After this ship's capture, Kidd attempted a return to New York to share in the treasure with the Governor of that colony, then on to England to pay off his backers. For years, people and treasure hunters have tried to locate the Quedagh Merchant. 2017-03, a cargo ship radio installations renewal survey; and within three months before or after each anniversary date of the ship’s Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate, a cargo ship radio installations periodical survey. The Quedagh Merchant, also known as the Cara Merchant and Adventure Prize, [1] was an Indian merchant vessel, owned by a man named Coirgi.The ship was captured by Scottish privateer, William "Captain" Kidd on January 30, 1698. This was the 500-ton Quedagh Merchant, full of gold, silver, silk, spices, sugar and other goodies, and Kidd quickly took control of it. [7] Kidd gave orders that if his group of three ships broke up, to meet at St. Mary's Island, Madagascar. [3] A Frenchman came over by boat, and when he stepped aboard Adventure Galley, Kidd gave the command to hoist an English flag. [21][22] It was here that he first learned that he was now a wanted pirate, with many governors having orders to arrest Kidd and his crew. Near Catalina Island, Dominican Republic – This has been a mystery three centuries in the making. The waters in which the ship was found were less than ten feet deep and were only 70 feet (21 m) off of Catalina Island, just to the south of La Romana on the Dominican coast. [31], In December 2007, 70 feet (21 m) off the coast of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic, the remains of a shipwreck were discovered by a local resident and then investigated by archaeologists from Indiana University. [19][20] There are two distinct piles of cannons, with several disarticulated cannons between the piles. However, in 2007 a snorkeler found a conglomerate of cannons and contacted the Dominican Republic’s Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Subacuático (ONPCS), who then contacted Indiana University. He told his men to ready themselves for battle, but the crew, wanting to get paid after two years with Kidd, voted 100 to 15 to mutiny over to Culliford. She was hired by a group of Armenian merchants in 1696 and used for a voyage from Surat on the Western Coast of India to Bengal. In its hold was a mass of gold, silver, and gemstones along with jeweled and ornate artifacts fit for the Mughal. [2] There, the Armenian merchants sold their cotton for 1,200 muslins and other cloths, 1,400 bags of brown sugar, 84 bales of raw silk, 80 chests of opium, and other items such as iron and saltpetre. The ship is believed to be "the remains of Quedagh Merchant". A 400-ton vessel much of whose freight belonged to Julfan-Armenian merchants residing in Surat, the Quedah Merchant was on its return voyage from Bengal where it had sold its cargo and was returning with large quantities of raw silk, cotton, muslins, … Having set the cargo ship ablaze off the coast of present-day Dominican Republic, Kidd would face charges back in England. [30] After hearing this news, Bellomont approved Captain Nathaniel Cary, aboard St. Antonio, to return to the Caribbean to verify that the ship was indeed burned off the coast of Hispaniola, and attempt to reclaim the cargo from the local governments, including Curaçao. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Shipwreck Trail. The site is in a high-energy zone with a large amount of wave action; any lighter artifacts were either carried out to sea or were washed into the rocky shoreline, along with the upper ship structure. [15] It was during this time that Kidd insisted on calling Quedagh Merchant Adventure Prize. He complained to the East India Company, then the most powerful trading firm in the world. Source: 100years100facts.com Quedagh Merchant The ship was captured by Scottish privateer, William "Captain" Kidd on January 30, 1698. [8], When Kidd arrived at St. Mary's Island aboard Adventure Galley, he spotted a ship that belonged to noted pirate, Robert Culliford, Mocha Frigate. [16] Surprisingly, one of the men that chose to stay was an old rogue seaman named James Gilliam, who was a pirate at one time, but like Kidd, also believed that the mission was noble and had refused to turn pirate. The Quedagh Merchant was also loaded with highly-prized valuables—silk bales, opium chests, satin fabrics, muslins, sugar, tobacco, and tea. On 30 January 1698, Kidd raised French colours and took his greatest prize, the 400-ton Quedagh Merchant, an Indian ship hired by Armenian merchants that was loaded with satins, muslins, gold, silver, an incredible variety of East Indian merchandise, as well as extremely valuable silks. It too carried “French Passes” but had an English captain affiliated with the English East India Company. [31], Since