John Simpson (1777-1863)

John Simpson was born in Brighton, Sussex, on 2^nd November 1777, the eldest son of John Simpson and Jane Collings and baptised at St. Nicholas in Brighton on 14^thNovember 1777.  He had eight sisters: Ann, Jane, Mary, Phillis, Elizabeth, Emily, Bathsheba and Orphah; and one brother, Jesse.  Brighton was then known as Brighthelmstone, and John was born just as the fishing village of Brighthelmstone started to transform into the fashionable resort of Brighton.

Royal Navy

HMS Mercury (1795-1798)

Midshipman of the Royal Navy (c. 1799), by Thomas Rowlandson

John Simpson entered the Royal Navy on 1st August 1795, aged 17, as a Landsman (abbreviated LM) and Able Seaman (abbreviated AB) on board HMS Mercury.

In the Royal Navy of the 18th century, a Landsman was a person who had not been to sea before and had no experience of the Royal Navy. The Landsman was the lowest rank in the Royal Navy at that time. Landsmen normally progressed to be an Able Seaman after several years of service and demonstrating that they could carry any duty they were asked to carry out. John Simpson seems to have progressed through these ranks very quickly possibly because this was his "apprenticeship" before he became a Midshipman on 23rd October 1796.

Under the command of Captain Rogers HMS Mercury served on the Lisbon station and John Simpson took part in the capture of three privateers, the 16-gun Le Benjamin on 5 January 1798, the 16-gun Les Trois Soeurs on 15 January 1798, and the 12-gun La Constance on 25 January 1798.  Captain Rogers’ accounts of the capture of Le Benjamin and Les Trois Soeurs and were published in The Gentleman’s Magazine along with a notice of the capture of La Constance. Le Benjamin was captured only after a long chase of thirty-six hours and Les Trois Soeurs was captured after a chase of eight hours and the exchange of a few fires of shot. Captain Rogers’ accounts of the capture of Le Benjamin and Les Trois Soeurs and were published in The Gentleman’s Magazine along with a notice of the capture of La Constance. Le Benjamin was captured only after a long chase of thirty-six hours and Les Trois Soeurs was captured after a chase of eight hours and the exchange of a few fires of shot. A notice reporting the capture of La Constance in the Gentleman’s Magazine .

Capt. Rogers account of the capture of Le Benjamin in the Gentleman’s Magazine

Capt. Rogers account of the capture of Les Trois Soeurs in the Gentleman’s Magazine

HMS Heroine (1798)

On leaving HMS Mercury he spent a month on board HMS Heroine, a 32 gun fifth rate frigate built in 1783, from 19^th July 1798 to 14^th August 1798, whilst it was stationed at Portsmouth under the commands of Captain Murray and Stanhope.

HMS Achille (1798-1802)

John Simpson's next posting was to HMS Achille, a 74-gun third-rate Pompée class ship of the line launched in Gravesend on 16^th April 1798. He joined the ship on 15^th August 1798 only a few months after the ship was launched and served on HMS Achille as a midshipman for three years until 14^th January 1802. Whilst on board HMS Achille he served under four different captains, Captain Henry Stanhope, Captain George Murray, Captain Edward Buller and Captain James Wallis.

During this period HMS Achille was stationed in the English Channel and doesn't appear to have engaged with any enemy shipping, although later it would take part in the Battle of Trafalgar. Instead as part of the Channel Fleet it played its part in defending Britain from invasion, protecting Britain's incoming and outgoing trade through the Channel and Western Approaches, and preventing the French Brest fleet from setting forth on raids and expeditions.

The details of the service of HMS Achille and John Simpson during this period are still illuminating. One seaman on board HMS Achille was hanged for striking a midshipman, was that midshipman John Simpson?   The following chronology comes from the Age of Nelson website:

• 1798 Capt. H. E. STANHOPE, 07/1798.
  On 15 February 1799 a court martial was held on board GLADIATOR at Plymouth on James HAILY, a seaman from ACHILLE, who was charged with striking a midshipman in the execution of his duty and other mutinous conduct.
  The charge being proved he was sentenced to be hanged.

• 1799 Capt. G.
  MURRAY, 04/1799.
  With the Channel fleet.
  On the evening of 13 June ACHILLE arrived in Plymouth from off Brest after being run foul of by CAESAR. She had lost her bowsprit and foretop mast and received much other damage.
  One of the crew had been killed.
  On 19 July orders came down for 50 bullocks to be delivered to ACHILLE to be taken out to Vice Ad. POLE's squadron.
  Several tons of hay at 5 pounds per ton were delivered for the use of the cattle on the voyage.

