1794-1815 Entire letters from London (7), Bristol, Falmouth,...

Hammer

£550

1794-1815 Entire letters from London (7), Bristol, Falmouth, Northill or Dublin, to Clement Tudway in Wells (6) or London, another four without address panels, the letters to Wells all free of postage, the 1800 letter from Dublin to London with scarce red "S / IRELAND" (Jay 227a, used in London on letters from Ireland arriving on a Sunday, horizontal file fold) and charged 1/4. Interesting content includes 1794 (Sep 18) letter reporting 40 ships from the West India fleet captured by French frigates and three vessels foundered at sea; 1795 (Aug 3) letter reporting the capture of the "John, Capt. Richardson" with 10 hogsheads of Tudway's sugar on board; 1805 (July 9) letter reporting a despatch from Lord Nelson who had reached Barbados, sails for Antigua with troops and will then pursue the French fleet, which has captured the "Diamond Rock"; 1805 (Aug 9) letter reporting heavy losses to the Antigua fleet and Lord Nelson's arrival in the Islands; 1805 (Nov 12) letter with congratulations on Lord Nelson's splendid victory and the capture of a division of the French fleet by Sir Richard Strachan. The 1814 (Dec 13) letter from the ship "Camden" at Falmouth (but posted at Penryn) reports the departure of the fleet from Portsmouth on the 2nd, leaving Torbay on the 5th but having to make for Falmouth on the 8th in heavy gales; 45 ships of the fleet are missing and two have been lost off Scilly. (11). Photo on Page 6.