NO. 2 LAST CRUISE OF H.M.S. LOO PETERSON 7 



July 1730 was on duty in British waters performing such tasks as 

 transporting clerks and money to the pay at Plymouth and patroUing 

 the Channel.-^ In August she was ordered to the Mediterranean as 

 convoy for transports going to Gibraltar and remained in the Medi- 

 terranean cruising against the Barbary pirates "on the Coast of 

 Sallee." 22 



Coming home to Britain in August 1731, the Loo was again on 

 Channel service until the next spring.^^ For three years she was again 

 laid up and on May 5, 1735, was commissioned and fitted out as a 

 hospital ship for duty in the Channel service. In August of that year 

 she joined the naval forces at Lisbon, still as a hospital ship, and 

 served there until the spring of 1737."* From that time until January 

 1742 she was laid up and, war having broken out between Great 

 Britain and Spain, was recommissioned as a frigate of 44 guns on 

 January 5 and placed in the Channel service under the command of 

 the Earl of Northesk. While on a cruise in the area of Cape Finnisterre 

 (northwest Spain) the Loo, in company with the Dealcastle (24 guns) 

 raided Vigo Bay, capturing four Spanish vessels in the harbor, an 

 incident reported in the London Gazette for August 31, 1742.-^ 



21 Ibid. 



22 Ibid. 



23 ADM 8/17 and 8/18. 



24 ADM 8/19 and 8/20. 



25 Also mentioned in the Gentlemen's Magazine for August 1742, p. 445, and 

 September 1742, p. 494, giving an account of the Loo raiding in the Porto Nova 

 and Santiago areas : "The Earl of Northesk, Capt. of his Majesty's ship the 

 Loo, being on a cruize off of Cape Finisterre, and the parts adjacent, received 

 intelligence of a small Privateer being at Porto Nova, upon which he stood in 

 there on the 30th of June, but the Privateer discovering him, got higher up the 

 river than the Loo could venture, and it falling calm, Ld. Northesk was obliged 

 to anchor close by the towns of Porto Nova, and St. lago, into which he fired 

 a few shot, then landed some men and dismounted 4 guns which were on a bat- 

 tery at Porto Nova, and set fire to several houses at St. lago. On July 7, Lord 

 Northesk met with his Majesty's Ship the Dealcastle, commanded by Capt. Elton, 

 and receiving intelligence of some vessels being at Vigo, they run up the river 

 and anchored before that town, where they made prizes of 4 vessels, 2 of which 

 they set on fire, being light, and not having Sails on board to bring them out. 

 They fired several shot into the Town to cover the boats while they cut away 

 the vessels, there being a pretty smart fire at them with small arms from the 

 shore. On July 19, upon intelligence that the privateer was still about the river 

 of Porto Nova, the Loo run in and anchored under the Island of Blydones, where 

 Lord Northesk put a Lieutenant and 60 men, with 2 of the ship's 6 Pounders, 

 into a Sloop taken at Vigo, and sent her up the river in quest of the privateer ; 

 the Sloop could see nothing of her, but in her return chased a bark on shore, and 

 set her on fire; and Lord Northesk landed some men, and burnt a village of 

 about 40 houses." 



