In the Nicolas Edition, volume 2 Nelson mentioned privateers.
“An Austrian Commissary was travelling from Genoa towards Vado, with L 10.000 sterling, and it was known he was to sleep at a place called Voltri, about nine miles from Genoa. This temptation was too great for the French Minister, to keep his word of honour; and the Boats of that Frigate, with some Privateers went out of the Port, landed, and brought back the money".
I think privateers were pirates who were pirating with the governments approval.
Could any one please inform me what the difference is between a pirate and a buccaneer?
Could privateers be ordered to place themselves under command of the navy? Or was it voluntarily done, depending on how much there was to gain for them out of doing so. Nelson mentioned in one of his other letters that he wants to put some privateers under his command.
And were privateers allowed to keep all their price money for/to themselves, or did they have to give part of it to the government?
Sylvia
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