• ACHILLE arrived in Plymouth Sound with other ships of the Channel fleet on 28 August 1800.
  On 5 September Earl ST. VINCENT sent in orders for all ships ready for sea to join him without delay.
  ROYAL SOVEREIGN, PRINCESS ROYAL, PRINCE, PRINCE GEORGE, BELLONA and ARCHILLE sailed at once from Cawsand Bay and they were all clear of Penlee Point by nightfall.

• ACHILLE arrived in Plymouth on 8 January 1801 from a cruise off Brest and sailed again to join the Channel fleet on 29 January. She was employed in the blockade of Brest and Rochefort until the cessation of hostilities.
  Capt. MURRAY exchanged commands with Capt. Edward BULLER of the EDGAR because the latter drew less water and was intended for the North Sea with which Capt. MURRAY was well acquainted.
  In February a French convoy of 160 sail which had been lying at Bordeaux with stores for the fleet at Brest sailed under convoy of two brigs.
  Two days later they were dispersed in a gale.
  ACHILLE took one of them, a brig laden with wheat, and sent her into Plymouth on 21 February.

• ACHILLE came in to Plymouth for a refit on 15 July and she and EXCELLENT struck yards and topmasts to overhaul their rigging.
  In the autumn she experienced dreadful weather off Rochefort before returning on 29 October.

• Capt. WALLIS took temporary command during November December, Capt. BULLER returning in January.
  On 26 November ACHILLE was in Cawsand Bay to be paid wages before sailing to join Ad. MITCHELL's squadron in Bantry Bay.
  There were several bum boats alongside and the first lieutenant, Mr MUDGE, fearing that seamen would find ways of getting ashore in them had ordered the traders off the ship.
  When one of them, with a boat alongside with some girls, did not comply, the lieutenant took a musket from the gangway sentry and asked him if it was loaded.
  The sentry replied that he thought not so Lieut. MUDGE threw away the ball from a cartridge, emptied the powder into the barrel and fired it at the boat.
  Unfortunately there was already a ball cartridge in the musket and the shot hit the man in the face.
  He was immediately sent to the Royal hospital where he died.
  Lieut. MUDGE was sent on board the flagship in the Hamoaze.

• A coroner's jury brought in a verdict of manslaughter against Lieut. MUDGE on the 28th. and ACHILLE sailed for Ireland in a snowstorm the following day.

Folios 51-56: Mr Simpson, aged 24, midshipman; disease or hurt, severe head ache with a sense of coldness all over, nausea, loss of appetite, pains of the loins and legs. Put on sick list, 13 May 1800 at sea. Discharged 20 May 1800 to duty.

After over three years on board HMS Achille, John Simpson left the ship on 14^th January 1802. The French Revolutionary Wars were nearly at the end, the preliminary articles of peace had been signed in London, October 1801. Many in the Channel fleet were expecting that after a number of years at sea, that they could look forward to shore leave. This lead to a mutiny on board HMS Temeraire in December 1801, after it was ordered to sail from Bantry Bay to the West Indies, causing many of the sailors to be disappointed at seeing their opportunity to go home taken away, especially as it would be a year before they returned. Five days after John Simpson left Achille, on 19th January, three of the mutineers from Temeraire, were executed on board Achille at Portsmouth.

HMS Tribune (1803-1805)

After a break from the sea of 18 months John Simpson returned to sea on board HMS Tribune on 26^th July 1803. HMS Tribune was a Perseverance class 36-gun fifth rate frigate launched in the same year that John joined it, 1803.

HMS Tribune was part of the Channel Fleet and the Age of Nelson website lists the following events for it whilst John Simpson served on board:

• 1804 Capt. R. H.A. BENNET, off Cherbourg.
  On the morning of 30 January 1804 TRIBUNE fell in with a small French flotilla bound from St, Malo to Cherbourg.
  It consisted of three brigs and some smaller vessels but, as it was blowing hard, only two brigs could be captured, each carrying two 34-pounders and one 18 pounder.
  They were manned by 51 seamen and 50 soldiers.
  Capt. BENNET sent them into Portsmouth.
  A frigate, believed to be HYDRA, captured a lugger from the flotilla and went off in chase of another.

