Wonderful and surprising narrative of Capt. John Inglefield
Wonderful and Surprising
NARRATIVE
OF
Capt. John Inglefield,
Printed and Sold by PATRICK MAIR, Falkirk.
THE
Surprising NARRATIVE, &c.
THE Centaur left Jamaica in rather a leaky condition, keeping two hand-pumps going, and when it blew fresh, sometimes a spell with a chain-pump was necessary; but I had no apprehension that the ship was not able to encounter a common gale of wind.
In the evening of the 16th of September, when the fatal gale came on, the ship was prepared for the worst weather usually met with in these latitudes: the mainsail was reesed and set, the top gallant masts struck, and the mizzen-yard lowered down, though at that time it did not blow very strong. Towards midnight it blew a gale of wind, and the ship made so much water, that I was obliged to turn all hands up to spell the pumps; the leak still increasing, I had thoughts to try the ship before the sea, happy I should be determined: the impropriety of leaving the Convoy, except in the last extremity, and the hope of the weather's growing moderate, weighed against the opinion that it was right. About two in the morning the wind lulled, and we flattered ourselves the gale was breaking.
Soon after, we had much thunder and lightning from the S. E. when it began to blow strong in gusts of wind, which obliged me to haul the main-sail up, the ship being then under bare poles; this was scarcely done when a gust of wind, exceeding in violence every thing of the kind I had ever seen, or had any conception of, laid the ship upon her beam-ends, they forsook the hold, and appeared between decks, so as to fill the men’s hammocks to leeward; the ship lay motionless, and to all appearance irrecoverably overset; the water increasing fast, forced through the cells of the ports; from the pressure of the ship I gave immediate directions to cut away the ⟨main⟩ and mizzen-masts, hoping when the ship righted to (illegible text)ar her; the mizzen-mast went first, upon cutting one ⟨or⟩ two of the langyards, without the smallest effect on ⟨the ship⟩; the main-mast followed upon cutting the ⟨langyard⟩ of one shrowd, and I had the disappointment to see ⟨the⟩ fore-mast and bowsprit following; the ship upon (illegible text) ⟨was⟩ immediately righted, but with great violence, and ⟨the⟩ motion was so quick, that it was difficult for the people to work the pumps. Three guns broke loose on the main deck, and it was sometime before they were ⟨captured⟩; several men being maimed in this attempt. ⟨Every⟩ moveable was destroyed, either from the shot thrown loose from the lockers, or the wreck of the deck. The officers who had left their beds naked in the morning, when the ship overset, had not an article of clothes to put on, nor could their friends supply them. Ths shafts had not been over-board ten minutes before I was informed the tiller had broke short in the rudder-head, and before the chocks could be placed the rudder itself was gone; thus we were as much disastered as it was possible to be, lying at the mercy of the wind and sea, yet I had one comfort that the pumps, if any thing, reduced the water in the hold, and as the morning came on (the 17th) the weather grew more moderate, the wind having shifted in the gale to N. W.
At day-light I saw two line of battle ships to leeward one had lost her foremast and bowsprit, the other her main-mast; it was the general opinion on board the Centaur, that the one was the Canada, the other the Gloriaux; the Ramalies was not in sight, nor more than 15 sail of Merchant ships.
About 7 o’clock in the morning I saw a line of battle ship a-head of us, which I soon distinguished to be the Ville de Paris, with all her masts standing. I immediately gave orders to make the signal of distress, hoisting the ensign on the stump of the mizzen-mast, union downwards, and fired one of the forecastle guns, the ensign blew away soon after hoisting, and it was the only one we had remaining, but I had the satisfaction to see the Ville de Paris wear and stand towards us, several of the merchant ships also approached us, and those that could hailed, and offered their assistance, but depending upon the king’s ships, I only thanked them, desiring if they joined Admiral Graves to acquaint him of our condition.
