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182121602<p>This fascinating archive consists of 27 manuscript documents in English and one in Spanish from litigation between the Baltimore owners of the merchant ship <i>Budget</i> and insurance companies that underwrote its voyage from England to South America. This conflict occurred against a backdrop of the collapse of Spain's American empire as various areas in Central and South America asserted their independence many under the leadership of Simón BolÃvar. The ship carrying weapons and supplies destined for Simón BolÃvar's rebels was captured by a Spanish privateer and condemned in Puerto Rico. The insurance companies refused to pay on their policies leading to two important cases on maritime law neutral rights and the responsibilities of insurance companies.</p> <b>INSURANCE NEUTRALITY SHIPPING SPANISH EMPIRE.</b>Archive of Evidence in <i>Thompson and Bathurst v. Maryland Insurance Company and Thompson and Bathurst v. Phoenix Fire Insurance Company</i> cases 1821-1824. 28 documents 41 pp. most 7¾ x 9¾ in.<p><b>Historical Background</b></p><p>In October 1822 Baltimore merchants Hugh Thompson and Matthew Bathurst insured their ship <i>Budget</i>and its cargo for $5000 with the Maryland Insurance Company and another $5000 with the Phoenix Fire Insurance Company for a voyage from London England to two ports on the "Spanish Main" Spanish colonies in Central America and on the northern coast of South America then back to the United States. The <i>Budget</i> was transporting "munitions of war" from London to the blockaded port of La Guaira Venezuela on the coast ten miles north of Caracas for Simón BolÃvar's rebels in Spanish America.</p><p>On December 1 1822 the Spanish privateer <i>Cora</i> under the command of Captain Don Juan Esiga captured the <i>Budget</i> and had it condemned as a prize of war at a court in Puerto Rico. <i>The Budget's</i>captain John Meany purchased the ship back billing Thompson and Bathurst for doing so. The merchants applied for payment from their insurers in March 1823. By May Thompson and Bathurst had turned over the <i>Budget</i> and its cargo to the Maryland Insurance Company and demanded payment. The insurers demanded more documentation especially of the condemnation proceedings in Puerto Rico. In August the insurance companies returned the copies of the proceedings in Puerto Rico to the ship's owners "to be translated into English." In March 1824 the insurers denied the claims.</p><p>On March 17 1824 the merchants sued the insurance companies in the Baltimore County Court for having "broken their covenant." Chief Judge Stevenson Archer ruled in favor of Thompson and Bathurst. However both the plaintiffs and the defendant's objected to parts of the decisions and filed cross-appeals to the Court of Appeals of Maryland.</p><p>In December 1832 Judge Thomas Beale Dorsey of Maryland's Court of Appeals concurred with the county court's refusing exceptions presented by the insurance companies and dissented on the exceptions offered by merchants. The Court of Appeals therefore ruled in favor of the ship's owners and entered judgment for "a total loss."</p><p><b>Excerpts:</b></p><p>Insurance Policy No. 8881 with the Maryland Insurance Company October 10 1822:</p><p>"<i>Touching the adventures and perils which we the assurers are contented to bear and take upon us in this voyage; they are of the Seas Men of War Fires Enemies Pirates Rovers Thieves Jettisons Letters of Mart and Counter Mart Surprisals Takings at Sea Arrests Restraints and Detainments of all Kings Princes or People of what Nation Condition or Quality soever Barratry of the Master and Mariners and all other Perils Losses and Misfortunes that have or shall come to the hurt detriment or damage of the said vessel or any part thereof.</i>"</p><p>Translation of Order of Francisco Marcos Santaella December 23 1822:</p><p>"<i>Having seen this summary judgment relating to the capture of the transport corvette called the Budget going from New Orleans under the orders & command of her Capt. & supercargo Mr. John Meany the first of the present month by the Spanish Privateer schooner called the Cora or Good Friends armed in this place and under command of her captain Don Juan Esija; taking into consideration the contents of the ships papers & from others found on board together with the declarations taken or made at the time of capture and those which have been made before this tribunal by the captains captor & captured second mate of the corvette and the prize master all tending to show that that vessel sailed from London on the 11th day of October last with a cargo of munitions of War belonging to particular individuals residing in that capitol who destined it for Caracas to be delivered to Messrs. Jones Pawly Harry and C<u>o</u> in Laguira at that time a port blockaded by the enemy in order that pursuant to the particular intention of M<u>r</u> Zeas the Columbian Squadron sh<u>d</u>be placed upon a respectable footing; and for this purpose was to be fitted out the Brigantine New Orleans & to make a regular deposit of said articles at the s<u>d</u> Laguira for the general use of the service where the s<u>d</u>corvette made efforts to enter the said captain bearing