Fine Books and Manuscripts

A THREE LANGUAGE SHIP'S PAPER WITH TEXT IN FRENCH, ENGLISH, AND DUTCH: "Be it known, That leave and permission are hereby given to Jesse Dunbar, master or commander of the Snow called Pacifick of Boston of the burthen of one hundred thirty five tons or thereabouts, lying at the present in the port of Boston and bound for London and laden with pot of pearl ashes, ground bark, boards, horns & tips, pitch, skins, staves, sassafras, tar & turpentine." (A few wormholes affecting printed letters and a portion of the "Was" in Washington's signature, the "a", and portions of the "W" and "s" in old facsimile, some browning). Such ship's papers were intended to protect merchants from molestation by the naval vessels involved in the Napoleonic wars, though they were largely ineffective. Examples signed by Washington and Jefferson are increasingly scarce.