Pirate Harry Morgan's Cannon Found off Panama Coast?

[Old Bookaroo]

Have cannon from Capt. Henry Morgan's flagship been recovered off the coast of Panama?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...cience-panama/

Was he a pirate? Remember, as Gov. of Jamaica he sued the publishers of the classic Buccaneers of America that called him a pirate - and he won.


Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HI book: Morgan was a Pirate by any definition, although he considered himself under a charter from the Britlander gov't. He sacked Panama, stole the loot from his fellow pirates by trickery, set sail for the north, but stopped off to hide the major part of his loot - for this you have to talk to Chagy - then returned to his home where he was given the Governorship due to judicious use of some of the Panama loot.

Don Jose de La Mancha

[Old Bookaroo]

Don Jose:

There is no doubt Sir Henry Morgan was the greatest buccaneer of them all. Was he a pirate? That was adjudicated by the English court.

The best book on the subject remains The Buccaneers of America because it is the only first-hand account, written by a man "who himself, of necessity, was present at all those acts of plunder."

In 1678, De Americaensche Zee-Rovers, by Alexander-Olivier Exquemelin, was published in Amersdam. This brought the story of Morgan's Caribbean exploits against the Spanish to the attention of the world. As was the custom of the day, the text was promptly pirated - it was translated into German in 1679, then into Spanish (1681) - and finally into English in 1684.

Actually, it was translated into English twice. It comes as no surprise the two editions were remarkably different from each other - and quite different from the original.

Sir Henry Morgan, Governor of Jamaica, became aware of the book(s) with the appearances in English. He promptly sued the London publishers for libel. He asked for 10,000 pounds - and was awarded 200, plus damages.

[center][center]
[center]The prisoners were promptly tortured[center]

The first direct from Dutch to English translation of this important book was published by Penguin in 1969. These paperbacks had a short life expectancy. The Folio Society published a beautiful hardcover (slipcased) edition in 1972. This is the best available edition.

When I worked with Dover Publications to reprint the key pirate titles, I told them this was the edition to publish. They found Alex Brown in France and gained permission to use her translation. This is still in print in trade paperback, and anyone who wants to read this excellent book should purchase this edition.

Was Harry Morgan a pirate? Some hundreds of years later we can read the Surgeon’s account and judge for ourselves.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Good morning Book: I am reminded of the saying "a Rose by any name is the same". As for a Britland court, they were notoriously corrupt

His main loot from Panama, which was stolen from his fellow Pirates, Buccaneers, whatever, etc., has never been recovered or accounted for, only Chagy, and a friend of his, have the basic knowledge as to where.

Don Jose de La Mancha

[Chagy]

He was a British Privateer

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan (Harri Morgan in Welsh; ca. 1635 – 25 August 1688) was a Welsh Admiral, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements. He was one of the most notorious and successful privateers of all time, and one of the most ruthless who worked in the Spanish Main.


Morgan's Flagship is in Haiti

Tayopa 8)

[Old Bookaroo]

This is mostly from memory, so it is subject to correction. Sometimes memory serves; sometimes it double-faults.

After Henry Morgan sacked Porto Bello, the British sent to Port Royal, Jamaica, HMS Oxford to protect that valuable port. There is a substantial fort there, as well.

The good citizens of Port Royal immediately turned that vessel over to Capt. Morgan. Almost immediately (again, my memory is the next day) the ship blew up. The common theory is the sailors were overloaded with rum. Fire was always a severe hazard on a wooden ship - particularly one loaded with gunpowder. Warships had strict rules regarding smoking on board. Some buccaneer, pirate and privateer ships did, as well.

Because the Oxford was lost so soon after it arrived in the Caribbean, I would suggest it is highly unlikely the hulk contains any treasure - despite many accounts to the contrary.

http://rumbarrelbar.blogspot.com/201...ms-oxford.html

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

PS: As always, I look forward to any corrections, comments, and offers of additional information!

[culverin]

there is a big difference between pirates, privateers and buccaneres. pirates were sea going theives who stole from any country's ships they could capture. privateers and buccaneres were similar in that they captured ships and towns with the sanction of a legitimate nation and these acts were only allowed while the two nations were at war. Morgan's forces teamed up with the buccaneres from Tortuga to sack Mariciabo, Panama and other ports on the Spanish Main. when the hostilities officially ceased between Spain & England he was forced to quit attacking Spanish shipping or be hunted as a pirate. they made him govonor of Jamacia and part of his new duties were to hunt down his former comrades who didn't want to stop robbing Spain's ships.
I have read Esquemeling's book and it is very informative. another great book if you can find it that was written by someone who was there is The Memoirs of a Buccaneer by Louis Le Golif, a French buccaneer from Tortuga. he claimed that Esquemelin's account of what happened was not accurate so he wrote his book.

[Mackaydon]

http://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-buccan.../dp/B0007DZC3K

[Old Bookaroo]

culverin:

I believe you are confusing and conflating privateers with buccaneers.

Privateers sail under government-issued letters of marque and reprisal. They may only attack vessels of nations with which the government issuing the papers are at war. Prizes must be taken to specified ports and turned over to prize courts.

The international law regarding privateers is well-defined and clear. Although there were some folks - Jean Laffite being, perhaps, the most famous - who acted as pirates under dubious letters of marque. Capt. William Kidd also comes to mind in this regard.

The buccaneers were independent sailors, originally from Hispaniola, who took Spanish vessels because the Spanish tried to wipe them out. Many of them were escaped slaves and indentured servants who had good reason to hate Spain.

The book you mentioned is interesting, but there is considerable dispute about whether it is an authentic memoir. There is no such question regarding The Buccaneers of America.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

[jeff k]

http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/02/ar...eved-to-be-fr/

[mad4wrecks]

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news...st-fleet-found