HMS THAMES LOGBOOK: British 32-Gun Richmond-Class Frigate assigned to interdict shipping in the West Indie

[THAMES, HMS]. Manuscript logbook of HMS Thames , British 32-Gun Richmond-Class Frigate assigned to interdict enemy shipping in the West Indies. AMs, approximately 384pp. 4to, original reversed calf, morocco label on front cover gilt lettered "Thames Log Book." England and the West Indies, 25 February 1797 to 30 June 1798.


A marvelous historical document, rich in detail, being the war-time logbook of 16 months duration of a 18th century English 32-gun fifth-rate frigate, one of the first Richmond-class frigates built for the Royal Navy, written at a time when England was at war with both France and Spain. Such ships served as fast scouts or independent cruisers, and to be posted aboard one of them was considered a plum assignment because of the prospect of prize money for the crews. Commanded by a distinguished officer, a future admiral who had a long and successful naval career throughout the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. Includes the Spithead Mutiny at Portsmouth, an event Captain Lukin is credited with helping to resolve peacefully, with some of those events included here. Followed by convoy duty with a merchant fleet sailing to Barbados, whereupon Thames immediately began patrolling the Caribbean for enemy vessels, sighting and chasing "strange sails," firing across bows to compel vessels to hove to, fighting "brigands" in coastal waters, taking prizes, boarding and searching a great many ships, many of them American vessels from which they impressed seamen (names of ships given, as well as ports and cargoes), also taking and transferring French prisoners and supplies. There is mention of Captain Lukin attending executions of some of the perpetrators of the bloodiest mutiny in the history of the Royal Navy. A FULL DESCRIPTION WITH A FOUR-PAGE CHRONOLOGY OF HMS THAMES'S ACTIVITIES IS AVAILABLE TO INTERESTED PARTIES.