Maritime

September 1649: Colonel Popham hunts a Prince

Colonel Edward Popham reports on his search for Prince Charles, who was suspected of attempting to take refuge in Jersey, which he had already visited in 1646. Popham must have missed him, because Charles did find his way to Jersey in that month, and stayed until February of 1650.

Diving Experiment III; the Orchard brothers make progress

From the Star of July 21, 1834. A year after they made their first trial of their proprietary suit, one of the Orchards walks under water, and the brothers receive some encouragement.

The Steam Packets

From the Star, June 8, 1837

Cadiz again: 1826

An extract of a letter from M. L. B. of the Brig J-, to a friend in this Island, dated Newfoundland, August 1826. Published in L'Indépendance, Saturday, 21 October, 1826.

Diving Experiment II: more about the Orchard brothers, 1833

From the Star of June 28, 1833. Another description of their trial of their innovative diving suit.

September 6 1826: The loss of the Sir Francis Freeling packet

Gazette de Guernesey, 30 September 1826. From the French.

The end of the Submarine Diving Society, 24 October 1836

From the Star of Monday, 24th October, 1836. A report of the death of Peter Gallienne, a 'sober, steady, enterprising and well-informed young man,' which is thought to be the first ever death while diving of a helmeted diver.

14 February 1814: A Guernseyman's golden Valentine

Dug from Lima's golden mine, We hail it as our Valentine. HMS Menelaus recaptured a very valuable French prize, the Spanish treasure-ship the St Juan Baptista. The master was a Guernseyman, and Guernsey people are often very careful with money. This one certainly was. The account is from The Life of a Sailor by Frederick Chamier (1796-1870), some of whose tales are probably rather tall.

December 23, 1803: The loss of the Grappler and the sufferings of its captain and crew

Chaussey, or Choye, is a group of islets lying off the coast of Normandy, about twenty miles from Jersey, and nine from Granville. They stretch north, east, and west, and cover a space of nearly twelve miles. The principal of them is called the MaÎtre Isle, and is the resort of a few French fishermen during the summer, but being only a rock, and totally devoid of vegetation, its inhabitants are entirely dependent on the neighbouring shores for all the necessaries of life, excepting what their nets may produce. At the time of which we are writing, the winter of 1803, this group of islets was in the hands of the English, and was the scene of the wreck of the Grappler in that year.

December 1826

Extracts from The Star (Guernsey Weekly Advertiser).

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