I had not the smallest doubt but the Ville de Paris was coming to us, not to have suffered in the least by the storm, and having seen her wear, we knew she was under government of her helm; at this time also it was moderate, that the merchantmen set their top-sails, but approaching within two miles she passed us to the windward; this being observed by one of the merchant ships she wore and came under our stern, offering to carry any message to her. I desired the master would acquaint Capt. Wilkinson, that the Centaur had lost her rudder as well as her masts, that she made a great deal of water and I desired he would remain with her until the weather grew moderate. I saw this merchant-man approach afterwards near enough to speak to the Ville de Paris, but I was afraid that her condition was much worse than it appeared to be, as she was continuing upon that tack. In the mean time all the quarter-deck guns were thrown over board, and all but 6 which had set off the main-deck; the ship lying in the trough of the sea laboured prodigiously; I got over one of the small anchors with a boom and several guns, carriage-veered, out from the head-doors by a large hauser to keep the ship’s bow to the sea, but this, with a top-gallant sail upon the the stump of the mizzen-mast, had not the desired effect.
As the evening came on it grew hazy, and squals blew strong; we lost sight of the Ville de Paris, but thought it a certainty that I should see her in the morning. The night was passed in constant labour at the pumps, sometimes the wind lulled and the water diminished, when it blew strong again the sea rising, the water increased.
Towards the morning of the 18th, I was informed there was seven feet water upon the relson, that one of the winches was broken, that two spare ones would not fit, and the hand-pumps were choaked: these circumstances were sufficiently alarming, but upon opening the after-hold to get some rum up for the people, we found our condition much more so.
It will be necessary to mention, that the Centaur’s after-hold was inclosed by a bulk-head at the after-part of the well, here were all our dry provisions and ship’s (illegible text)m stowed upon twenty chaldron of coals, which had unfortunately been started in this part of the ship, and ⟨by⟩ them the pumps were continually choaked. The main-pumps were so much worn as to be of little use, and the leathers, which had the well been clear, would have lasted twenty days or more, were all consumed in ⟨one night⟩. At this time it was observed, that the water had ⟨got⟩ a passage to the well, for here there were so much, ⟨that⟩ it washed against the orlop deck. All the rum, ((illegible text) 6 puncheons), all the provisions, of which there were (illegible text) months in casks, were stove. Having floated with ⟨violence⟩ from side to side, until there was not a whole ⟨cask⟩ remaining, even the staves that were found upon ⟨clearing⟩ the hold, were most of them broken in two or ⟨three⟩ pieces. In the fore-hold we had a prospect of ⟨perishing⟩ should the ship swim; we had no water but what remained in the ground-tier, and over this all the wet provisions and buts filled with salt water were floating, and with such motion that no man could with safety go into the hold There was nothing left but bailing with buckets at the fore-hatch-way and fish-room, and twelve large canvass buckets were immediately employed at each. On opening the fish-room we were so fortunate as to discover, that two puncheons of rum, which belonged to me, had escaped, they were immediately got up, and served out at times in drams; and had it not been for this relief, and some lime-juice, the people would have dropped.
We soon found our account in bailing; the spare pump had been put down the fore-hatch-way, and a pump shifted to the fish-room, but the motion of the ship had washed the coals so small, that they reached every part of the ship, and the pumps soon choaked. However the water by noon had considerably diminished by working the buckets, but there appeared no prospect of saving the ship if the gale continued; the labour was too great to hold out without water, yet the people worked without a murmur, and indeed with chearfulness.
At this time the weather was more moderate, and a couple of spars were got ready for shears to get up a (illegible text)y-fore-mast; but as the evening came on, the gale again increased. We had seen nothing this day but the ship who had loft her main-mast, and she appeared to ⟨be⟩ as much in want of assistance as ourselves, having ⟨fired⟩ guns of distress, and before night I was told her fore-mast was gone.
The Centaur laboured so much, that I had scarce hope she could swim till morning, however by great exertion of the chain-pumps and bailing, we held our own, but our suffering for want of water was very great, and many of the people could not be restrained from drinking salt water.
At day-light (the 19th) there was no vessel in sight and flashes from guns having been seen in the night, we feared the ship we had seen the preceeding day had foundered. Towards 10 o’clock forenoon, the weather grew more moderate, and the water diminished in the hole and the people were encouraged to redouble their efforts to get the water low enough to break a cask of fresh water out of the ground tier, and some of the most resolute of the seamen were employed in the attempt. At noon we succeeded with one cask, which, though little was a seasonable relief. All the officers, passengers and boys, who were not of the profession of seamen, had been employed thrumming a sail, which was passed under the ship’s bottom, and I thought had some effect. The shears were raised for the fore-mast; the weather looked promising, and the sea fell, and at night we were able to relieve at the pumps and bailing every two hours. By the morning (the 20th) the fore-hold was cleared of the water, and we had the comfortable promise of a fine day and it proved so, and I was determined to make use of it with every possible exertion.