• Capt BENNET appeared before a court martial at Portsmouth on 21 February 1805 to answer for his conduct in returning to England from Gibraltar without orders.
  The charge was proved but the court decided that he was "actuated by the purest motives for the good of the navy" and he was acquitted

On 9^th January 1804 whilst serving on board HMS Tribune John Simpson was promoted to Master’s Mate. A Master's Mate at this time was a senior midshipman, still waiting to pass his examination for lieutenant or to receive his commission, but taking rather more responsibility aboard ship.

John Simpson left HMS Tribune in May 1805 and was not serving on board any ships when the Battle of Trafalgar took place on 21^st October 1805.

HMS Royal George (1806-1807)

John Simpson next returned to see a year later on 2^nd July 1806 when he joined HMS Royal George as Master's Mate. HMS Royal George was a 100-gun first rate ship of the line and iIn July 1806 HMS Royal George was part of the Channel Fleet.  However it was soon transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet and became the flag ship of Vice-Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth.

Encouraged by France, the Ottoman Empire had declared war on Russia on 30 December 1806, and Britain sent Admiral Sir John Duckworth in Royal George from Cadiz on 15 January 1807 into the Mediterranean Sea to support the Russian Navy. Duckworth was despatched in Royal George along with a squadron of eight ships of the line and four frigates to bombard Constantinople and to take possession of the Ottoman fleet, an action known as the Dardanelles Operation. The Dardanelles Operation was the Royal Navy's unsuccessful attempt to impose British demands on the Ottoman Empire as part of the Anglo-Turkish War (1807-1809).

The Age of Nelson website describes the following events for HMS Royal George whilst it took part in the Dardanelles Operation:

The squadron under the command of Sir J T Duckworth forcing the narrow channel of the Dardanelles, February 19th 1807

After the Dardanelles Operation HMS Royal George sailed with part of Sir John Duckworth's squadron to Alexandria which it reached on 22 ^nd March. There it took part in the Alexandria expedition of 1807, which was an operation by the Royal Navy and the British Army during the Anglo-Turkish War (1807–1809) of the Napoleonic Wars to capture Alexandria in Egypt with the purpose of securing a base of operations against the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean Sea. The role of HMS Royal George was to protect transports, but the expedition failed and the British force was forced to withdraw after five months due to lack of supplies.

John Simpson completed his eventful service on HMS Royal George on 5^th November 1807.

HMS Ville De Paris (1807-1808)

John Simpson transferred from HMS Royal George directly to HMS Ville De Paris, joining the ship's company on 6^th November 1807. HMS Ville De Paris was a 110-gun first rate ship of the line built at Chatham Dockyard in 1795. She was named after a French ship of the line captured by the British in 1782. On board HMS Ville De Paris he served as Master's Mate under Vice Admiral Lord Gambier and Captain William Bedford as part of the Channel Fleet until 21^st July 1808.

'Ville de Paris' under Full Sail © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

HMS Bonne Citoyenne (1808-1809)

John Simpson transferred directly from HMS Ville De Paris to HMS Bonne Citoyenne, joining the ship's company on 22^nd July 1808. HMS Bonne Citoyenne had been a 20-gun corvette of the French Navy, which the Royal Navy captured in 1796 and recommissioned as the sloop-of-war HMS Bonne Citoyenne. Her complement was 120 officers, men and boys.  

The Capture of La Furieuse by HMS Bonne Citoyenne August 6th 1809  (shortly after John Simpson left the ship).

John was promoted to lieutenant six days after joining the ship on 28^th July 1808. On board he served under Captain John Thompson and the ship was stationed on the coast of Spain.

Lieutenant of the Royal Navy (c. 1799), by Thomas Rowlandson

The rank of Lieutenant can be traced back to 1580 with the simple reason of being an understudy to the Captain in case of accident or illness, although they were not permanently established. After the restoration, Samuel Pepys introduced an examination to test the abilities of the rank and by doing so transformed their status from mere understudy to an actual job with particular duties attached. The senior lieutenant, known as the First Lieutenant and was responsible for the organisation of the ship and administration under the guidance of the Captain. This post eventually turned into the rank of Commander. He was responsible for maintaining discipline and navigation and with the junior lieutenants responsible for ensuring the crew carried out their duties. He was in charge of watches. Lieutenants received their commissions for particular ships and the position within the officer ranks. An officer was required to have at least six years service at sea before passing the examination for promotion to Lieutenant. It was possible for the officer to pass many years at this rank until the eventual distinction between Lieutenants of eight years service and the eventual establishment of the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.

