Correspondence from Paris on the Motions of the French Navy, 1780

Summary

Creator:

Anonymous

Abstract:

This item is a bound collection of espionage correspondence from Paris, 1780, that describes the locations and numbers of French and Spanish ships in Gibraltar, New York, Canada, and the West Indies.

Extent:

1 volume

Language:

English

Sponsor:

Hubert S. Smith Naval Collection

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Philip Heslip, September 2009

Background

Scope and Content:

This volume is a bound collection of espionage correspondence from Paris, 1780. The 37 reports (65 pages) describe the locations and numbers of French and Spanish ships in Gibraltar, New York, Canada, and the West Indies. Many entries discuss the number of troops stationed at various ports, the conditions of the crew ("They are badly manned and sickly, especially the Spanish who also find it difficult to recruit their navy" p.40), and the outcomes of engagements ("The French had suffered greatly, most of the ship's masts being damaged...100 men have been killed and at least 1,200 wounded" (p.47). The author often provides logistical information such as lists of ships and crew sizes, as well as the names of the ships' captains.

Biographical / Historical:

This volume was created by a British spy stationed in Paris in 1780. The author had access to important French naval reports and communications through informants in Brest, Madrid, and Cadiz. The intelligence may have been collected for Lord Stormont, who had spies placed in a number of French ports at this time. The title page of this volume is labeled "Jackson Papers.”

Acquisition Information:

1969. M-1491 .

Custodial History:

Phillipps Mss. 10433

Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the "We the People" project.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Materials

The Clements Library owns additional items related to the French Navy in the late 18th century, including:

• d’Estaing, C. Henri. Signaux de l'escadre du roi: commande̓e par M. le comte d'Estaing. [Boston], 1928.
• Extrait du journal d'un officier de la marine de l'escadre de M. le comte d'Estaing.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Intelligence service--Great Britain.
Navy-yards and naval stations, French.
Spies.

Formats:

Letters (Correspondence)

Places:

Brest (France)
Cádiz (Spain)
France--History, Naval--18th century.
Madrid (Spain)
Paris (France)
Spain--History, Naval--18th century.
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Secret service.