40 SOME DORSET PRIVATEERS. 



seamen and able-bodied landmen who had a mind to make 

 their fortunes to apply there to the captain, Hilary Gosselin. 



This cutter's " declaration " shews that her crew was one 

 hundred, and her armament 20 carriage guns, 10 cohorns, 

 and 12 swivels. If the tonnage of 280 is correctly stated, the 

 Resolution must have had some difficulty at that date in 

 entering or leaving the little harbour now known as West 

 Bay. 



Swanage in the eighteenth century was only a fishing vil- 

 lage, but the spirit of adventure was not wanting, as may 

 be learned from a tablet in the church to the memory of three 

 parishioners named Edmonds, who were closely associated with 

 privateering (Hutchins, 3rd ed., I. 679). It appears that 

 Joseph Edmonds had commanded in 1757 the Defyance, of 

 London, and that he had fitted out in 1793 the New Albion, 

 of Southampton, his son John being a partner in the under- 

 taking and captain of the ship. Samuel Edmonds was 

 surgeon on board the New Albion, and another son is said to 

 have commanded the Dorset, which was presumably also a 

 privateer, but is as yet untraced. There are certain dis- 

 crepancies between the documents of the Admiralty Court 

 and the inscription on the memorial ; no doubt the latter 

 was carved some years after the events narrated. 



Having now reached comparatively modern times, I will 

 bring these notes to a close, notwithstanding that Letters of 

 Marque were granted, at lengthening intervals, until 1856, 

 when the treaty of Paris finally put an end to the practice 

 as between European nations, the United States being a 

 dissentient. It is conceivable, however, that if the da\ 

 of a naval Armageddon should come upon us, the best of our 

 mercantile marine will once more be armed as commerce 

 destroyers, though a less ugly term than " privateer " may 

 be used to describe them. 



