Pirates Terrorize British Mariners Again

Dear Readers,

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Numerous sources report to The Teatime Tattler of dangerous criminals roaming the once peaceful waters of the Caribbean Sea. Piracy was at its height nearly one hundred years ago. However, a resurgence of this foul trade has occurred giving rise to murderous characters such as Jean LaFitte, Robert Cofresi, and the infamous Irish Red. Why? Why is the Royal Navy not doing more to protect British Citizens.

One lady wrote of her recent travels/travails to a relative. “I was in fear for my life when the captain of our merchantman surrendered his vessel to this scurrilous pirate with little more than two shots fired—and those by the pirate ship. In our captain’s defense, he had very little in the way of armament. Attempting to battle with the criminal crew could well have sunk our little ship. I must thank God that the pirates took only our valuables and the cargo, leaving us with our lives and the clothing on our backs. The kindness of the residents of Jamaica—when we at last made that harbor—is unparalleled in my experience. Nonetheless, I pray that I never encounter another pirate as long as I live.”

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

A second voyager wrote The Tattler directly. “Because I witnessed a filthy pirate crew murdering any innocent who opposed them, II cannot state this warning strongly enough. DO NOT travel to the Caribbean or any of the British West Indies. Not until the Royal Navy is no longer battling the former colonies and is recovered from losses taken in defeating Napoleon.

We must pray that the treaty negotiations beginning in Ghent conclude swiftly and successfully, so that Royal Naval vessels can once again hunt down and erase the scourge of piracy from the sea.

A note from Rue Allyn. Friends, this week’s Tattler article is based on research done for “Wait for Me,” my contribution to The Bluestocking Belles’ next box set, Storm & Shelter, debuting on April 13 2021. I was so fascinated by what my research uncovered that I decided to continue the adventures of Brandon and Esme from “Wait for Me” and expand their story into a full length novel tentatively titled The Pirate Duchess. You’ll be hearing more about Brandon and Esme in the weeks leading up to release day. For now, if you are interested in more about Storm & Shelter follow these links: Excerpts Pre-Order.

*Other than the cover art for Storm & Shelter, all images in this post are from Wikipedia articles about Pirates and Treaty of Ghent.