HMS Goldfinch (1809)

John Simpson joined HMS Goldfinch on 27^th April 1809^[1], which was a Cherokee class 10 gun brig-sloop with a crew of 75 men. The Cherokee class was the most numerous class of warships built by the British during the history of the British Navy.

John Simpson soon saw action on 17^th and 18^th May 1809, when HMS Goldfinch chased and engaged the French corvette, Mouche, off the north western coast of Spain.

The "Naval History of Great Britain - Vol V" describes the action as follows:

On the 17th of May, at noon, latitude 44° 6' north, longitude 11° 20' west, the British 10-gun brig-sloop Goldfinch (eight l8-pounder carronades and two sixes, with 75 men and boys), Captain Fitzherbert George Skinner, standing close hauled on the larboard tack with the wind from the north-east by north discovered and chased a ship directly to windward. This ship was the French corvette Mouche, of 16 long brass 8-pounders and 180 men and boys, commanded by Lieutenant de vaisseau Antoine Allègre ; and, although of so decided a superiority of force, M. Allègre suffered himself to be chased all the afternoon and night, and until 3 a.m. on the 18th, when the Goldfinch gallantly brought the Mouche to action. The two vessels continued to engage on opposite tacks, but at too great a distance for the brig's carronades to produce their proper effect, until 7 a.m.; when the corvette, with the head of her fore topmast shot away, made off to windward, leaving the Goldfinch with the loss of three men killed and three severely wounded, and her masts, rigging, and sails a good deal cut up.

O'Byrne's Naval Biography (Vol. 3)^[2] of 1849 adds the detail that John Simpson was slightly wounded in this action.

John Simpson left HMS Goldfinch on 28^th October 1809, transferring directly to HMS Trinculo.

HMS Trinculo (1809-1811)

John Simpson joined HMS Trinculo straight from HMS Goldfinch starting service on 29^th October 1809. HMS Trinculo was a Cruizer class 18 gun brig-sloop. The Cruizer class was the most numerous class of warships built by the British during the Napoleonic wars. On board HMS Trinculo John Simpson acted as senior lieutenant and served in the English Channel^[2].

John Simpson left HMS Trinculo on 24^th May 1811, which was his final posting at sea.

Prison Ships: Veteran and Kron Princessen (1812-1814)

In October 1812 John Simpson started service on the prison ships anchored at Portsmouth, serving on board Veteran and Kron Princessen.

HMS Veteran was a 64-gun third-rate ship of the line, built in 1787 and broken up in 1816.

Kron Princessen was a 74 gun Danish ship previously known as Kronprindsesse Maria which was surrendered by the Danish Navy in 1807.

Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour with the convicts going on board 1829. © National Maritime Museum

Agent for Transports Afloat (1815-1818)

Coastguard

Witness in trial of five of his crew at the Old Bailey (16^th August 1847)

On 16^th August 1847 John Simpson was a witness at the trial of five of his crew of the revenue cutter Royal George, who were convicted of stealing rope and canvas from the steamship Spiteful. The Royal George was built in 1834, and was armed with 20 guns and had a crew of 60.

The character witness for the men was John’s son-in-law, George Wright, who was deputy-governor of Newgate. The transcript of the trial from the The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913 website is shown below.

Old Bailey Proceedings, 16th August 1847.

1985. JOHN DANIELS, THOMAS MOON, JOHN JACKSON WILLIAMS, GEORGE ANGOVE , and PATRICK CALLAGHAN , were indicted for unlawfully having in their possession certain naval stores, the goods of our Lady the Queen.

MESSRS. GODSON and PETERSDORF conducted the Prosecution.