the ship is an important symbol of Armenian commercial history, attempts to find the ship had for some time been made by Armenian scientists as well. The wreck of the Indian merchant vessel Quedagh Merchant, captured by Kidd but later sunk, was discovered in 2007 off the coast of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic. [4] Wright also informed him that an agent for the English East India Company had brokered the voyage, Kidd, acknowledging that looting this ship could raise concerns back in England, decided that the crew vote on whether to take the ship and its cargo, or sell it back to the Armenians. On this day in 1698, Scottish privateer William Kidd captured the Armenian vessel Quedagh Merchant off the coast of India near Cochin. Confidence among the investigators was high that this was the remains of Quedagh Merchant due to consistencies of historical records, and the cannons found in the wreckage. [17][18], Kidd decided that there were enough sail parts, rigging, and metalwork available left on Adventure Galley, and moved everything to Quedagh Merchant, the ship he chose to be his vessel to travel back to New York. At age 18, the actress appeared in the romantic film ‘Ecstasy’, and … [29][29] Bellomont tried to get together two ships, one of which was St. Antonio, to sail back to the Caribbean to retrieve what was left of Kidd's loot. It was reported on 13 December 2007, that "wreckage of a pirate ship abandoned by Captain Kidd in the 17th century has been found by divers in shallow waters off the Dominican Republic." After this ship's capture, Kidd attempted a return to New York to share in the treasure with the Governor of that state, then on to England to pay off his backers. Eleanor Seagle / Published with permission Near Catalina Island, Dominican Republic - This has been a mystery three centuries in the making. [15] Before Culliford departed St. Mary's Island, his crew sank November, leaving Kidd with two stripped down ships, and a skeleton crew. "[3], Kidd, whose mission to capture any enemy and pirate ships, was commissioned by several English Lords to seize all loot and return to England to split the treasure among himself, his crew, and the Lord investors. Accessibility | Privacy Notice [13] The following morning, the mutinied crew began to off-load the treasure aboard Quedagh Merchant. He planned to head to the obscurity of Annobon off central Africa. It was reported on 13 December 2007 that "wreckage of a pirate ship abandoned by Captain Kidd in the 17th century has been found by divers in shallow waters off the Dominican Republic." at the intervals specified in Merchant Shipping Guidance Notice 2017 No. Legend of Kidd’s buried treasure also led many to attempt to find his documented spoils. Feeling that his ship appeared stolen, which could cause him problems, even though he had his documents to prove otherwise, he decided to avoid the main shipping ports. [20] From there he planned on going straight to the Caribbean, then up to New York. Operating out of Surat in north-western India, the Armenians were assisted by Augun Peree Callendar, a local English East India Company representative who freelanced to help supplement his income. While Kidd was locked in solitary confinement in England, Lord Bellomont sent Captain Nathaniel Cary to Hispaniola, who searched in vain for the ship. The Quedagh Merchant had been carrying satins, muslins, gold and silver. [4] Kidd located Captain Wright below deck, and he denied being the captain, although the French pass identified him as the captain with the inscription "pilot Rette". The Frenchman, upon seeing the flag change, reportedly rep… Indiana University In January 1698, Kidd finally scored a rich prize, when he encountered the Quedagh Merchant, a ship flying an Armenian flag. [2], On 30 January 1698, Captain Kidd, aboard his ship Adventure Galley, spotted Quedagh Merchant about 25 leagues from Cochin, and raced to catch up with her. Antonio. The waters in which the ship was found were less than ten feet deep and were only 70 feet (21 m) off Catalina Island, just to the south of La Romana on the Dominican coast. A team of Indiana University archaeologists are now excavating and researching the shipwreck near Catalina Island off the southern coast of the Dominican Republic and have found that the archaeological record matches very well with the historical record, indicating that Captain Kidd’s lost ship, the Quedagh Merchant, has been found after more than 300 years. Nearly three years after the discovery of the shipwreck Quedagh Merchant, abandoned by the scandalous 17th century pirate Captain William Kidd, the underwater site will be … The idea being to sell some of the goods to finance his trip back to … Even today, modern treasure hunters searched in the Dominican Republic for the lost