Catalogue description No. [V] 5905C [part]. Captured ship(s): One or more Dutch Gunboats Nos. 3, 43, 44, 45,...

No. [V] 5905C [part].

Captured ship(s): One or more Dutch Gunboats Nos. 3, 43, 44, 45, 48, 52, 54, 57 and 58. These papers are most probably from Gunboat no. 44 (Isaac Petrus Marie Willink commander, Bernard Scachoen master, and Cani Moutrand a midshipman, with Captain/Lieutenant Jan Nooij also on board): other papers relating to this gunboat are now at HCA 32/1172/5269.

History: Dutch Schuyts or Armed Gunboats, in the 2nd Division of the Franco-Batavian flotilla, sailing from Dunkirk with troops to land at Ambleteuse (as part of Napoleon's preparations for the invasion of Britain), these ships were mostly taken on 24 April 1805 off Cap Gris Nez by Royal Navy ships in the Bolougne squadron including HMS Gallant and HMS Watchful and brought into the Downs. However, Gunboats Nos. 44 and 58 were taken on 25 April 1805 by HMS Archer gun-brig (W Price commanding), and were also brought into the Downs.

This collection (in HCA 32/1209, HCA 32/1210 and HCA 32/1211) contains the papers of:

• Jan Nooij (Nooy) (c.1763-1826), Lieutenant in the Navy of the Batavian Republic; Lieutenant, Gouda frigate, c.1798; Lieutenant, Lands Cannonier Galley Voorzorg, and Commander of the vessels in the Ems, c.1799-1804; Captain/Lieutenant, Witte Cornelisz (? Schooner No. 5) and Commander of the 2nd Division of Gunboats, Nos. 37-72 and 213-16, in the Franco-Batavian Flotilla at Ostend and Dunkirk, c. 1804-1805.
• Andries Reijnier Bouschut, 1st Clerk of Voorzorg.
• Pierre Julien Marie Malescot de Kérangouez, paymaster of troops of the 7th Regiment, Imperial Corps of Artillery and 51st and 61st Regiments of Infantry on board the 2nd Division of Gunboats; this appears to be a personal archive being transported, as he was not on board any of the captured gunboats.

Documents:

• 1. Nooij's papers: ship's papers of Gouda frigate (Dutch).
• 2. Nooij's papers: ship's books, Voorzorg (Dutch).
• 3. Nooij's papers: ship's papers, Voorzorg (Dutch).
• 4. Nooij's papers: papers relating to Voorzorg and other ships in the Ems (Dutch).
• 5. Ship's papers: papers relating to other ships, provenance unknown (Dutch).
• 6. Nooij's papers: Nooij as Commander in the Ems (Dutch).
• 7. Bouschut's papers: papers as 1st Clerk, Weerwrack galley (Dutch).
• 8. Bouschut's papers: papers as 1st Clerk, Voorzorg galley (Dutch).
• 9. Perhaps Nooij's papers: a celestial map from 1780 by Covens and Mortier and a Dutch map from 1691 showing the river Rhine splitting into the rivers Waal and Lower Rhine at Spijk, Netherlands; possibly from Voorzorg.
• 10. Miscellaneous letters and papers, perhaps relating to Voorzorg.

Papers relating to Gunboat [Schuyt] No. 58 and to the other gunboats are now at

HCA 32/1172