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Chapter 3 - 1803 - 1814 -
From There Go the Ships by George Shirley

Page 40
stood in toward the mouth of the harbour. The frigate lay well down, bringing the gun to an angle of forty-five. The forts opened fire. We sailed as near so as just to avoid it, then fired our gun, and the shot went over the forts into the harbour amongst the shipping, much, no doubt, to their astonishment.

We then put the ship about, satisfied with the experiment, and returned to our o1d cruising grounds, where we were successful in taking several prizes, and, putting at prize crew in each, sent them to Halifax or Bermuda, as we

 
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were obliged to put enough men on board to navigate them, and strong enough to overpower the crew should they attempt to rise and retake. We had to be careful that we made lawful captures, for if not condemned by the Admiralty Court, the captain and crew had to pay the cost of ship's detention, any damage to cargo, and the seamen's pay, together with any other loss the owners sustained.

After the capture of these prizes we were sailing from our old cruising grounds to Halifax to reship our prize crews, when the man at the masthead cried out, "A sail! A sail! " As she appeared to be steering for France we altered our course towards her. Upon nearing her we discovered that she was a large French frigate of 46 guns of heavier metal than ours, which were only long 12-pounders. She was called the Ville de Milan, and had a crew of five hundred, whereas ours, owing to the absence of prize crews, did not amount to scarcely two hundred.

© Peter Smith 2008