HMS Salisbury
wrecked on Ile a Vache May 13 1796
at that time the flagship of the Lt. Governor of Newfoundland
The Salisbury was named after the Salisbury which the cure for scurvy was discovered on.
HMS SALISBURY
BUILT: 1769 AT CHATHAM
DESIGNED BY: Sir T. Slade
length of gun deck: 146'3"
length of keel:120'5"
beam:40'6"
depth of hold: 17'4"
rate: 4th rate 50 guns
men: 350
the captains listed are :
Andrew Barkley 1770 -72
James Gambier1771
Sir E.Hughes 1773-77
Charles Inglis 1778-1780
J. Cambell/James Bradby 1783-85
J. Elliot 1786-88
Mark Milbanke 1789-91
W. Mitchell 1795-96 could be the captain which saw her to Jamaica and wrecked in Haiti
Salisbury was wrecked on 13.5.1796 on the isle of Vache.
Like many shipwrecks found on Recif de la Folle, Ile a Vache Haiti, the Salisbury was pushed to the west by currents as she tried to enter the bay to reach Les Cayes. Les Cayes was a main shipping port out of Southern Haiti which was producing rum and sugar in large quantities. The trade winds also push hard to the west so the big ship was nudged off course. Lying just off the main channel is a massive ship of the line anchor embedded in coral along with allot of brass sheathing and brass nails which are definite signs of an old English wreck. This anchor could only be carried by a large English ship of the line. The Salisbury is the only known ship of the line lost near Ile a Vache.
I learned from several sources that prior to WW2 there was a huge pile of cannons lying on the reef to the west of the channel. It was known a massive British ship was lost on this reef at the entrance to the port. These cannon were taken away for scrap for the war effort. Also many cannons lying around Les Cayes were also taken. It was said prior to WW2 one could walk to shore on top of cannons off Les Cayes. Old cannons would be dumped to reduce ballast so more goods could be taken on the ship. Many ships sailing to the Old World full of rum and sugar naturally would dump cannon as sugar at times was worth more per pound than gold. So they would dump the old cannons and load up with goods worth far more than steel cannons. Then back in England they would buy new cannons. Even today when you walk down the roads of Les Cayes you will see many cannon stuck in the ground to act as a place to tie up horses. You can also see cannons at the local dump still being scrapped for steel.
BUILT: 1769 AT CHATHAM
DESIGNED BY: Sir T. Slade
length of gun deck: 146'3"
length of keel:120'5"
beam:40'6"
depth of hold: 17'4"
rate: 4th rate 50 guns
men: 350
the captains listed are :
Andrew Barkley 1770 -72
James Gambier1771
Sir E.Hughes 1773-77
Charles Inglis 1778-1780
J. Cambell/James Bradby 1783-85
J. Elliot 1786-88
Mark Milbanke 1789-91
W. Mitchell 1795-96 could be the captain which saw her to Jamaica and wrecked in Haiti
Salisbury was wrecked on 13.5.1796 on the isle of Vache.
Like many shipwrecks found on Recif de la Folle, Ile a Vache Haiti, the Salisbury was pushed to the west by currents as she tried to enter the bay to reach Les Cayes. Les Cayes was a main shipping port out of Southern Haiti which was producing rum and sugar in large quantities. The trade winds also push hard to the west so the big ship was nudged off course. Lying just off the main channel is a massive ship of the line anchor embedded in coral along with allot of brass sheathing and brass nails which are definite signs of an old English wreck. This anchor could only be carried by a large English ship of the line. The Salisbury is the only known ship of the line lost near Ile a Vache.
I learned from several sources that prior to WW2 there was a huge pile of cannons lying on the reef to the west of the channel. It was known a massive British ship was lost on this reef at the entrance to the port. These cannon were taken away for scrap for the war effort. Also many cannons lying around Les Cayes were also taken. It was said prior to WW2 one could walk to shore on top of cannons off Les Cayes. Old cannons would be dumped to reduce ballast so more goods could be taken on the ship. Many ships sailing to the Old World full of rum and sugar naturally would dump cannon as sugar at times was worth more per pound than gold. So they would dump the old cannons and load up with goods worth far more than steel cannons. Then back in England they would buy new cannons. Even today when you walk down the roads of Les Cayes you will see many cannon stuck in the ground to act as a place to tie up horses. You can also see cannons at the local dump still being scrapped for steel.
fluke is 40 inches long by 36 inches wide with a 28 inch circumference shaft - most likely a 15 foot long anchor with 3 foot ring