I divided the ship's company, with the officers attending them, into parties to raise the jury-fore-mast, to heave over-board the lower deck guns, to clear the wreck of the fore and after holds, to prepare the machine for steering the ship, and to work the pumps By night the after-hold was as clear as when the ship was launched, for to our astonishment, there was not a shovel full of coals remaining, 20 chaldron having been pumped out since the commencement of the gale. What I have called the wreck of the hold was the bulk-heads of the after-hold, fish-room and sprit-rooms, and the standers of the cock-pit; an immense quantity of staves, wood, and part of the lining of the ship were thrown overboard, that if the water should again appear in the hold, we might have no impediment in bailing. All the guns were thrown overboard, the fore-mast secured, and the machine which was to be similar to the one with which the Ipswich was steered, was in great forwardness, so that I was in hopes, the moderate weather certain, that I should be able to steer the ship by noon the following day, and at least save the people on some of the western islands. Had we had any other ship in company with us, I should have thought it my duty to have quitted the Centaur this day.
This night the people got some rest by relieving the watches, but in the morning (the 21st) we had the mortification to find that the weather again threatned, and by noon blew a storm. The ship laboured greatly, and the water appeared in the fore and after- holds, and increased; the carpenter also informed me that the leathers were consumed, and likewise that the chains of the pumps, by constant exertion, and the friction of the coals, were nearly rendered useless. As we had now no other resource but bailing, I gave orders that scuttles should be cut through the deck to introduce more buckets into the hold, and all the sail-makers were employed night and day in making canvass buckets, and the orlop-deck having fallen in on the larboard side, I ordered the sheetcable to be roused over-board; the wind at this time was at W. and being on the larboard tack, many schemes had been practised to wear the ship, that we might drive into a less boisterous latitude, as well as approach the western islands, but none succeeded, and having a weak carpenter’s crew, they were hardly sufficient to attend the pumps, so that we could not make any progress with the steering machine.
Another sail had been thrummed and got over, but we did not find its use; indeed there was no prospect but in change of weather. A large leak had been discovered and stopt in the fore-hold, and another in the lady-hold, but the ship appeared so weak from her labour, that it was clear she could not last long: the after-cock-pit had fallen in, the fore-cock-pit the same, with all the store-rooms down the stem-post was so loose that as the ship rolled the water rushed in on either side in great streams, which we could not stop. Night came on with the same dismal prospects as on the preceeding, and was passed in continual effort and labour. Morning came (the 22d) without seeing any things, or any change of weather, and the day was spent with the same struggles to keep the ship above water, pumping and bailing at the hatchways and scuttles. Towards night another of the chainpumps was rendered quite useless by one of the rollers being displaced at the bottom of the pump, and this was without remedy, there being too much water in the well to get to it. We also had but 6 leathers remaining, so that the fate of the ship was not far off. Still the labour went on without any apparent dispair, every officer taking his share of it, and the people were always chearful and obedient.
During the night the water encreased; about 7 in the morning (the 23d) I was told an unusual quantity of water appeared all at once in the fore-hold, which upon going forward to be convinced, I found it but too true; the stowage of the hold, ground tier, was all in motion, so that in a short time there was not a whole cask to be seen; we were then convinced the ship had sprung a fresh leak. Another sail had been thrumming all night, and I was giving directions to place it over the bow, when I perceived the ship setting by the head, the lower deck bow-ports being even with the water.
