A GEORGE III COMMEMORATIVE SILVER SALVER, WILLIAM CRIPPS, LONDON, 1758

the centre engraved with a spirited view of the engagement between HMS Monmouth and the Foudroyant , below a rococo cartouche and post-1836 coat-of-arms and two crests, three panel supports, the underside inscribed: This Plate is in Memory of his Majestys Ship Monmouth of 64 Guns 480 men. Who Attackd and Took the Foudroyant a french Ship of War on the 28 th Feby 1758. in the Mediteranean Comanded by the Marquis Du Quisne Chief De Escadre Carried 80 Guns 20 of Which are brass - and 880 men – Commanded by Captn. Carkill [i.e. Robert Carkett] R: N: [sic]

ASSOCIATED LITERATURE:
Tim Clayton, Tars, the men who made Britain rule the waves, London, 2008, chap. 1-5

This interesting and historic salver is in very good condition, with well-preserved cast and chased border and supports, and exceptionally fine engraving. As stated in the catalogue, the coat-of-arms and crests were engraved during the early years of the 19th Century but were so expertly executed that it is impossible from the salver's upper surface that this has happened. There is an old repair to one foot, otherwise the marks and overall condition are good.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A DECISIVE BATTLE IN THE SEVEN YEARS WAR AND HISTORY OF CANADA
The battle fought by the light of the moon during the night of 28 February 1758, represents a decisive moment in the conflict between France and Britain over their colonies in North America. The Foudroyant, according to a contemporary account `thefinest vessel afloat', with the ex-viceroy of New France du Quesne aboard as her commander, intended to relieve the French stronghold of Louisbourg in Canada from a British blockade. Monmouth's victory in the Mediterranean helped the British capture Louisburg later in 1758 allowing them unmolested access to the St. Lawrence river and Quebec which fell in 1759. France formerly ceded Canada to the British at the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The engraved scene on this salver follows closely the painting by Francis Swaine (1715?-1782) entitled, 'The Capture of the Foudroyant by HMS Monmouth, 28 February 1758', which is in the collection of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (see below). Another, similar painting by Richard Paton of the same subject was engraved in 1759 by Pierre Charles Canot and published by R. Willcock with a dedication 'To the memory of Captain Gardiner . . . of His Majesty's Ship Monmouth who Attack'd and took the Foudroyant a French Ship of War, on the 28υth Febry 1758 in the Mediterranean . . .' The celebrated naval action commemorated by this salver took place off Cartagena, south east Spain, when Captain Arthur Gardiner of HMS Monmouth, a ship of Admiral Henry Osborn's Mediterranean squadron, gave chase to, engaged and ultimately captured the larger French vessel, the Foudroyant, flagship of Ange Duquesne de Menneville, Marquis du Quesne (1700?-1778). A report in the Amsterdam Gazette, repeated in The Whitehall Evening Post (Tuesday, 28 March 1758, p. 1), gave early details:

'MARSEILLES, March 19 [1758]. We have Advice that M. Duquesne, commanding the Foudroyant of 80 Guns, the Orpheus and the Oriflamme of 60, and the Pleyade Frigate of 30, had the Misfortune, on the 27υth of last Month, to fall in with 14 English Men of War which were cruising before Carthegena. His small Squadron was not able to cope with such superior Force. The Pleyade escaped, and got back to Toulon the 5υth of this Month. She saw the Foudroyant attacked by three of the Enemy's large Ships [actually HMS Monmouth, with HMS Swiftshure and HMS Hampton Court at some distance behind], and the Orpheus engaged with two others. As for the Oriflamme, as it had passed the English Squadron, it is supposed it might steer towards the Barbary Coast, or perhaps has put into Malaga. M. Duquesne was off Carthagena three Days, without being able to enter the Port.'

A few days later The Whitehall Evening Post (Saturday, 8 April 1758) quoted a letter of 13 March from a correspondent in Alicante, who reported that,

'The Fortune Sloop is just come in, who brings agreeable News that the Foudroyant and Orpheus are both taken; that Capt. Gardner [sic] was kill'd just after laying the Monmouth along-side the Foudroyant, but his Second [First Lieut. Robert Carkett] behav'd with equal Courage; The Orpheus was taken by the Revenge, and Capt. Storr [i.e. Robert Storr of the Revenge], had the Calf of his Leg shot away, but is in no Danger. The four Ships are much shatter'd, particularly the Monmouth and Foudroyant, the latter having lost all her Masts in the Engagement.'