orders in case he found the place actually blockaded to carry her into S<u>t</u> Martha a port also occupied by the Insurgents and comprehended in the same declaration of blockade where she sh<u>d</u> be discharged and the cargo left to the judgment of the said individuals of Caracas; that the same Corvette sh<u>d</u> be offered for the service of s<u>d</u> Squadron whenever it shd be found needful that it shd be particularly recommended for the said Capt Meany to be employed in the marine service; with various other particulars which the said document contained and showing the decided protection which the European English and Anglo Americans afford to the insurgents of the continent contrary to all right and how much more worthy would it have been to have refrained out of respect for a short time.</i>"</p><p>Also the original order in Spanish December 23 1822 with a certification by Judah Lord "<i>Commercial Agent of the United States of America for Port Rico</i>" January 2 1823.</p><p>Thompson and Bathurst to President and Directors of Maryland Insurance Company March 12 1823:</p><p>"<i>Having received advise from Captain Maney that he had purchased the Ship Budget after her having been condemned and drawn on us for amount of Cost & Disbursements; we wish to know if we may calculate on receiving from you the amount insured in your Office at the stipulated time expressed in your Policy; say 90 days from proof of loss</i>"</p><p>Thompson and Bathurst to President and Directors of Maryland Insurance Company May 7 1823:</p><p>"<i>We abandoned to you on the 6<u>th</u> February last the Ship & Freight of Ship Budget insured in your Office by Policy N<u>o</u>8881 and at same time handed you a Certified Copy of the Condemnation of said Ship at Porto Rico. The Period of time required by your Policy for payment of Loss after proof thereof having now expired we beg leave to call upon you for the amount thereof.</i>"</p><p>President John Hollins of Maryland Insurance Company to Thompson and Bathurst May 24 1823:</p><p>"<i>Your letter of the 21st Inst has had the attention of a full board of Directors who have instructed me to inform you that they will advance to you $4498.75 on receipt of your & R. Oliver Esqrs joint note at six months bearing interest at the expiration of which time or sooner if convenient you are required to produce to this Company the following documents relative to the Ship Budget Viz The proceedings of the Court at Porto Rico The Log book or authenticated copy thereof The Charter Party or copy authenticated upon receipt of which & their proving satisfactory an adjustm<u>t</u> of the loss shall take place.</i>"</p><p>President John Hollins of Maryland Insurance Company to Thompson and Bathurst March 4 1824:</p><p>"<i>The board of Directors have instructed me to inform you that they do not consider the Company answerable for the claim you make for the ship Budget & freight insured by policy No 8881 this opinion they have formed from advice given by Mr Wirt & Mr Purviance who have had the case under their consideration.</i></p><p>"<i>I am also instructed to say to you that if your note in favor of Messs Rob. & Jno Oliver & by them endorsed for $4498.75 with interest & cost of protest be not taken up & paid at the Bank of Baltimore where it now lays on or before the 10th Inst it will be handed to Mr Purviance to be put in suit against you & those Gentlemen we hope you will prevent this unpleasant business but if not you will know the blame will not be chargeable to this Company.</i>"</p><p>Thompson and Bathurst to President and Directors of Maryland Insurance Company March 9 1824:</p><p>"<i>we are sorry to learn you still seem determined not to admit your liability for the Loss on the Ship Budget condemned at Porto Rico.</i>"</p><p>"<i>We had hoped that the very clear and decided opinions handed you of Mess<u>rs</u>Ogden & Binney Lawyers considered as the best informed in this Country on Marine Insurance would have removed all doubts & have been conclusive on that subject.</i>"</p><p>"<i>It is extremely unpleasant to us being under the necessity of resisting the payment of our Note which our Counsel have advised us to do; at same time we feel confident the result will prove we are in the right & justifiable in doing so.</i>"</p><p><b>Matthew Bathurst</b> 1778-1847 and <b>Hugh Thompson</b> 1760-1826 were partners in a general mercantile business in Baltimore Maryland.</p><p><b>John Meany</b> 1770-1841 was a sea captain in the merchant service and then a merchant and ship-owner in Philadelphia. For many years Hugh Thompson employed him.</p><p><b>John Hollins</b> 1760-1827 was a banker in Liverpool before immigrating to Baltimore where he became a successful merchant. He was president of the Maryland Insurance Company from 1802 to 1827 and he held a variety of local offices.