privateer cruising against the French in West Indian waters. This was the period during which William III. was at war with our French neighbours.
In the year 1695 Kidd had crossed to England and was in London, having command of the brigantine Antigoa, of New York. Now about this time the King had appointed the Earl of Bellomont to be governor of New England and New York. And the latter was especially instructed to suppress the prevailing piracy which was causing so much distress along the coast. Lord Bellomont, who had been governor of Barbadoes, suggested that Kidd should be entrusted with a man-of-war, as he was a most suitable person to send against these sea-rovers, knowing as he did every inch of the coast and the favourite hiding-places of the pirates. But the Admiralty did not esteem it suitable for Kidd to have a government ship under him, and there the matter ended. But Bellomont was one of those far-*sighted men who ever had an eye for the main chance. He and his friends were well aware of the enormous amount of money which these pirates accumulated, and since the Admiralty would not give him a frigate, he resolved to form a small syndicate among his friends and fit out a private ship. He decided to appoint Kidd as captain. The latter was not anxious to accept this appointment, but Bellomont pointed out that if he did not, Kidd's own vessel would be detained in the Thames; so at last he consented.
In order to give the project a certain amount of status and in order to be able to enforce greater discipline over the crew, a King's commission was obtained for Kidd, authorising him "to apprehend, seize, and take into your custody" all "pirates, freebooters, and sea-rovers, being our subjects, or of other nations associated with them."
