The Swift cutter, April 24 1800
From the London Chronicle, 1800. A Polperro smuggler nearly escapes at Guernsey.
Maritime
September 1806
Alderney Races, among other things, featuring Mackenzie's brown mare, called Snowball!
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.