Physical description: Codex. 70 (of 74) leaves. Bound in vellum.

Item note: An Account of the Transactions of his Majestys Ship Magnificent From the time of her leaveing England {I. E.} Febry. 6th: 1782 till the time of her arrival which was June 9th: 1783 -- (ms. t.-p., 2d leaf)"David Minns July 13th: 1783" (1st leaf, recto)."Officers on board the Magnificent at her leaveing England. ..." (1st leaf, verso).Journal begins: "On Febuary 6th: 1782, we Saild from Portsmouth, with 9 Sail of Men of War, and Several of the East India Ships, under the Command of Comodore Bickerton... On the 22d: of Febuary we Left the Comodore and India Ships, and proceeded on with the Agamemnon for the West Indies..." arriving at Barbados 18 March, where they "Victualed and Wartered" for two days.On 29 March they sailed from Saint Lucia with Agamemnon (64 guns) and Endymion (44 guns) "on a Cruce of St. Martinico, to watch the Motions of the French in the Harbour of Fort Royal."On 1 April at St. Lucia they join Rodney; at anchor until the 8th when they return to Martinique to watch the French, who had meanwhile got underway "and three of their heavy Ships give Chace to us almost as far as Rock Diamond. When we stood over to St. Lucia, we found... Rodney had got the British Fleet underway, accompanyed by... Hood... [and] Drake... we Joined... Hoods Division..."; the following 12 leaves describe the subsequent maneuvers and battle, ending "at 1/2 past 6 the Ville de Paris, Count de Grasse, Struck to Sir Samuel Hood in the Barfleur...""Lists of the Ships of the Line, in the British and French. Line of Battle. Which Engaged on the 12th of April, in the year 1782" (leaf 12, verso)."French Line of Battle Which Engaged April 12th: 1782" (leaf 14, verso).The journal continues as Magnificent, now damaged, cruises the islands and off Havana, where several Spanish vessels are captured. On 20 August the ship begins extensive repairs at Halifax; on course to New York they suffer storm damage and head for the West Indies. After capturing the American schooner Sally, they reach Barbados on 29 December. The Magnificent, plagued by storm and battle damage, continually needs repair, and on 1 May 1783 returns to England, making Land's End on the 7th."In giveing Names to the Ships of the Royal Navy, the Original Intention must have been..." (leaf 53 verso); 3-1/2 leaves essay, signed."Admiral Barringtons Defence at St. Lucia" verse, leaf 59 verso, signed "David Minns November 23d: 1784.""The distress of his Majestys Ship Endymion. of 44 Guns. on the 22d: and 23d: of January 1780 being 130 Leagues Westward of Scilly By D+ Minns Mariner..." (leaf 60 verso); 5 leaves of prose describing a storm."The Transactions of his Majestys Ship Emerald A Frigate of 32 Guns. By D+ Minns Mariner..." (leaf 65 verso); a prose account of a convoy to Gibraltar; 5-1/2 leaves.Leaf [57] and the three final leaves are removed; the bottom third of the last present leaf is cut off.

Original digital object name: bei-m280

This digital resource is provided by the Special Collections department, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, United States.