</p><p><b>Simón BolÃvar</b> 1783-1830 was born in Caracas and educated in Spain and France. He joined the group of patriots that seized Caracas in 1810 and proclaimed independence from Spain. He went to Great Britain in search of aid but could get only a promise of British neutrality. When he returned to Venezuela and took command of a patriot army he recaptured Caracas in 1813 from the Spaniards. The Spaniards forced BolÃvar to retreat from Venezuela to New Granada now Colombia also at war with Spain. He took command of a Colombian force and captured Bogota in 1814. The patriots however lacked men and supplies and new defeats led BolÃvar to flee to Jamaica. In Haiti he gathered a force that landed in Venezuela in 1816 and took Angostura now Ciudad BolÃvar. He also became dictator there. BolÃvar marched into New Granada in 1819. His forces decisively defeated the Spaniards at Boyacá in 1819 liberating the territory of Colombia. He then returned to Angostura and led the congress that organized the original republic of Colombia now Ecuador Colombia Panama and Venezuela. BolÃvar became its first president on December 17 1819. BolÃvar crushed the Spanish army at Carabobo in Venezuela on June 24 1821. Next he marched into Ecuador and added that territory to the new Colombian republic. After meeting with another great liberator José de San Martin in 1822 BolÃvar became dictator of Peru in February 1824. His army won a victory over the Spaniards at Ayacucho in December 1824. Upper Peru became a separate state named Bolivia in BolÃvar's honor in 1825. He stepped down as president of Gran Colombia in January 1830 and died of tuberculosis eleven months later.</p> books
18206451Mexico City: Alejandro Valdes 1820. First printing. Quarto 11pp. Spirited defence of freedom of the press critical of infringements that were being made by the restored crown of Ferdinand VII of laws that had been passed by the Spanish Cortes parliament during the liberal period during and right after the Napoleonic invasion. One of these infringements was the restriction of the press. Though it is anonymous the author signs himself "El Espanol imparcial" and a close reading indicates that he was probably living in Mexico. From an argument for a free press he ends up proposing independence for the American possessions. Not in Medina; Palau 19237: OCLC list 5 libraries with holdings. Fine. <br/><br/> Alejandro Valdes unknown books
1900WRCAM51843Havana 1900. Approximately 520; 600pp. including several folding charts. Over 200 separate imprints. Original half leather and brown cloth boards spine gilt. Corners and edges worn spine rubbed boards scuffed. Initial leaves of first volume torn away but present. Several other leaves chipped and torn throughout. With many official signatures and docketing stamps. Good. Two volumes of orders promulgated in 1889 and 1900 by the American military government of Cuba after the cessation of hostilities in the Spanish-American War. Under the terms of the Teller Amendment to the Congressional Joint Resolution for war with Spain in 1898 the United States denied the intention of using the conflict as a pretext for the annexation of Cuba and promised to leave the island following the termination of the war. The American military therefore oversaw the creation of the new independent Cuban government before departing in 1902. The documents contained in this collection consist of over two hundred orders in both English and Spanish from the Headquarters Division of Cuba that helped to shape the emerging civilian government. They include instructions for the running of elections the organization of the courts and school system the appointments for various government offices provisions for tax regulations and many other critical issues facing Cuba at its independence. The directives cover two periods from January to July in 1899 and from July to September in 1901. Many of the orders are signed in manuscript by the assistants to the military governor for the island Gen. Leonard Wood including assistant adjutant generals J.B. Hickey and L.W.V. Kennon and Brig. Gen. Chief of Staff Adna R. Chaffee. An interesting documentation of the first American occupation of Cuba. hardcover books
1898535Springfield Oh: Mast Crowell & Kirkpatrick 1898. Good. 121pp. Folio. Original orange printed wrappers. Light wear and soiling spine chipped with some glue repair. Ink ownership inscription at top of front cover. Minor internal soiling several leaves with tape repairs at edges. Extensively illustrated souvenir publication of the Spanish-American War. Images include local street scenes and landmarks photos of the native populations and the American military occupation. "Depicting the natives their costumes habitations and occupations; prominent buildings street scenes mountain and river scenery etc. Also life in the American Army and Navy with portraits of the chief actors in the Spanish-American War. Over three hundred illustrations. Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatrick unknown books
1890LIST110Havana: R. Testar 1890. Albumen photograph on cardstock mount image measuring 7 1/4 x 4 1/2 inches on 8 3/4 x 5 1/2 inch mount. A view of an American warship in Havana harbor likely taken prior to the outbreak of hostilities between the United States and Spain in early 1898. The photographers Leach and Patterson of Calle San Rafael published several views of Cuba at this time mostly of bucolic scenes around Havana and its environs. The American cruiser is similar in design to the U.S.S. Maine with slight differences - two smokestacks instead of three. An excellent example with minor wear to mount and fine image. R. Testar unknown books