At this period the carpenter acquainted me the well was stnve in, destroyed by the wreck of the hold, and the chain-pumps displaced and totally useless; there was nothing left but to redouble our efforts in bailing, but it became difficult to fill the buck from the quantity of staves, planks, anchor-stocks, and yard-arm-pieces which were now washed from the winge, and floating from side to side with the motion of the ship. The people, who till this period had laboured as determined to conquer their difficulties, without a murmur or without a tear, seeing their efforts useless, many of them burst into tears, and wept like children. I gave orders for the anchors, of which we had two remaining, to be thrown over-board one of which, the spare anchor, had been most surprisingly hove in upon the fore-castle and mid-ship, when the ship had been upon her beem-ends, and gone through the decks. Every time that I visited the hatchway, I observed the water encreased, at noon it washed even with the orlop-deck; the carpenter assured me the ship could not swim long, and proposed making rafts for the ship’s company, whom it was not in my power to encourage any longer with a prospect of their safety; some appeared perfectly resigned, and went to their hammocks and desired their mess-mates to lash them in; others were lashing themselves to gratings and small rafts, but the most predominate idea was that of putting on their best clothes.
The weather about noon had been something moderate, and as rafts had been mentioned by the carpenter, I thought it right to make the attempt, tho' I knew our booms could not float the half of the ship’s company in fine weather, but we were in a situation to catch a straw, I therefore called all hands together and told them my intention, recommending to them to remain regular and obedient to their officers. Preparations were immediately made to this purpose, the booms were cleared, the boats, of which we had 3, viz. cutter, pinnace, and a 5 oared yawl which we got over the side. A bag of bread was ordered to be put in each, and any liquors that could be got at: for the purpose of supplying the rafts, I had intended my self to go into the 5 oared yawl, and the coxswain was desired to get any thing from my steward that might be useful. Two men, captains of tops of the fore-castle, or quarter masters, were placed in each of them, to prevent any man from forcing the boats, or getting into them until an arrangement was made.
While these preparations were making, the ship was gradually sinking, the orlop-deck having been blown up by the water in the hold, and the cables floating to the gun-deck. The men had sometime quitted their employment of bailing, and the ship was left to her fate. In the afternoon the weather again threatned, and blew in-strong squals; the sea ran high, and one of the boats, the yawl, stove along side, and sunk. As the evening approached the ship appeared little more than suspended in the water, there was no certainty that she would swim from one minute to another, and the love of life, which I believe never shewed itself better in the approach to death, began now to level all distinctions; it was impossible indeed for any man to deceive himself with a hope of being saved on a raft in such a sea, besides that the ship sinking, it was probable would carry every thing down with her in a vortex, to a certain distance.
It was near 5 o’clock, when coming from the cabin I observed a number of people looking very anxiously over the side, and looking myself, I saw that several people had forced the pinnace, and that more were attempting to get in; I had immediate thoughts of securing this boat, before she might be sunk by numbers, there appeared not more than a moment for consideration, to remain and perish with the ship’s company, whom I could not be any longer of use to, or seize the opportunity which seemed the only way of escaping, and leave the people whom I had been so well satisfied with on a variety of occasions, that I thought I could give my life to preserve them, this indeed was a painful conflict, and which I believe no man can describe, nor any man have a just idea of who has not been in a similar situation. The love of life prevailing, I called to Mr Rainey the master, the only officer upon deck, desiring him to follow me, and immediately descended into the boat at the after-part of the chains, but not without great difficulty got the boat clear from the ship, more than the number that the boat could carry pushing to get in, and many jumping into the water. Mr Baylie, a young Gentleman of 15 years of age, leaped from the chains after the boat had got off, and was taken in. The boat falling astern, the calm exposed us to the sea, and we endeavoured to put her bow round to keep her to the break of the sea, and to pass to windward of the ship, but in the attempt she was nearly filled, the sea ran too high, and the only probability of living was keeping her before the wind. It was then I became sensible how little if any better, our condition was than those who remained on board the ship, at best it appeared to be only a prolongation of a miserable existence.
We were all together twelve in number, in a leaky boat with one of the gun-wales stove in, near the middle of the Western Ocean, without compass, without compass, without quadrant, without sail, without great coat or cloak, all very thinly cloathed, in a gale of wind with a great running sea. It was now five o’clock in the evening, and in half an hour we loft sight of the ship: before it was dark a blanket was discovered in the boat, this was immediately bent to one of the stretchers, and under it as a sail, we scudded away all night in expectation of being swallowed up by every wave, it being with great difficulty that we could sometimes clear the boat of the water before the next great sea. All of us half drowned and scuttling, except those who bailed at the bottom of the boat, and without having really perished, I am sure no people ever endured more. In the morning the weather grew moderate, the wind having drifted to the southward as we discovered by the sun; having survived the night we began to recollect ourselves, and think of our future preservation.