WILLIAM TURNER (policeman R 56.) I was on duty at Woolwich Dockyard on Friday evening, the 30th of July, at the Watergate—my attention was drawn to the prisoner Daniels, who was on the upper deck of the ship called the Nymph, which was lying in the stream opposite the dockyard—she is a hulk, for the accommodation of seamen while ships are fitting out—the Spiteful steamboat was lying alongside the Nymph—the men on board the Spiteful had been paid off the some day, and there were none on board—I saw Daniels passing some rope and canvas down the accommodation-ladder of the Nymph into a boat, which was between the two vessels, moored at the bottom of the gangway, alongside of the Nymph—I saw one man in the boat, but I cannot say who it was, he appeared to be assisting in putting the things into the boat—I then procured the assistance of Sergeant Glascock, and went to pursue the prisoners in a boat—I had noticed Daniels get into the boat, and about ten minutes before the boat left, I noticed that there were four other men in it—when I got near to the boat I saw the prisoner Daniels in it, the four rowers, a female, and a man who is boatswain of the Spiteful steam-ship—they landed the two passengers at the Bell Water-gate—there had been no opportunity for anybody to have got into the boat from the time I noticed Daniels handing the things down—whoever was in the boat must have been in it at the time I noticed it originally—I followed the boat with Glascock—it first went to Bell Water-gate, Woolwich, where the female and the boatswain landed—I then called to Daniels, I did not know his name—I called to the persons in the boat, and told them to stop and return, that I might see what property they had got in the boat—I got no answer—they did not return—they went in the direction of Barking Creek—we did not follow them—I saw them go about a quarter of a mile—we got within about twenty yards of them—I was near enough to identify the persons—I saw Daniels, I could not recognise any other person—I saw a quantity of rope and canvas in the boat—it is impossible for me to tell whether it was the same that I saw handed down the companion-ladder—it had the same appearance—they had not an opportunity of getting it out of the boat again—it must have been the same—I did not lose sight of them—I made a statement to an officer at Woolwich, I received orders, and went on the Saturday morning to the Royal George revenue-cutter, at Barking Creek, in company with Sergeant Glascock—I searched the cutter, but did not find any rope or canvas—I saw all the prisoners on board the cutter, but whether they were the men who were in the boat, with the exception of Daniels, I cannot say—I left Glascock on board.

JOHN EDWARD GLASCOCK (police-sergeant R 25.) I received information, on Friday night, the 30th of July, from Turner—I took a boat and rowed round the Nymph—a boat had just rowed away from it, with the five prisoners, and another man and a woman in it—I was near enough to it to identify all the prisoners—I have seen them about, and know them all by sight as belonging to the coast-guard; and Daniels had come to the yard several times—they rowed down the middle of the stream, towards Barking Creek—I approached to within three or four yards of their boat—I hallooed to them, and Angove stood up—I told him to stop, and asked him what they had got in the boat—he said some old stores, which they had been up to Limehouse to get—I saw some rope, similar to that produced, in the stern-sheets of the boat—I did not notice anything else—after I had called to Angove, and he had said that, he sat down, and they pulled away as hard as they could—the next morning I went to the Royal George, at Barking Creek—I obtained leave of the officer in command, and searched her with inspector White—I pulled up a flap and saw a board loose, I pulled it away and saw this canvas—the men were then mustered on board—the prisoners were amongst them, with the exception of Callaghan—the rope and canvas were brought on deck—Williams said he took it for the use of the service, and he did not think there was any harm in taking it—Lieutenant Simpson was the officer in command.

COURT. Q. Did you ascertain, in presence of the four prisoners, that the officer on board knew or did not know of these things being there? A. No; he did not know—he rendered me every assistance—he told me he had drawn no stores at all.

Cross-examined by MR. BALLANTINE. Q. You knew all the prisoners perfectly well? A. Yes; and I dare say they knew me—I have not the least doubt that they would have stopped the boat, only they were a little the worse for liquor—the best part of these things were found in the hold of the vessel.

RICHARD WHITE (police-inspector.) I went on board the Royal George, with Glascock—I assisted in searching, this rope and canvas was found in the hold of the vessel—the hold is covered with a deck—I had the men mustered in the after-cabin—the prisoners were all present but Callaghan—these stores were on the deck—I asked Daniels what account he had to give of the rope and canvas which were found in the hold—he stated that on Friday evening he had been on board the hulk Nymph, that he had been on the deck and walked about twenty minutes, that he neither saw anything put into the boat out of the bulk, or taken out of it, at Barking Creek—I next asked Moon what he had to say—he said he went on board the Nymph to see his brother-in-law, who was boatswain; that he was there twenty minutes, and he did not see anything put into the boat; but when he came into the boat he saw the things in it, and he had lent a hand to put them into the cutter at Barking Creek—Williams and Angove said they were on board the Nymph, and that the boatswain told them they could take as much rope as they wanted, to make swabs; and they took it, and thought there was no harm—swabs are to swab the deck with—the boatswain's name is William Kemmish.

DARIUS PENNIAL (Thames policeman, 25.) I was present on the morning when the Royal George was searched—I searched round about the shore, and found a piece of canvas in a reed-bed, about thirty yards from the vessel's side.

WILLIAM KEMMISH. I was officer on board the Nymph, on the 30th of July—I saw Daniels and the other prisoners on board, in the evening—I did not give them leave to take the cordage and canvas from on board.

