Opposing the Slavers: The Royal Navy's Campaign Against the Atlantic Slave Trade

by Peter Grindal

Overview

Much is known about Britain's role in the Atlantic slave trade during the eighteenth century but few are aware of the sustained campaign against slaving conducted by the Royal Navy after the passing of the Slave Trade Abolition Act of 1807. Peter Grindal provides the definitive account of this little known yet important part of the British, European and American history. Drawing on original sources to provide a comprehensive and engaging narrative of the naval operations against slavers of all nations - in particular Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and Brazil, he describes how illegal traders sought to evade treaty obligations, reveals the obduracy of the USA that prolonged the slave trade, and shows how, despite inadequate resources, the Royal navy's sixty-year campaign forced slavers to expend ever greater sums top conduct their business and confront the losses inflicted by capture and condemnation. A work that will transform our understanding of the Royal Navy's campaign against the Atlantic slave trade.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784533878
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/25/2016
Pages:	896
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.30(h) x 2.20(d)

About the Author

Peter Grindal enjoyed a successful career with the Royal Navy before retiring in 1992. He held positions at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and the Royal Naval College Greenwich and during his early career took part in suppressing the 1962-3 Brunei rebellion in Borneo. His experience includes minesweepers, fast patrol boats, frigates, amphibious assault ships and guided-missile destroyers in the Atlantic, Middle East, Far East and home waters. He was Training Offcier to Sub-Lieutenant The Prince of Wales, commanded the Royal Navy Task Group protecting shipping in the Arabian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war and was Assistant Director Naval Warfare on the Naval Staff. His final role was Commander of the United Kingdom and Netherlands Amphibious Task Group for NATO. He was awarded the CBE in 1982.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations xi

Maps xiii

Acknowledgements xxi

Foreword xxiii

Preface xxxi

Prologue The Beginning of a Great Matter 1

Part 1 The Trade

Chapter 1 Three Centuries of Transatlantic Slaving 21

Chapter 2 The Realities of the Trade 40

Chapter 3 The Slave Coasts and Seas 62

Part 2 The Suppression Campaign

Chapter 4 Confused First Steps, 1807-11 101

Chapter 5 The Tip of the Iceberg, 1811-15 138

Chapter 6 Into a Legal Minefield, 1815-20 183

Chapter 7 The Most Evident Falsehoods, 1820-4 233

Chapter 8 A Lonely Furrow: Eastern Seas, 1824-8 283

Chapter 9 Tenders and Tablecloths: Eastern Seas, 1828-31 328

Chapter 10 Gallant Pinpricks: Western Seas, 1824-31 384

Chapter 11 To the Cape Station: Eastern Seas, 1831-3 411

Chapter 12 An Uncertain Sound: Western Seas, 1831-3 466

Chapter 13 The Spanish Equipment Clause: Eastern Seas, 1835-8 503

Chapter 14 Obduracy and Obfuscation: Western Seas, 1835-8 559

Chapter 15 High-Handed Action: Eastern Seas, 1838-9 615

Chapter 16 Forbearance Exhausted: Western Seas, 1838-9 678

Part 3 Conclusion

Summary. Taking Stock 727

Epilogue. Until It Be Thoroughly Finished 747

Guide to Abbreviations used in the Notes, Bibliography and Appendices 759

Appendix A Suspected Slave Vessels Detained 1807-39 by Royal Navy Cruisers, Colonial Vessels and Letters of Marque Vessels 761

Appendix B Treaties, Conventions and Conferences Concerning Atlantic Slave-Trade Suppression, 1807-39 784

Appendix C Acts of Parliament and Orders in Council Relating to Suppression of the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1807-40 789

Appendix D Commanders-in-Chief, Commodores and Senior Officers Appointed to Conduct Slave-Trade Suppression Operations, 1807-39 792

Appendix E The Equipment Clause: Criteria for Arrest under the Equipment Clause in Various Bilateral Treaties 794

Appendix F Declarations and Certificates: Forms Ordered to be Used by Captors on Detention of Suspected Slave Vessels 796

Appendix G Mortality in the West Africa Squadron, 1825-39 799

Appendix H Annual Imports of Slaves to Cuba and Brazil, 1807-39 800

Appendix I Comparative Values of Sterling, 1807-39 802

Appendix J Pivot-Gun Arrangement in HMS Lynx 803

Glossary 805

Endnotes 809

Bibliography 823

General Index 835

Index of Naval Personnel 848

Index of Naval Vessels 856

Index of Places 861

Editorial Reviews

After several misfires, here is a deeply researched and detailed work in which Peter Grindal has skilfully presented a readable, sometimes even pacy account. Hi thorough grasp of detail does not hide a strong storyline and while minor incidents are described in detail, the thread is never lost.”

Warships International Fleet Review

‘such is its quality that it cannot fail to add immeasurably to our understanding of both the history of the 19th Century Royal navy and the wider history of the slave trade. Opposing the Slavers is a fine example of meticulous academic research and writing, and deserves to be widely read. Everything about the book reflects the thorough approach of the author…admirably concise chapters…measured prose and quite remarkable detail…a magnificent achievement which thoroughly illuminates a previously misunderstood or even partially forgotten part of the history of Great Britain and the Royal Navy. There is no doubt it should be on the shelves of any serious student of naval history or the history of the transatlantic slave trade…a genuine work of scholarship’

Nick Hewitt

"Comprehensively overhauls existing understanding of the Royal Navy's campaign against the Atlantic slave trade." --Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History, King's College, London, UK

"This is going to be the go-to reference work for anyone seeking information on the Royal Navy's anti-slaving patrols." --Rafe Blaufarb, Professor of History, Florida State University, USA

"Such is its quality that it cannot fail to add immeasurably to our understanding of both the history of the 19th century Royal navy and the wider history of the slave trade. Opposing the Slavers is a fine example of meticulous academic research and writing, ... a magnificent achievement which thoroughly illuminates a previously misunderstood or even partially forgotten part of the history of Great Britain and the Royal Navy. There is no doubt it should be on the shelves of any serious student of naval history or the history of the transatlantic slave trade...a genuine work of scholarship." --Military History Review

"A work of immense scholarship ... I have to read a lot of books, rarely do I encounter books that have excellence running through them quite like this ... Peter Grindal's book is a masterpiece." --Naval Review

From the Publisher