HMS Monmouth was built at Chatham Dockyard in 1667. During her long service she was thrice rebuilt and re-launched, in 1700, 1718 and 1742, and underwent extensive repairs following her damaging engagement with the Foudroyant in 1758. Having lost her captain in that action, her next commander was the Hon. Augustus John Hervey (1724-1779), late of HMS Hampton Court, who in 1775 succeeded his brother as the 3υrd Earl of Bristol. He had married privately in 1744 Elizabeth Chudleigh, the lady who afterwards became notorious for having formed a bigamous liaison in 1769 with the 2υnd Duke of Kingston (see The Thyssen Meissonnier Tureen, Sotheby's, New York, 13 May 1998).

Hervey was among several former HMS Monmouth naval officers who made representations to save the vessel when in 1767 the Admiralty ordered her to be broken up. The general opinion that the Monmouth was 'so exact a Model, and always saild so extremely well, that she never gave Chance to any Ship that she did not come up with,' and that she was a 'prime Salier, and the only Ship in the British Navy that was a Match for the best-sailing Ship in the French Navy,' did not sway the authorities in their determination and she was soon dismantled (The Public Advertiser, London, Monday, 8 June 1767, p. 2, and Wednesday, 22 July 1767). The arms are those of Carnegie (charged with a naval crown and the word 'TRAFALGAR' as an honourable augmentation) with Stevenson in pretence for John Jervis Carnegie (1807-1892), third son of William, 7υth Earl of Northesk (1756-1831) by his wife Mary (d. 1835), only daughter of William Henry Ricketts of Longwood, Hampshire, who was the niece of Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1υst Earl and Viscount St. Vincent (1735-1823). Mr Carnegie was married first on 13 February 1836 to Charlotte (d. 1874), only daughter of David Stevenson of Dollan, Carmarthenshire, by whom he had a daughter; and second on 8 June 1876 to Georgiana (1813-1896), widow of Elliot Grasett and daughter of Edward Marjoribanks; he, who was High Sheriff of Sussex in 1862, died without further issue on 18 January 1892.

The augmentation to the Carnegie arms was granted by George III to William, 7υth Earl of Northesk for his distinguished action at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805 when, as Rear-Admiral of the White and third in command under Lord Nelson, he broke through the enemy's line under fire, dismasted a French ship of 80 guns and afterwards 'singly engaged and kept at bay three of the enemy's van ships, that were attempting to double upon the Victory.' (James Ralfe, The Naval Biography of Great Britain, vol. II, p. 402). For the Northesk Collection, a group of 58 lots comprising papers, medals, swords, paintings and other memorabilia relating to Admiral Lord Northesk, see Sotheby's, London, 13 December 1994.

The whereabouts of this historically significant salver between its manufacture in 1758/59 and its acquisition by John Jervis Carnegie following his first marriage in 1836 remains a mystery. It is said by former owners, however, to have belonged to Carnegie's great uncle, Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1υst Earl and Viscount St. Vincent, who on 1 September 1775 had been appointed to HMS Foudroyant. The latter was the French vessel whose capture by HMS Monmouth on 28 February 1758 is commemorated by the salver. Both Carnegie and his mother, Mary (née Ricketts), Countess of Northesk, the daughter of St. Vincent's beloved sister, also Mary (d. 1828), were beneficiaries under their uncle's will (UK National Archives, PROB 11/1669). A descent in the family from uncle to niece and from her to her son is indeed possible. Close examination of the salver in the area of the coat-of-arms reveals the remains of a chevron, which was one of the elements in the 1st Earl and Viscount St. Vincent's arms: sable, a chevron ermine between three martlets argent. It is also worth recalling an enigmatic note in the Countess's will, which asks, 'Is any mention made of the salver which is for my oldest son and I hope will be kept in the family and Mrs Jervis's name not erased? We owe so much to her and Mr Hatrell' (PROB 11/1863). Mrs Jervis and Mr Hatrell would appear to refer respectively to the Countess's grandmother, Elizabeth (née Parker), 1υst Earl and Viscount St. Vincent's mother; and Thomas Hatrell (d. 1794), an attorney of Newcastle, whose daughter Jane married the 1υst Earl and Viscount St. Vincent's elder brother, William Jervis (1728-1813) (Charles Benedict Davenport and Mary Theresa Scudder, Naval Officers, Their Heredity and Development, Washington, 1919, pp. 107-109). The Countess's eldest son, George, Lord Rosehill, had died on board HMS Blenheim on 2 February 1807, after which his brother, William Hopetoun (1794-1878) became heir-apparent, succeeding to the title as the 8υth Earl of Northesk upon the death of his father on 28 May 1831.