[Prize Ships; Royal Navy: Admiralty; Napoleonic War.] Manuscript Letter from Edmund Hurry & Co to the London marine Charles Cox, offering to ‘take charge of the disposal of the Ships and their Cargoes’ in Gosport.

An interesting piece of Royal Navy and Napoleonic War ephemera, casting light on the implementation of Admiralty Prize Law. See the reference to the writer of this letter in the 1926 ‘Memorials of the family of Hurry of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and of America, Australia, and South Africa’: ‘Edmund Cobb [Hurry], born at Great Yarmouth, in 1762, admitted a freeman by birthright, 23rd of August, 1782. He settled as a merchant and banker, at Gosport, where he married a Miss Liddell. Edmund Cobb Hurry died at Clifton, in 1808.’ The recipients, Cox and Co, army and marine agents, were located at 44 Hatton Garden, London. 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: ‘Sir / Having learnt that you are one of the principal Agents for the Captain and Officers of His Majesty’s Navy, and as in the Event of their sending in Prizes to this Port you must necessarily have some Person to take charge of the disposal of the Ships and their Cargoes, we beg leave to acquaint you that we are established in that Business, and if you are not already engaged, shall be extremely happy in receiving your Commands. For our Responsibility and Mode of doing Business we refer you to Messrs Barclays & Co. of Lombard St Bankers. / Your Answer will greatly oblige / Sir, / Your most obedient Servts. / Edmund Hurry & Co.’