Russian privateers according to the Dutch newspapers in 1854

Ron van Maanen

The Crimean War

In the war between Russia against France, England and Turkey threatened Russia with using privateers against the allied merchant shipping. In Dutch newspapers were numerous items published dealing with this threat. The war was the so-called Crimean War between October 1853 and February 1856. Apparently Russia never used privateers in this war in contrary to what newspapers suggested. See for instance Hugh Ransdale and his book Imperial Russian foreign policy.

Russia and her intended fitting out of privateers

The newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 4 March referred to what the British newspaper Times wrote. That newspaper feared that in the coming war between Russia and other European countries especially Greeks would accept Russian letters of marque en not only British and French merchant ship in the Mediterranean would be victims but also the ships belonging to other countries. The newspaper proposed to equate privateers with pirates and that in case Greek harbours were used for fitting out or sheltering privateers measures were taken to end this. The newspaper De Grondwet dated 4 March confirmed this item.

A news item in the newspaper De Tijd dated 16 March dated London 14 March reported that according to the newspaper New York Herald the envoys of France and England in a meeting with under secretary Marcy protested against the fitting out of Russian privateers in the United States. They made clear that in their opinion this were pirates and not privateers and they would treat them as pirates. The Provinciale Overijsselsche en Zwolsche Courant dated 17 March confirmed this item.

The newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 30 March reported that according to private letters received at Hamburg from New York that in the latter port secretly privateers for Russian account were fitted out manned with  foreign sailors on board to chase British and French merchant ships. The USA government should be questioned in which harbours these privateers would bring their prizes. The newspaper De Nederlander dated 29 May answered this question more or less. It referred to an item in the French newspaper Moniteur according to which the American government announced that American laws forbade each American citizen or foreigners living in the USA to fit out privateers or enlist sailors for a participation in the war. Although the American government didn’t fear that these laws were violated she pointed out that the president would act if necessary.

An item dated Rotterdam 1 April in the newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 2 April reported that France and England yet didn’t supply letters of marque, probably according to the journalist both countries would if Russia decided to do this. British newspapers however attended the last weeks much attention to the Russian threat of privateers fitted out secretly in the USA. The French newspaper Journal du Hâvre wrote that for privateering at least friendly or neutral harbours had to be available where privateers could seek shelter and you needed suitable vessels fast enough to captured merchant ships or escape from warships. Steam ships with 800-1,000 hp were although the best answer still to expensive to fit out and maintain (for instance the need for coal). The journalist of this newspaper thought that it was impossible for Russian to fit out privateers although perhaps legal possible.

A news item in the newspaper De Nederlander dated 10 April reported that the Danish government ordered that Denmark was neutral and that none of her citizens was allowed to supply so-called contraband. This included gunpowder, arms but also horses, hemp, tar, timber for ships and so on. Coal was however excluded from the term contraband. Danish citizens familiar with the Danish fairways were not allowed to serve on board of one ship belonging to one of the countries involved in the conflict. The attitude of the commanding officers of the Danish warships had to be absolute neutral, they had to protest when captured war- and merchant ships were brought into Danish ports but to no resist when this occurred and were only allowed to use violence against privateers. The Danish territory stretched from the coast to a maxim of one nautical mile from the coast.

A news item in the newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 20 April dated Liverpool Wednesday 19 April reported that from New York tidings dated 5 April were received according to which there a company was founded with the purpose to fit out 20 ships which were to cruise in the Antilles as privateers. A master of Boston went in begin of March to St. Petersburg to become the so-called letters of marque. The American newspaper Union of New York published letters of a former politician showing that there was a possible treaty between the United States and the Russian empire. A large number of Irishmen tried to persuade the American government to use the circumstances to liberate Ireland.

In a news item dated Constantinople 20 May in the newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 1 June was reported that the warships Retribution and Highflyer captured two Russian privateers transporting war stores and money and which were manned with 150 soldiers.

The newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 19 June reported in a news item dated London 15 June that according to rumours Russian agents bought some ships which were fitted out as privateers in American harbours. These ships were now cruising at sea but while they could not bring prizes in to the harbours of the union will they destroy the British and French properties and just keep the money found on board. Although the (American) cabinet forbade the fitting out of the privateers could she not prevent that this was secretly done.

In an news item referred the journalist of the newspaper Provinciale Overijsselsche en Zwolsche Courant dated 20 June to a letter send from New York to the firm Duncan Dumbar and Sons at London mentioning that was suspected after a tiding received on 14 June some ships were bought at New York by Russian agents to be fitted out as privateers and that already some privateers were commissioned. Lacking harbours where they could bring their prizes was the only intention to keep the money and if the prizes were British or French flagged to destroy these. The USA government forbade that privateers were fitted out in the USA or leave the USA. The assurors increased the premium on money on board of steamboats destined towards England. In the last days were some American ships bought which presumably stayed American flagged.

European countries forbade support to Russian privateers

According to a news item in the newspaper De Nederlander dated 22 April ordered the Sardinian minister of navy that it was not allowed to fit out, arm or supply with victuals privateers Russian flagged or that these ships were allowed to stay in any Sardinian harbour.

The newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 25 April published an item dated Madrid 17 April reporting that the Spanish crown supported the efforts of England and France to protect the European merchant shipping in the war and so she forbade that Russian privateers were fitted out in any Spanish harbour, supply with victuals or permit to enter. Owners or masters of merchant ships she forbade to accept letters of marque of any country or to help in anyway privateers except for reasons of humanity. The newspaper Dagblad van Zuidholland en ‘s Gravenhage dated 26 April confirmed this item. An earlier edition dated 21 April reported that Lord Howen who was the British envoy at Madrid requested the Spanish crown to close the harbours for Russian privateers in case the Russian government decided to supply letters of marque.

The newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 3 May reported that the senate of Lubeck, Germany announced that the citizens were in now manner allowed to supply victuals to privateers or assist with the fitting out. Foreign privateers were only in case of stormy weather or other emergencies allowed to shelter in the harbour and were to leave at once when this was possible.

The newspaper De Nederlander dated 3 June reported that the Austrian cabinet made on 25 May the masters of Austrian ships clear that privateering of being involved in privateering absolute was forbidden and was considered as piracy. Privateers were only allowed to enter Austrian harbours in case of utmost emergency and just to stay as short as possible and not to run blockade of a sea port. The Austrian merchant ships were allowed to permit inspection of their ships on the open sea. Prizes made by the parties involved in the conflict were only to be brought in at Trieste and so were a large number of measures ordered by the Austrian cabinet. The newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 2 June confirmed this news item. The edition of this newspaper dated 1 August published a more extensive item dealing with the measures Austria take to preserve her neutrality.

The newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 25 July reported that the Republic of Santo Domingo assured that the fitting out of privateers in her harbours or every act against her neutrality was forbidden.

The newspaper The Provinciale Overijsselsche en Zwolsche Courant dated 20 October reported that the Argentinean cabinet according to a letter dated Buenos Ayres 17 August her residents forbade to fit out privateers or to act in any manner which would conflict with the Argentinean neutrality in the war between Russia and other European countries. It was not allowed that Russian privateers with prizes entered Argentinean harbours.