The Keith Papers

24. Secretary of Admiralty to Keith

Admiralty Office,
September 6, 1803.

My Lord, I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you the enclosed extract of a letter from New York stating that Jerome Bonaparte had sailed from Baltimore on July 28 in the President, a Swedish ship under American colours bound for Amsterdam, and to signify their Lordships’ directions to youto give orders to your cruisers in the event of their falling in with the said ship to detain her and bring her into port in case any person who answers to the description therein contained shall be found on board her.* I am &c.

EVAN NEPEAN.

Enclosure.—Extract of letter from Thomas Barclay to Lord Hawkesbury, dated New York, July 29, 1803.

Jerome Bonaparte sailed on the 28th inst. from Baltimore for Amsterdam in the ship President, Wainscot Master; the President sails under American colours and an American sea letter, is a Swedish built vessel of fir, light yellow sides, a head, but no galleries, and stepped royal masts; he took his passage under the name of Monsieur D’Albert. Jerome Bonaparte is from 20 to 23 years of age, of slender make, sallow complexion, about 5 ft. 6 in. height, hair cropped black and smooth, but at times he annexes a queue and occasionally wears powder. Two gentlemen travel with him, one about 30 years of age, dark complexion, short, curly, dark hair, marked with a little small-pox, bad upper teeth, and in height about 5 ft. 10 in. The other nearly of the same stature, but of fair complexion, with thick, bushy, sandy hair. The servant is about 24 years old, 5 ft. 9 in. high, his complexion and hair dark, the latter long and worn in queue; he wears earrings.

*Jerome did not actually sail till March 1805. On December 24. 1803, he married Betsy Patterson of Baltimore.