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<p>[QUOTE="Catbert, post: 489589, member: 12718"]<font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I am very excited about my new piece received for XMAS and want to share with you some of the interesting history and images regarding this 1797 Conder token. First a little history lesson that I think you’ll enjoy! Reading this will further your appreciation for the token pics at the end of this post.</font></font></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><b><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">The Larger War</font></font></b></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">The Anglo-Spanish War between 1796 and 1808 was a part of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. In the War of the First Coalition, Spain had fought against Revolutionary France and had been defeated. In 1796 Prime Minister Godoy faced a decision: whether to continue to fight Revolutionary France or to join the French side and hope for better times. He chose the latter and signed a treaty allying with the French.</font></font></p><p> </p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">In response, the British blockaded Spain in 1797 and separated her colonial empire from the mother country. By the end of 1798, the Spanish fleet had been defeated by the British.</font></font></p><p> </p><p><b><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A Key Battle – The Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797)</font></font></b></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh297/IndianaCatbert/1797%20Hampshire%20Portsm%2061/BattleofCapeStVincent2.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="color: black">A Spanish fleet of between 27 ships left </span><span style="color: black">Cartagena</span><span style="color: black"> on the </span><span style="color: black">Mediterranean Sea</span><span style="color: black">, with the intention of sailing to </span><span style="color: black">Cadiz</span>to join the French fleet.</font></font></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">On February 11</font></font></span><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="color: black">, a ship captained by Horatio Nelson, came across the Spanish fleet and passed through them unseen thanks to heavy fog. Nelson reached the British squadron of 15 ships off </span><span style="color: black">Spain</span><span style="color: black"> on February 13, and passed the location of the Spanish fleet to Admiral <b>John Jervis</b> (the hero shown on my token), commanding the squadron from his flagship HMS Victor. Want to see the Admiral’s quarters? </span></font></font></p><p> </p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="color: black"><a href="http://www.stvincent.ac.uk/Heritage/1797/Victory/cabins.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.stvincent.ac.uk/Heritage/1797/Victory/cabins.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.stvincent.ac.uk/Heritage/1797/Victory/cabins.html</a></span></font></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="color: black"><span style="color: black">Unaware of the size of his opponent's fleet -- in the fog, Nelson had been unable to count them -- Jervis' squadron immediately sailed to intercept. </span></span></font></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="color: black">As dawn broke on the 14th, Jervis' ships were in position to engage the Spanish, and vice versa. </span>On the quarter-deck of <i>Victory</i>, Jervis, Captain <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/robert-calder" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.answers.com/topic/robert-calder" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: windowtext">Calder</span></a> and Captain Hallowell counted the ships. It was at this point Jervis discovered that he was outnumbered nearly two-to-one:</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">"There are eight sail of the line, Sir John"</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">"Very well, sir"</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">"There are twenty sail of the line, Sir John"</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">"Very well, sir"</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">"There are twenty five sail of the line, Sir John"</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">"Very well, sir"</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">"There are twenty seven sail of the line, Sir John"</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">"Enough, sir, no more of that; the die is cast, and if there are fifty sail I will go through them"</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="color: black">It would have been difficult to withdraw, however, and Jervis also decided that the situation would only worsen were the Spanish fleet to meet with the French, so he decided to continue onward. </span></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="color: black">To the British advantage, the Spanish fleet was gathered into two groups and unprepared for battle, while the British were already in line. Jervis ordered the British fleet to pass between the two groups, minimizing the fire they could apply to him, while letting him fire in both directions simultaneously. </span></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><b>A “Sail of the Line”</b></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">A <b>sail-of-the-line</b> or ship-of-the-line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th century through the mid-19th century, to take part in the the naval tactic known as the “line of battle”, in which two columns of opposing warships would maneuver to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear. The line-of-battle tactic required ships to form long single-file lines, and close with the enemy fleet on the same tack, battering the other fleet until one side had had enough and retreated. Any maneuvers would be carried out with the ships remaining in line for mutual protection. Since these engagements were almost invariably won by the heaviest ships carrying the most powerful guns, the natural order was to build sailing vessels that were the largest and most powerful of their time.</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">Although Spain, the Netherlands and France built huge fleets, and even in France's case with better ships, they were rarely able to match the skill of British naval crews. British crews excelled, in part, because they spent much more time at sea, were generally better fed, were well trained in gunnery (allowing a faster rate of fire), and were generally more competent as the Royal Navey based promotion much more on merit rather than securing leadership positions by purchase. Traditionally neglecting the British Army, which, historically, has usually been smaller than the armies of comparably prominent continental countries, Britain devoted more resources to her prized navy.