Name of Vessel:

Water Geus [De Water Geus, Watergus, Water Guise]

Master of Vessel:

Adrian [Archibald] Chatelain

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

1 June 1777

Place of Capture:

Near St. Eustatius, Netherlands West Indies

Captor:

HM Frigate Seaford

Home Port:

Middleburg, Netherlands

From What Port:

St. Eustatius, Netherlands West Indies

To What Port:

Middleburg, Netherlands

Cargo:

Indigo, tobacco, rum, rice

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Commercial Company of Middleburg, Netherlands

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Antigua, British West Indies

Into What Port:

Antigua, British West Indies

Date Arrived:

Date Tried:

30 June 1777

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: The ship Water Geus [De Water Guise, Watergus, Water Guise] (Adrian [Archibald] Chatelain), owned by the commercial Company of Middleburgh, Zeeland, The Netherlands, arrived at St. Eustatius, Netherlands West Indies, from the coast of Guinea with a cargo of slaves. The slaves were sold and Water Geus was loaded with a cargo of West Indian and American products, including indigo, tobacco, rum and rice. Water Geus sailed from St. Eustatius bound for Middlebourg. At sea, about 1 June 1777, she was stopped and captured by HM Frigate Seaford (Captain John Colpoys). Colpoys took her into Antigua, British West Indies.

Within a few days (12 June) the governor of St. Eustatius, Johannes de Graaf, was writing to Vice Admiral James Young, protesting these seizures, and demanding the immediate release of the ship and cargo, plus payment for costs and damages. De Graaf noted that both ports, St. Eustatius and Middlebourg, were in the Dutch dominions, and asked Young if he really thought the Dutch would permit such trade to be interrupted, “so long as the united Netherlands remain a free and independent State.” De Graaf sent one of his aides de camp and the commander of St. Eustatius’ garrison to deliver this protest.

Young replied to De Graaf quickly, on 15 June. Water Geus had been libeled in the Admiralty Court. She had been stopped for having the produce of the North American colonies on board, illegally exported (according to the British) to St. Eustatius. Her trial date had been set for 30 June, and Young suggested that such parties as claimed her or the goods aboard would “undoubtedly have due justice done them.”

De Graaf had also complained to The Netherlands government. On 16 September 1777 the Admiralty was inquiring of Vice Admiral Young. They wanted to know the reasons for seizing these vessels and what had happened to them. The letter was dispatched on 1 October 1777. Young replied on 21 December 1777. The Water Geus had been acquitted in the Admiralty Court at Antigua. Since the judge ruled that there was reason to bring her in, the Dutch were to pay the court costs.

[NDAR, IX, 104-105 and 105 note, 122-123, 192-195, 641; X, 773-774]