Cross-examined. Q. Did you not know that they took it? A. I did not—I was in the cabin, and Moon, my brother-in law, was with me—I should say he knew nothing of these being taken, he was in the cabin the whole time with me—I was not on deck at all—I did not see the boat go off—I cannot say where this rope and canvas was taken from—it was not under my charge—I did not see anything of it—I did not know it was on board—I neither looked into the boat when it came nor when it went away—I took no notice of the men going away—I did not come on deck when they went away—my brother-in-law bid me good night, and went away—my wife was with me I have found out since that she went with these men and landlord at the Water-gate—I did not see her off—there was only myself and a boy on board—I told the boy to go and land my wife—I should say these are old stores—I cannot say that they have been dismantled from the Spiteful—I cannot say whether the hold of a vessel is the place where these things are kept.

COURT. Q. Then you were in charge of the vessel, five men came on board of it, and stepped off with your wife, and you made no inquiry about it from beginning to end? A. No.

MR. GODSON. Q. How near was the Spiteful to the Nymph? A. Close along side—it had come from foreign service—when a vessel comes from foreign service there are directions to take the old stores to the dockyard.

COURT. Q. What was done with the contents of the Spiteful when she was dismissed? A. The stores were returned, I believe—the ship was not dismantled, nor the masts and yards—the warrant-officer was in charge of it.

MR. GODSON. Q. What medal is that you bear? A. For service in China—I have been twenty-eight years in the service.

LIEUTENANT SIMPSON. I am officer of the Royal George cutter—on the morning of the 31st of July some stores were found on board—they did not belong to the Royal George.

Cross-examined. Q. How long had the prisoners been in the service? A. Daniels fifteen years; be always bore a most excellent character—Williams has been eleven years; and the others some years—I have had no complaints against them—it is not usual in the service to exchange things from vessel to vessel—we have received Queen's stores for our vessel, but these we did not receive—these were in the hold, where we always put our stores—there are five hatchways open to it—we have a great quantity of stores; I suppose 200l. worth—this canvas is fit for nothing but to make swabs—if I had seen it lying in the hold as it is, without hearing any account of it, I should have desired my men to work it up for swabs—we had no swabs on board; they were very much wanted—we received our stores two days after this—we get them once in twelve months—I do not exactly know the value of these things—I suppose they would have fetched 15s. or 16s.

MR. PARNELL. Q. What were the wages of these men? A. guines a-week—I believe Daniels has been in the service nearly forty years—there has been no other charge against him while he has been with me, nor before, that I have heard of—if the prisoners had got these stores and wanted to appropriate them to their own use, I think they might have been concealed where no one could have found them.

MR. GODSON. Q. Is not this piece of canvas nearly new? A. I think it is—it would not be used for swabs—I do not know what it would be used for—it seems to be something of hammock-cloth-(the witness here opened it)—it is a cover made to cover a sail—it is nearly new—I suppose it is worth 6d. or 8d. per yard—we do not have our stores from the storehouse, but from private contract—never from the naval stores,

DAVID ROY. I am a clerk in the storekeeper's-office, at Woolwich—I have examined this bundle of rope—it is marked with the worsted thread, the usual mark in the navy—it is worth about 20s.—this canvas is nearly new—it has the Government mark on it, a blue streak of paint in a seperntine form, that is the usual mark in the navy—its value to us would be 10s.—neither the boatswain nor any person at the hulk have authority to pass things from the naval stores to the coast-guard—the coast-guard have their stores by private contact—we have nothing to do with the revenue coast-guard, they are under the Custom-house—they do not have their stores from the naval store.

Cross-examined. Q. In the ordinary course, would not this be passed to the dockyard, as old stores from the Spiteful? A. Yes, and he sold shortly afterwards; but not in this form, it would be cut up—this canvas has been used as awning, or something of that kind—it would be cut up in pieces about two yards long.

COURT. Q. What is the use of cutting it up? A. If it were unserviceable, it would be cut up—it is no use to the dockyard as it is—it has been made, I suppose, for their own convenience.

(Mr. George Wright, Deputy-governor of Newgate, gave all the prisoners, except Moon, good characters.)

DANIELS— GUILTY.

MOON— GUILTY.

WILLIAMS— GUILTY.

ANGOVE— GUILTY.

CALLAGHAN— GUILTY.

To enter into recognizances to appear to receive judgment when called upon.

Reference Number: t18470816-1985

Death

John Simpson Chronology