SOME DORSET PRIVATEERS. 39 



owned by John Collins and commanded by Benj. Hughes, 

 her crew numbered sixty, and she was armed with ten carriage 

 guns and 20 howitzers to be used against the French and the 

 Spaniards. The same news sheet gives notice in March, 1779, 

 that the Shaftesbury, Capt. John Horsford, would shortly 

 distribute to the officers and men their shares in captured 

 prizes. The ship was 180 tons burden, and carried a crew of 

 seventy, with 24 guns. The owners were the commander, 

 a Weymouth merchant, and John Le Mesurier, of Alderney. 

 It is to be feared that, on the whole, the distributions fell short 

 of the expectations. 



To find the name of a Government Department among 

 those asking for Letters of Marque is both unusual and sur- 

 prising ; an instance occurs in the year 1793, when the Com- 

 missioners of Customs converted into a privateer the Grey- 

 Jiound, of Weymouth (200 tons, Capt. S. Watson), the warrant 

 being directed against France. Their object in taking this 

 step is not, of course, disclosed, but they may have wished to 

 extend beyond territorial waters their right to capture contra- 

 band, on account of the general prevalence of smuggling 

 along our South coast. The Commissioners also obtained 

 licences for the same cutter in 1795 and '96 for operations 

 against the United Provinces and Spain respectively. The 

 permits issued at this period to Lyme Regis vessels must 

 have been very few in number, as I have met with only two 

 applications in the years that have been examined. Perhaps 

 we may say of the port that it was happy in thus having no 

 history during the wars with Spain, Holland, and France. 

 The Dove, lugger, of Lyme (Capt. Thos. Jervis), a small 

 craft of 39 tons, carrying 4 guns and a crew of 25, was fitted 

 out there in 1793, the year following the partial destruction 

 of the Cobb by storms. The other example was the Lyme, of 

 60 tons, in 1757. 



The neighbouring haven of Bridport is mentioned only 

 once in this connection. The Sherborne Journal of 27th 

 May, 1779, contains an intimation that the cutter Resolution 

 was then being made ready for sea at Bridport, and invites 