</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><b>Victory</b></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">Due to the skill of one of Jervis’ captains, Horatio Nelson, during the battle and Jervis’ commitment to engage, a great victory was obtained for the Royal Navy - 15 British ships had defeated a Spanish fleet of 27, and the Spanish ships had a greater number of guns and men. But, Admiral Jervis had trained a highly disciplined force and this was pitted against a Spanish navy under Don José Córdoba that was little more than a panic stricken mob. Of 600-900 men on board his ships, only some 60 to 80 were trained seamen, the others being soldiers or inexperienced landsmen. The Spanish men fought courageously but without direction. After the <i>San José</i> was captured it was found that some of her guns still had their tompions (a plug or cover for a cannon “mouth” to keep out dust and moisture) in place. The confusion amongst the Spanish fleet was so great that they were unable to use their guns without causing more damage to their own ships than to the British.</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><b>My New Token!</b></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">And so, the circumstances and outcome of this key battle is recounted in my new token. This copper piece in uncirculated condition was used as a general trade token. These tokens were created by merchants who needed small change since the crown was unwilling to mint sufficient copper pieces for commerce during the industrial revolution in Britain. It is catalogued as a Hampshire Portsmouth 61 – Rare with < 75 made with an edge inscription of “PORTSMOUTH HALFPENNY PAYABLE AT THOS SHARPS. <span style="color: #333333">Thomas Sharp (1770- 1841), was a hatter, antiquarian and numismatist.</span></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman">The obverse shows the mythical Neptune - King of the Sea commending Admiral Jervis for his victory. Check out Neptune’s chariot with horses that are very compelling to me. Neptune’s horses were known as hippocamps – half horse and half fish or commonly known as sea horses!</font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><img src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh297/IndianaCatbert/1797%20Hampshire%20Portsm%2061/1797HampPortsm61obv.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"> </span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman">The reverse recounts Jervis’ accomplishment. Note the misspelling of “pursued”. I love these imperfections on old coins.</font></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman"><img src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh297/IndianaCatbert/1797%20Hampshire%20Portsm%2061/1797HampPortsm61rev.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></font></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman">Hopefully, your patience in reading the above history before you saw my token pictures has helped you better enjoy this piece. I am thrilled to add it to my collection.</font></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman">* The history given above was obtained from various internet sources including Wikipedia and Answers among others.</font></font></font></span></p><p><span style="color: black"><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></font></span>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Catbert, post: 489589, member: 12718"][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]I am very excited about my new piece received for XMAS and want to share with you some of the interesting history and images regarding this 1797 Conder token. First a little history lesson that I think you’ll enjoy! Reading this will further your appreciation for the token pics at the end of this post.[/FONT][/SIZE] [B][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The Larger War[/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The Anglo-Spanish War between 1796 and 1808 was a part of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. In the War of the First Coalition, Spain had fought against Revolutionary France and had been defeated. In 1796 Prime Minister Godoy faced a decision: whether to continue to fight Revolutionary France or to join the French side and hope for better times. He chose the latter and signed a treaty allying with the French.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]In response, the British blockaded Spain in 1797 and separated her colonial empire from the mother country. By the end of 1798, the Spanish fleet had been defeated by the British.[/SIZE][/FONT] [B][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]A Key Battle – The Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797)[/FONT][/SIZE][/B] [IMG]http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh297/IndianaCatbert/1797%20Hampshire%20Portsm%2061/BattleofCapeStVincent2.jpg[/IMG] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=black]A Spanish fleet of between 27 ships left [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Cartagena[/COLOR][COLOR=black] on the [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Mediterranean Sea[/COLOR][COLOR=black], with the intention of sailing to [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Cadiz[/COLOR]to join the French fleet.[/FONT][/SIZE] [COLOR=black][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]On February 11[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=black], a ship captained by Horatio Nelson, came across the Spanish fleet and passed through them unseen thanks to heavy fog. Nelson reached the British squadron of 15 ships off [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Spain[/COLOR][COLOR=black] on February 13, and passed the location of the Spanish fleet to Admiral [B]John Jervis[/B] (the hero shown on my token), commanding the squadron from his flagship HMS Victor. Want to see the Admiral’s quarters? [/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=black][URL]http://www.stvincent.ac.uk/Heritage/1797/Victory/cabins.html[/URL][/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=black][COLOR=black]Unaware of the size of his opponent's fleet -- in the fog, Nelson had been unable to count them -- Jervis' squadron immediately sailed to