James, William (d. 1827) English account of the capture of the H. M. Brig Alacrity
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00722.66 Author/Creator: James, William (d. 1827) Place Written: s.l. Type: Manuscript document Date: no date Pagination: 7 p. : docket ; 32 x 20 cm. Order a Copy
A handwritten excerpt from William James' "Naval History of Great Britain, Volume V," giving an account of the capture of the British brig "Alacrity" by the French brig "Abeille," which occurred on 26 May 1811 near Corsica. James describes the capture of the British ship by the French vessel of similar size, explains the reasons for the British defeat, pointing out the failures of the captain and the British naval system that allowed this to happen. Recommends revealing the full details of all British naval losses, saying the honor revealed in the details of even a defeat will outweigh the embarrassments. Also believes "Unless the French navy thrives, the British Navy will droop." Title from docket. Possibly in the hand of William McBlair.
William James was an author of British Naval histories.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.