43], [44], [69];
  • Packets captured by, [61] passim;
  • armaments of, [71], [74];
  • number captured by British ships, [76];
  • formidable antagonists, [130]–132.
• Quaker merchants and the arming of their ships, [41], [42].
• “Queen Charlotte,” 236–239.
• Quick, Captain John, [243], [244].
• Railways, results of the growth of, [12].
• Rapp, Count, quoted, [159], [160].
• Records of the Packet Service neglected, [2], [239], [303], [304].
• Riots among the Packetsmen at Falmouth, [209], [210].
• “Roebuck” captured, [74].
• Rogers, Commodore, [241], [242].
• Rogers, Mr. William, [187]–192.
• “Rossie,” 225, [226].
• Routes of the Falmouth Packets, [8], [19], [178].
• Russell’s wagons, [11].
• “Sandwich” captured, [70].
• “Saratoga,” 252.
• Saverland, Mr., [205], [207], [208], [209], [210], [211], [254], [255].
• Scheveningen, [150].
• Schultz, Mr., [166], [167].
• Seamen, number of, employed in the Packet Service, [8];
  • their wages, [104], [200], [206], [207], [210].
• Servante, Captain, [84];
  • quoted, [74], [75].
• Skinner, Captain John, [79], [80], [81], [88].
• Slade, Captain, [208], [209].
• Smuggling, in the Packet Service, [28], [29];
  • on the Continent during the war, [264]–266.
• Spain, mail communication with, [14], [15], [16].
• “Speedy,” mutiny of her crew, [290], [291].
• Stevens, Captain, [254];
  • how he escaped a privateer, [235], [236].
• Surgeons, Packet, [192], [193].
• Sutton, Captain, [297]–300.
• “Swallow” captured, [70], [74].
• Taylor, Mr. N., [63]–67.
• Thornton, Mr., [158].
• “Thynne” captured, [61].
• “Tom,” 227, [228].
• Tonningen, seizure of mails at, [165].
• “Townshend,” private goods found on, [198], [199];
  • her fight with the two Americans, [227]–233;
  • beats off a privateer, [233], [234];
  • capture of, [270].
• Trading, private, on the Packets, [9], [93]–95;
  • rumours of abuses in, [96], [98];
  • results of inquiry into these, [99]–104;
  • prohibited on the West India Packets, [104];
  • consequent discontent among the sailors, ib.;
  • evasions of the prohibition, [198]–200;
  • rigorous confiscations of goods by Custom-House officers, [208].
• Vivian, Captain, navigates a French frigate, [296].
• Wages of the Packetsmen, [104], [200];
  • their memorial regarding, [206], [207];
  • increase of, demanded by mutineers, [210].
• Wagstaff, Mr., [150].
• “Walsingham” beats off an American privateer, [292]–295.
• “Wasp,” H.M.S., [142], [143].
• West India merchants. See Merchants.
• West India Packets. See Packets, West India.
• “Westmoreland” captured, [87].
• White, Captain, [242].
• “Windsor Castle,” captures a privateer, [187]–191;
  • her fight with the “Roger” privateer, [297]–300;
  • her crew attempt to escape, [300]–302.
• Yescombe, Captain, [62];
  • his experiences as a prisoner in France, [54], [55];
  • his last fight, [122]–124.