This gunpowder plot was successful

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34041, 3 January 1976, Page 12

This gunpowder plot was successful

Mention the Gunpowder Plot, and everyone immediately thinks of the famous conspiracy of 1605, when Guy Fawkes was caujrht trying to blow up the British Houses of Parliament. But here is a stamp which commemorates another gunpowder plot—much less well known, but which in its way was just as extraordinary. In a daring theft 200 years ago. 100 barrels of gunpowder were stolen from a magazine at St George's. Bermuda, under the noses of the authorities. and stealthily removed to American ships lying offshore. It was in 1775 that the first shots were fired inthe American War of Independence; and as part of their campaign the Americans tried to blockade the island of Bermuda, 700 miles out in the Atlantic. which remained loyal to the British Crown. Many of the local people. however. were sympathetic to the American cause, and the Americans were prepared to withdraw their embargo on food shipments to Bermuda in exchange for explosives. So on the night of August 14. the conspirators raided rhe building, which actually stood in the grounds of the Governor's mansion.

They made a hole in the roof, climbed in. and opened the door from the inside. Then the barrels were rolled out and down to the shore, where they- were taken out to the waiting ships in small boats. The next morning the irate Governor tried to muster local ships and seamen to pursue the Americans and recover their booty — but no-one was prepared to do so. The American vessels were free to make an unhurried departure; and the conspirators in Bermuda were never prosecuted. The bicentenary of this curious episode has been marked ”» Bermuda by a set of four special stamps. The 5c value illustrated here shows the scene — the magazine building with the hole in the roof, and

the barrels of gunpowder being removed to the beach under cover of darkness. i'he remaining stamps in the set also depict the raid in progress. On the 17c. the boats are seen transporting barrels to the ships; the 20c depicts a boat alongside. transferring its illicit cargo; and the 25c stamp shows two barrels of gunpowder waiting their turn on the beach.

staJJ? STORY