intercept. [/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT] [COLOR=black][FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=black]As dawn broke on the 14th, Jervis' ships were in position to engage the Spanish, and vice versa. [/COLOR]On the quarter-deck of [I]Victory[/I], Jervis, Captain [URL="http://www.answers.com/topic/robert-calder"][COLOR=windowtext]Calder[/COLOR][/URL] and Captain Hallowell counted the ships. It was at this point Jervis discovered that he was outnumbered nearly two-to-one:[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]"There are eight sail of the line, Sir John"[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]"Very well, sir"[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]"There are twenty sail of the line, Sir John"[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]"Very well, sir"[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]"There are twenty five sail of the line, Sir John"[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]"Very well, sir"[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]"There are twenty seven sail of the line, Sir John"[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]"Enough, sir, no more of that; the die is cast, and if there are fifty sail I will go through them"[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=black]It would have been difficult to withdraw, however, and Jervis also decided that the situation would only worsen were the Spanish fleet to meet with the French, so he decided to continue onward. [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=black]To the British advantage, the Spanish fleet was gathered into two groups and unprepared for battle, while the British were already in line. Jervis ordered the British fleet to pass between the two groups, minimizing the fire they could apply to him, while letting him fire in both directions simultaneously. [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][B]A “Sail of the Line”[/B][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]A [B]sail-of-the-line[/B] or ship-of-the-line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th century through the mid-19th century, to take part in the the naval tactic known as the “line of battle”, in which two columns of opposing warships would maneuver to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear. The line-of-battle tactic required ships to form long single-file lines, and close with the enemy fleet on the same tack, battering the other fleet until one side had had enough and retreated. Any maneuvers would be carried out with the ships remaining in line for mutual protection. Since these engagements were almost invariably won by the heaviest ships carrying the most powerful guns, the natural order was to build sailing vessels that were the largest and most powerful of their time.[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]Although Spain, the Netherlands and France built huge fleets, and even in France's case with better ships, they were rarely able to match the skill of British naval crews. British crews excelled, in part, because they spent much more time at sea, were generally better fed, were well trained in gunnery (allowing a faster rate of fire), and were generally more competent as the Royal Navey based promotion much more on merit rather than securing leadership positions by purchase. Traditionally neglecting the British Army, which, historically, has usually been smaller than the armies of comparably prominent continental countries, Britain devoted more resources to her prized navy.[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][B]Victory[/B][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]Due to the skill of one of Jervis’ captains, Horatio Nelson, during the battle and Jervis’ commitment to engage, a great victory was obtained for the Royal Navy - 15 British ships had defeated a Spanish fleet of 27, and the Spanish ships had a greater number of guns and men. But, Admiral Jervis had trained a highly disciplined force and this was pitted against a Spanish navy under Don José Córdoba that was little more than a panic stricken mob. Of 600-900 men on board his ships, only some 60 to 80 were trained seamen, the others being soldiers or inexperienced landsmen. The Spanish men fought courageously but without direction. After the [I]San José[/I] was captured it was found that some of her guns still had their tompions (a plug or cover for a cannon “mouth” to keep out dust and moisture) in place. The confusion amongst the Spanish fleet was so great that they were unable to use their guns without causing more damage to their own ships than to the British.[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][B]My New Token![/B][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]And so, the circumstances and outcome of this key battle is recounted in my new token. This copper piece in uncirculated condition was used as a general trade token. These tokens were created by merchants who needed small change since the crown was unwilling to mint sufficient copper pieces for commerce during the industrial revolution in Britain. It is catalogued as a Hampshire Portsmouth 61 – Rare with < 75 made with an edge inscription of “PORTSMOUTH HALFPENNY PAYABLE AT THOS SHARPS. [COLOR=#333333]Thomas Sharp (1770- 1841), was a hatter, antiquarian and numismatist.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]The obverse shows the mythical Neptune - King of the Sea commending Admiral Jervis for his victory. Check out Neptune’s chariot with horses that are very compelling to me. Neptune’s horses were known as hippocamps – half horse and half fish or commonly known as sea horses![/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][IMG]http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh297/IndianaCatbert/1797%20Hampshire%20Portsm%2061/1797HampPortsm61obv.jpg[/IMG][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman]The reverse recounts Jervis’ accomplishment. Note the misspelling of “pursued”. I love these imperfections on old coins.[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][IMG]http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh297/IndianaCatbert/1797%20Hampshire%20Portsm%2061/1797HampPortsm61rev.jpg[/IMG][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman]Hopefully, your patience in reading the above history before you saw my token pictures has helped you better enjoy this piece. I am thrilled to add it to my collection.[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman]* The history given above was obtained from various internet sources including Wikipedia and Answers among others.[/FONT] [/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]
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