When we quitted the ship the wind was at N. W. or N. N. W. Fayal bore E. S. E. 250, or 260 leagues, had the wind continued 5 or 6 days, there was a probability that running before the sea, we might have fallen in with some of the western islands; the change of wind was death to these hopes, for should it begin to blow we knew there would be no preserving life but by running before the sea, which would carry us again to the northward, where we must soon afterwards perish.
Upon examining what we had to subsist on, I found a bag of bread, a small ham, a single piece of pork, two quart bottles of water, and a few French cordials. The wind continued to the southward for 8 or 9 days, and providentially never blew so strong but that we could keep the side of the boat to the sea, but we were always miserably wet and cold. We kept a sort of reckoning, but the sun and stars being sometimes hid from us in the 24 hours, we had no very good opinion of our navigation. We judged at this period that we had made nearly an E. N. E. course since the first night’s run, which had carried us to the S. E. and expecting to see the island of Conio, in this however we were disappointed, and we feared that the southerly wind had driven us far to the northward. Our prayers were now for a northerly wind; our condition began to be truly miserable both from hunger and cold, for on the fifth we had discovered our provisions were nearly spoiled by salt water, and it was necessary to go to an allowance. One biscuit divided into 12 morsels for breakfast, and the same for dinner; the neck of a bottle broke off with the cork in, served for a glass, and this filled with water was the allowance for 24 hours to each man. This was done without any sort of partiality or distinction, but we must have perished even thus, had we not caught 6 quarts of rain water; and this we could not have been blessed with, had we not found in the boat a pair of sheets, which by accident had been put there, these were spread when it rained, and when thoroughly wet wrung into the kidd with which we bailed the boat. With this short allowance, which was rather tantalizing than sustaining, in our comfortless condition we began to grow very feeble, and our clothes continually wet, our bodies were in many places chaffed into sores.
On the 13th day it fell calm, and soon after a breeze of wind sprung up from the N. N. W. and blew to a gale, so that we ran before the wind at the rate of 5 or 6 miles an hour under our blanket, till we judged we were to the southward of Fayal, and to the westward 60 leagues, but blowing strong we could not attempt to steer for it. Our wishes were now for the wind to shift to the westward, this was the fifteenth day we had been in the boat; and we had only one day’s bread, and one bottle of water remaining of a second supply of rain. Our sufferings were now as great as human strength could bear, but were convinced that good spirits were a better support than great bodily strength, for on this day Thomas Matthews quarter-master, the stoutest man in the boat perished from hunger and cold; on the day before, he had complained of want of strength in his throat, as he expressed it, to swallow his morsel, and in the night drank salt water, grew delirious and died without a groan. As it became next to a certainty that we should all perish in the same manner in a day or two, it was somewhat comfortable to reflect that dying of hunger was not so dreadful as our imagination had represented; others had complained of the symptoms in their throats, some had drunk their own urine, and all but myself had drunk salt water.
As yet despair and gloom had been successfully prohibited, and as the evenings closed in, the men had been encouraged by turns to sing a song, or relate a story instead of a supper, but this evening I found it impossible to raise either. As the night came on, it fell calm, and about midnight a breeze of wind sprang up, we guessed from the westward by the swell, but there not being a star to be seen we were afraid of running out of our way, and waited impatiently for the rising of the sun to be our compass. As soon as the dawn appeared we found the wind to be exactly as we had wished, at W. S. W. and immediately spread our sail, running before the sea at the rate of 4 miles an hour. Our last breakfast had been served out with the bread and water remaining, when John Gregory, quarter-master, declared with much confidence that he saw the land in the S. E. we had fog banks so often which had the appearance of land, that I did not trust myself to believe it, and cautioned the people, who were extravagantly elated, that they might not feel the effects of disappointment, till at length one of them broke out into a most extravagant fit of swearing, which I could not restrain, and declared he had never seen the land in his life if what he now saw was not it. We immediately shaped our course for it, though on my part with very little faith; the wind freshned, the boat went through the water at the rate of 5 or 6 miles an hour, and in two hours the land was plainly seen by every man in the boat, but at a very great distance, so that we did not reach it before 10 at night. It must have been at least 20 leagues from us when first discovered, and I cannot help remarking with much thankfulness on the providential favour showed to us in this instance. In every part of the horizon, except where the land was discovered, there was so thick a haze that we could not have discovered any thing or more than 3 or 4 leagues. Fayal by our reckoning bore E. and by N. which course we were steering, and in a few hours, had not the sky opened preservation, we should have encreased our distance from the land, got to the eastward, and of course miss all the islands.
