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The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
British captains delivered dispatches protesting French actions on Turk's Island, including removal of English salt-makers and erection of possession monuments. They destroyed one monument on Grand Key but left another at Salt Key intact. French responses claimed English robbery of a wrecked ship and benevolent intent for the pharos. Remaining English forced to pledge allegiance to France.
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The 8th of August last, Captain George Ball, from Providence, with dispatches from his Excellency General Shirley, and on the 16th his majesty's ship Venus, commanded by Captain Weller, with letters from Sir William Burnaby, commander in chief of his majesty's ships at Jamaica, to the count d'Estaing governor general of Hispaniola, touching the extraordinary conduct of the French sometime before, towards his majesty's subjects taking salt on Turk's Island, "in removing and carrying his majesty's said subjects prisoners to Cape Francois, burning their huts and destroying their provisions." arrived at the Cape, and delivered their dispatches, but were told that the governor general was not then in that capital; upon which, on the 22d they proceeded to Turk's Island, where on Grand Key, they found a Monument or Column erected, 12 feet wide at the base and 60 feet high, built of brick and soft mortar, with a square piece of marble fixed therein bearing this inscription, viz. Homines ad Deos nulla re proprius accedunt quam salutem hominibus dando. and over it, "PHARE DE CHOISEUL." in large letters of iron; and as it did not appear to them, that a monument in this place could be of the least service to trade and navigation, but that it was rather intended as a mark of possession, &c. they immediately proceeded to undermine and destroyed it in two hours. --Another of these Columns was erected at Salt Key, but as that might be of service to shipping, it was left standing.
Some time after, the count d'Estaing sent a Vessel to Jamaica, and another to Providence, with answers to the letters that had been delivered by the Captains Weller and Ball: which, we hear, alledged, as a reason for their removal of the English from Turk's Island, that they had robbed a French ship cast away there; and that the Pharos was erected with no other view than for the general good of mankind, and preservation of shipping. Nevertheless, we are informed that a few English, who still remain on Turk's Island, have been obliged to acknowledge allegiance to the French King, by signing a paper the contents whereof they were strangers to --The report of two other monuments having been erected, by the French, on Maguana and Caicos's, seems to have no Foundation; neither had they yet put soldiers or settlers on any of the Islands.
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Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Turk's Island
Event Date
8th Of August Last
Key Persons
Outcome
monument on grand key undermined and destroyed; column at salt key left standing; english remaining on turk's island obliged to acknowledge allegiance to french king by signing unknown paper; reports of other monuments unfounded; no french soldiers or settlers placed.
Event Details
Captains Ball and Weller delivered dispatches protesting French removal of English salt-makers from Turk's Island to Cape Francois, burning of huts, and destruction of provisions. Upon finding a French monument on Grand Key interpreted as a mark of possession, they destroyed it. French responses alleged English robbery of a wrecked ship and claimed the pharos was for navigation and humanity's good.