THE FOUNDER OF THE NORMANBY FAMILY.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1501, 2 December 1874, Page 2

THE FOUNDER OF THE NORMANBY FAMILY.

A REMARKABLE CAREER,

Samuel Smiles, in tbe chapter of bis well known work, " Seif-Help," entitled " Industry and tbe Peerage," gives the history of William Phipps, tbe founder of tbe family of our new Governor, His Excellency tbe Marques of Normanby. Mr Smiles says : — " William Phipps, tbe founder of tbe Mulgrave or Normanby family, was a man quite remarkable in bis way. His father was a gunsmith, a robust Englishman, settled at Woolwich, in Maine, then forming part of our English colonies in .America. He was born in 1651, one of a family of not fewer than twenty-six children—of whom twentyone were sons—whose only fortune lay in their stout hearts and strong arms. William seems to have bad a dash of tbe Danish sea blood in bis veins, and did not take kindly to tbe quiet life of a shepherd, in which be spent bis early years. By nature bold and adventurous, be longed to be a sailor and roam through the world. He sought to join some ships, but not being able to find one he apprenticed himself to a shipbuilder, with whom he thoroughly learned his trade, acquiring tbe arts of reading and writing during his leisure hours. Having completed bis apprenticeship and removed to Boston, be wooed and married a widow of some means, after which he set up a little ship-building yard of bis own, built a ship, and putting to sea in her, he engaged in the lumber trade, which he carried on in a plodding and laborious way for the space of about ten years. It happened that one day, whilst passing through tbe crooked streets of old Boston, be beard some sailors talking to each other about a wreck that had just taken place oft tbe Bahamas, that of a Spanish ship supposed to have much money on board. His adventurous spirit was at once kindled, and getting together a likely crew without loss of time, be set sail for Bahamas. Tbe -wreck being well inshore, be easily found it, and succeeded in recovering a great deal of its cargo, but very Httle money ; and tbe result was that he barely defrayed his expenses. His success bad been such, however, as to stimulate his enterprising spirit, and when he was told of another and far more richly laden vessel which bad been wrecked near Port de la Plata, more than half a century before, be forthwith formed the resolution of raising the wreck, or at all events of fishing up the treasure. Being too poor, bowever, to undertake sucb an enterprise without powerful help be set sail for England, in the bope that be might there obtain it. Tbe fame of bis success in raising tbe wreck off tbe Bahamas had already preceded him. He applied direct to tbe Government. By his urgent enthusiasm he succeeded in overcoming the usual inertia of official minds, and Charles 11. eventually placed at bis disposal the Rose Algier, a ship of eighteen guns, and 95 men, appointing himself to tbe chief oemmand. Phipps then set sail to find tbe Spanish ship and fish up the treasure. He reached tbe coast of Hisponalia in safety, but how to find tbe sunken ship was tbe great difficulty. Tbe fact of tne wreck was more than fifty years old, and Phipps bad only the traditionary rumours of the event to work upon. There was a wide coast to explore, and an outspread ocean without any trace whatever of tne Argosy, which lay somewhere at its bottom. He set his seamen to work to drag aiong the coast, and for weeks they went on fishing up sea-weed, shingle, and bits of rock. No occupation could be more trying to seamen, and at length the men broke into open mutiny. A body of them rushed one day on the quarter-deck and demanded that the voyage should be relinquished. Pbipps, bowever, was not a man to be intimidated. He seized tbe ringleaders and sent tbe others back to their duty. It became necessary to bring tbe ship to anchor close to a small island for tbe purpose of repairs, and to lighten ber, the chief part of tbe stores was landed. Discontent still increasing among the crew a new plot was laid amongst tbe men on shore to seize the ship, throw Phipps overboard, and start on a piratical cruise against the Spaniards in the South Seas. But it was necessary to secure the services of the chief ship carpenter, who was consequently made privy to the plot. This man proved faithful, and at once told the captain of his danger. Summoning about him those whom he knew to be loyal, Phipps had the ship's guns loaded, which commanded the shore, and ordered the bridge communicating with the vessel to be

drawn up. When the mutineersWdTHT^ appearance, the captain hailed thpm , toid the men he would fire upon them if tH approached the stores (still on landf it ? they drew back j on which Phip pa ij^ stores reshipped under cover of his L The mutineers, fearful of beiog left H * the barren island, threw down their 2* x and implored to be permitted to retnwZ \ their duty. Th e request was granted^ £ suitable precautions were taken a *lz future mischief. Phipps found it ° a w! lutely necessary to proceed to England fZ the purpose of repairing the ship. He hll now, however, gained more precise inform* tion as to the spot where the Spanish treT sure-ship had sunk; and, though as Jl baffled, he was more confident than ever of the eventful success of his enterprise. Re. turned to London, Phippsfreported the result:of his voyage to the Admiralty, who pro i fessed to be pleased with his exertions • but he had been unsuccessful, and they wouH not entrust him with another King's shin James 11. Was now on the throne, and the Government was in trouble, so Phipps aid bis golden project appealed to them in vain. He next tried to raise the requisite means by a public subscription. At first he was laughed at; but bis ceaseless importunity at length prevailed, fund af:.er four years dinning of his project into tbe ears of the great and influential—during which time he lived in poverty-be at length succeeded, a company was formed in twenty shares, the Duke of Albermarle, son of General Monk, taking the chief interest in it, and subscribing the principal part of the necessary fund for the prosecution of the enterprise. The ship arrived without accident at Pott de la Plata, in the neighbourhood of the reef of rocks supposed to have been the scene of the wreck. His first object was to build a stout boat capable of carrying eight or ten oars, in constructing which Phipps used the ad2e himself. It j g said that he constructed a machine for the purpose of explo.ing the bottom of the sea similar to what is known as the diving bell He also engaged Indian divers, whose feats for diving for pearls, and in submarine operations, were very remarkable. The tender and boat having been taken to the reef, the men were set to work, the diving bell was sunk, and tbe various modes of dragging the bottom of the sea were employed continuously for many weeks, bttt without any prospect of success. Phipps, however, held on valiantly, hoping almost against'hope. At length one day, a sailor, looking^ over the boat's side down into the clear water, observed a curions sea plant growing in what appeared to be a crevice of tbe rock; and he. called upon an Indian diver to go down and fetch it for him. On the red man coming up with tbe weed, he reported that a number of ships guns were lying in the same place. Search was made, and presently a diver came up with a solid bar of silver in his arms. When Phipps was shown it he exclaimed, " Thanks be to God ! we are all made men." Diving-bell and divers now went to work with a will, and in a few days treasure was brought up to tbe value of about £300,000, with which Phipps set sal for England. On bis arrival, it was urged upon the King that be should seize the Bhip and its cargo under the pretence that Phipps, when soliciting his Majesty's permission, had not given accurate information respecting tbe business. But the King replied that he knew Phipps to be an honest man, and that he and his friends should divide the whole treasure amongstj them, even though he had returned with double tbe value. Phipps's share was about £20,000 ; and the King, to show his approval of bis energy and honesty in conducting the enterprise, conferred upon him the honor of knighthood. He was also made High Sheriff of New England, and during the time he held the office he did valiant service for tbe Mother Country and the colonists against the French, by expeditions against Port JRoyal and Quebec. B I also held tbe post of Governor for Masst chusetts, from which he returned to England, s and died in Loudon, in 1695."