As we approached the land our belief had strengthened that it was Fayal. The island of Pico, which might have revealed it to us, had the weather been perfectly clear, was at that time capped with clouds, and it was some time before we were quite satisfied. Having traversed for two hours a great part of the island, where the steep and rocky shore refused us a landing; this circumstance was bore with much impatience, for we had flattered ourselves that we should meet with fresh water at the first part of the land we might approach, and being disappointed the thirst of some had increased anxiety almost to a degree of madness, so that we were near making the attempt to land in some places where the boat must have been dashed to pieces by the surf. At length we discovered a fishing canoe, which conducted us into the road of Fayal about midnight, but where the regulation of the port did not permit us to land, till examined by the health officers; however I did not think much of sleeping this night in the boat, our pilot having brought us some refreshments of bread, wine and water.
In the morning we were visited by Mr Graham, the English Consul, whole humane attention made us ample amends for the formality of the Portuguese; indeed I can never sufficiently express the sense I have of his kindness and humanity, both to myself and people, for I believe it was the whole of his employment for several days, contriving the best means of restoring us to health, and it is true, I believe there never were more pitiable objects, some of the stoutest men belonging to the Centaur were obliged to be supported through the streets of Fayal: Mr Rainey the master and myself were I think in better health than the rest, but I could not walk without being supported; and for several days with the best and most comfortable provisions of diet and lodging, we grew rather worse than better.
Names of the Officers, and Men, who were saved in the Pinnace.
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Capt. Inglefield |
John Gregory, Quarter-Master, |
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Names of the Officers left in the Ship, supposed to have perished.
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John Jerdan, 1st. |
Lieutenants. |
Thomas Hunter, Purser, |
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John Bell, Capt. of Marines.
Mates and Midshipmen.
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Dobson, |
Sampson, |
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Correct Copy of the Court-Martial held on Capt. Inglefield, at a Court-Martial assembled and held on board his Majesty’s Ship the Warespite, in Portsmouth Harbour, on Saturday the 25th Day of January, 1783. ⟨Commodore⟩ William Hotham, second Officer in the (illegible text) Command of his Majesty’s Ships and Vessels at Portsmouth and Spithead, President.
CAPTAINS.
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T. Elphinstone, |
T. Fowler, |
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Thomas Matthews, quarter-master, died in the boat the day before they saw land.
The Court in pursuance of an order from the Commissioners, for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland, and dated the 21st of the same month, for the inquiry into the cause and circumstances of the loss of his Majesty's ship the Centaur, by several very heavy gales of wind, and for the trial of Capt John Inglefield, her commander, and the officers and company who belonged to her at that time she was left sinking, on the 24th of September last, in lat 4 (illegible text) 33 min, and longitude 43 deg 20 min, for their conduct upon that occasion.
Having proceeded to enquire into the cause and circumstances of the loss of his Majesty's ship the Centaur and to try the said Capt Inglefield, and the officers and people who belonged to her at the time she was so left as above mentioned, for their conduct upon that occasion accordingly, and having heard the narrative of the Capt Inglefield, acquitted him, as (illegible text) cool, resolute, and experienced officer, and as well supported by his officers and ship's company, then united exertions appearing (illegible text) have been done to preserve his Majesty's ship the Centaur from her melancholy fate, the Court therefore adjudge That the said Capt Inglefield, his officers and company be acquitted of all blame or account of the loss of his Majesty’s late ship the Centaur, and they are hereby acquitted accordingly.
W. A. Butterworth, Judge-Advocate on this occasion
FINIS.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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