From the London Gazette

From the London Gazette:

CONTRACTS FOR RUM, WINE, PEAS, OATS, AND COCOA.

Department of the Comptroller for

Victualling and Transport Services,

Somerset-Place.

THE Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, do hereby give notice, that on Thursday the 14th instant, at one o'clock, they will be ready to treat with such persons as may be willing, to contract for supplying and delivering the following articles into His Majesty's Victualling Stores at Deptford, viz.

Rum, the produce of the British possessions in the West Indies, equal, by Sykes's hydrometer, to 75,000 gallons proof; to be delivered in the original casks as imported, and tenders to be made at a rate per proof gallon, and in parcels of not less than 3000 gallons; half to be delivered in a month, and the remainder in a month afterwards.

Wine, Spanish Red, 6000 gallons; half to be delivered in a fortnight, and the remainder in a fortnight afterwards.

Peas, 500 quarters; half to be delivered in a fortnight, and the remainder in a fortnight afterwards.

Oats, Scotch Potatoe, 300 quarters; to be delivered in a fortnight.

Cocoa, 30 to 40 tons; half to be delivered in three weeks, and the remainder in three weeks afterwards.

The Rum, Wine, and Cocoa will be exempted from the Customs' duties.

Samples of the wine (not less than, two bottles), of the peas and oats (not less than two quarts of each), and of the cocoa (not less than two pounds) must be produced by the parties tendering. The conditions of the contracts may be seen at the said Office.

No tender will be received after one o'clock on the day of treaty, nor any noticed, unless the party attends, or an agent for him duly authorised in writing.

Every tender must be delivered at the above Office, and those for wine and cocoa must be accompanied by a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty, at Somerset-place, and signed by a responsible person, engaging to become bound with the person tendering, in the sum of £25 per cent, on the value, for the due performance of the contracts.

Admiralty, Somerset-Place,

THE Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland do hereby give notice, that on Thursday the 21st of January next, at two o'clock in the afternoon, they will put up to sale, at their Office in Somerset-place, His Majesty's ships and vessels hereunder mentioned, namely:

Lying at Deptford.
Dover, 5th rate, 692 tons burthen.

Lying at Chatham.
Martial, brig, 183 tons burthen.
Surly, lighter, 137 tons burthen.

Lying at Sheerness.
Dispatch, brig, 388 tons burthen.
Mercury, tender, 40 tons burthen.

Lying at Portsmouth.
Merlin, sloop, 395 tons burthen.
Rifleman, brig, 387 tons burthen.
Duchess of York, tender, 49 tons burthen.

Lying at Plymouth.
Captivity, 74 guns, 1613 tons burthen.
Elk, brig, 386 tons burthen.
Carnation, sloop, 385 tons burthen.
Barracouta, brig, 235 tons burthen.
Breakwater, lighter, No. 10, 28 tons burthen.

Persons wishing to view the ships and vessels, must apply to the Superintendents of the Dockyards for notes of admission for that purpose. Catalogues and conditions of sale may be had here and at the Yards.

SALE OF IRON BALLAST.

Admiralty, Somerset-Place,

THE Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland do hereby give notice, that immediately after the sale of ships and vessels, advertised to take place at this Office, on Thursday the 21st instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon, they will put up to sale the following quantities of

Broken, irregular, and foreign Iron Ballast, viz.
141 Tons, lying at Woolwich.
40 Tons, lying at Sheerness.
200 Tons, lying at Chatham.

Persons wishing to view the lots, must apply to the Superintendents for notes of admission for that purpose.

Catalogues and conditions of sale may be had here and at the Yards.

Royal Navy Signal Flags 1806

Popham as a young Lt.

The Admiral Popham Telegraph Signal book of 1806 is the book used on board Royal Navy ships, including the Acasta. Lord Nelson's final signal at Trafalgar was giv'n using the same system.

In way of explanation as to how to read the Popham Signals:

I. Preparatory flag consisting of a red-and-white diagonal flag which is flown at the start of a signal to show that it was a telegraphic signal.

II. The message finished flag consisted of blue and yellow diagonal.

III. If the message was understood the affirmative signal or a repeat of the signal that was sent.

IV. If the message was not understood then the affirmative signal with a white flag was flown.

V. If the message was to be answered a further flag was flown.

VI. If a number was to be sent then a numeral pennant was flown.

You may find a copy of Popham's Telegraph Signal book HERE. Have a look through it, it is a fairly simple system. You will need this as a reference from time-to-time when the Acasta hoists her signal flags.

Here is the previous signal hoisted, just before the Trafalgar Dinner, for practice:

Click on image to see a larger version.

 This message was hoisted after the capture of the Two Brothers to the Prize Crew from the Acasta

Shipwreck of HMS Bounty

The Bounty in its current position at Sea.

I can't help but think about this tragedy in terms of what it might have been like had it occurred in the early 19th Century and the era surrounding the War of 1812. 

No radios or GPS tracking, no Coast Guard scrambled and ready to the rescue. Just a crew that knew their ship was in dire trouble and working as hard as they could to keep her afloat in a terrifyingly difficult sea. They knew it was that, or brave the tiny, open longboats over miles of rough, freezing, stormy water. 

A shipwreck of this magnitude wouldn't be all over the news outlets in a matter of hours as it was yesterday, instead, it would have just been overdue at its next port of call, likely never heard from again. Family and friends would be left to wonder about the true fate of the ship and their loved ones. 

And so, today, while I think on how tragic this entire story is for everyone involved, from ship owners, to Captain, to crew and their family and friends... I'll also be thinking about the haunting image above, and the tragedy that might have been had this happened 200 years ago. 

Coast Guard footage of Bounty Crew Rescue

Bounty Captain R. Walbridge

The Coast Guard rescued 14 people from life rafts in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, N.C., Monday, Oct. 29, and two people remain missing. The first MH-60 Jayhawk crew arrived on scene at approximately 6:30 a.m. and hoisted five people into the aircraft, and a second helicopter arrived and rescued nine people and all were taken to Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., with no life-threatening conditions. U.S. Coast Guard video by Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.

Vice Admiral Robert Parker of the United State Coast Guard confirmed in an interview with ABC News that 14 of the 16 crew members had been rescued, and that the Bounty HAD indeed sunk. 

Bounty Captain Robin Walbridge is said to be one of the missing. 

HMS Bounty Crew Abandons Ship at Sea

An image from the deck of the Bounty trying to get through the storm.

2:55 AM EDT: Coast Guard spokesman David Weydert tells ABC News, “The Coast Guard received notification that the sailing vessel HMS Bounty was in distress. We responded by sending out a C-130 aircraft and we’re currently monitoring the situation.”

And this from the Bounty's Facebook page: 

"The crew is safe and accounted for. They have abandoned ship. They are in their sea survival suits and in a life boat. A Coast Guard cutter is racing to pick them up. The coast guard plane has heat sensing ability and has scanned the Bounty for any people on it...There is no one one on the ship. Again...ALL the crew is safe and in a lifeboat."

Also from their Facebook page:
"We received a distress call for Bounty at 1830 Sunday evening that the Ship lost power and the pumps were unable to keep up with the dewatering. At that time we immediately contacted the USCG for assistance.

A C130 was sent to there position approximately 90 miles SE of Cape Hatteras. At 0430 today the Captain ordered all hands to abandon ship. There are 17 Crew on board and at this moment all crew are accounted for and are in Life rafts.

The first USCG helicopter has reached the ship and is in the process of rescuing them. Bounty is currently still floating upright and intact. We will keep everyone informed as info becomes available"

For the most recent news story from CBC news Nova Scotia, click HERE.

And find the latest update from the Coast Guard HERE.

God Speed to the Bounty and her crew, may they all return home safe and sound!

From the Surgeon's Personal Log 23

Our blockade seems to never end.

While we did have a lovely dinner in honour of Lord Nelson's victory at Trafalgar, our mission of late has generally made even the most jolly among us testy and cross. Lt. Ramsey has been so busy that I have scarcely seen him in the Wardroom and it has been weeks since we were able to visit and work on our various projects as we were once wont to do.

I have read all my books and find I long for something new to read. My last batch of post from home brought only bills and disagreeable correspondence, and I have answered them all. My tidy little pile of mail awaits delivery on the next ship bound for Halifax.

The only advantage I can see to this prolong'd assignment is that I am able to catch up on the cases of venereal disease amongst the men. The less often they are given their liberty ashore, the better in regards to my supply of physick and their own well-being.

It would seem that one of the lookouts has spotted a sail on the horizon. Perhaps I will go up and have a look.

"We're all Teachers"

See a little behind the scenes footage from the Mississinewa 1812 event in Marion, Indiana. In the above video, new Acasta gun captain Walt Dubbeld sums up nicely the reason we do what we do.

Below, find a link to the newly redesigned website and pictures from said event, and be certain to be on the lookout for Acasta Midshipman Raley... it would appear he got himself into a little trouble whilst on special assignment ashore!

MISSISSINEWA: 1812