treasure vessel. The troubled chain of events involving Captain Kidd’s capture of the Quedagh Merchant and his eventual execution for piracy in 1701 are well known, but the exact location of the much sought-after ship remained a mystery for more than 300 years. [24] With help from a passing merchant, Henry Bolton, Kidd was able to sell some of his treasure for provisions and enough money to buy Bolton's sloop, St. Charle… He took the Quedagh Merchant, which was an Armenian ship with passes of safe conduct from the French. [9][10] Six weeks passed before both November and Quedagh Merchant arrived at St. Mary's Island. When word reached New York that the merchants had sold off most of the goods, burned the ship, and sailed to Holland, Lord Bellomont sent a ship to verify that it had indeed been burned. [32] The team was surprised that this ship, that had been sought after by many a treasure hunter over the centuries, was located so close to shore in shallow, crystal clear water. Functional anchors would not be stored beneath the cannons, as they would need to be easily accessed in the event of a storm, and Kidd indicated he had 14-15 spare anchors and 10 tons of scrap iron (NA fol. 197). During the Imperial period Rome was an enormous city inhabited by about one million people. Along with the Adventure Galley, Quedagh Merchant, and Rouparelle, another ship captured by Captain Kidd and given the name, November, they set sail for Cochin and Kalliguilon harbour. [1][30] According to local records, the men Kidd entrusted with his ship reportedly looted it, and then set it ablaze and adrift down the Rio Dulce. Copyright © 2020 The Trustees of The significant impact of the Armenian traders in the commercial world of early modern times can be reflected in the story of the Quedagh Merchant. [28] Kidd promised to return in three months, then whatever merchandise was sold, the shares would be divided then. [9] Since Kidd's mission was to capture pirate treasure, he immediately began a battle plan, but he felt undermanned, so he decided to wait for his other two ships, November and Quedagh Merchant, to arrive before attacking. The Frenchman, upon seeing the flag change, reportedly replied, "Here is a good Prize. [2] For the voyage, the ship was captained by John Wright, had two Dutch first mates, a French gunner, more than 90 Indian crewmen, and 30 Armenian merchants. Kidd was later imprisoned and ultimately executed for alleged acts of piracy, as well as murder. [13][14] Culliford's men proceeded to strip all three ships of anything of value, including weapons, sails, rigging, and anchors. [20] He arrived in the Caribbean a full ten months after his crew had mutinied, and anchored his vessel along the coast of Anguilla, the northernmost Leeward Island. The shipwreck consists of 26 cannons, three large anchor crowns underneath a two-meter high pile of cannons, with a large encrusted magnetic anomaly seaward of the pile. Quedagh Merchant, also known as the Cara Merchant and Adventure Prize,[1] was an Indian merchant vessel, owned by a man named Coirgi. The exact location of the remains of Quedagh Merchant were a mystery, until they were discovered off the coast of Catalina Island, Dominican Republic, in December 2007. During Kidd's long imprisonment in New York and later in England, New York Governor Lord Richard Bellomont, attempted to extract a confession for the location of the ship, which was left anchored in a lagoon along Santa Catalina. The shipwreck of the “Quedagh Merchant” was discovered in 2007, which was largely covered by the media. Indiana University The request was granted, and the ship began its return trip around the tip of India. IU. In April 1696, a group of Armenian merchants hired the 350-ton Quedagh Merchant, owned by an Indian man named Coirgi. After boarding the ship, Kidd found that the Captain was an Englishman named Wright, but was carrying passes from the King of France allowing him to sail for the French East Indies Company under the protection of France. The shipwreck of the Quedagh Merchant is characterized by a lack of upper hull structure and many of the ship’s components are not within the assemblage. Since Captain William Kidd first reported the location of his abandoned vessel the Quedagh Merchant in 1699 until today, people have searched for the lost ship. The wreck is situated in eight feet of water, only 25 meters from the rocky shoreline of the island, which explains how those that searched for the ship never found its remains. Additional anchors are anticipated to be documented within the pile as well as further iron conglomerate. Notwithstanding the clear warning signs that he got from his fellow British captain, Kidd commandeered (stole) the ship, renamed it “Cara Merchant” and went on sell its valuable cargo, first in Cochin, then Madagascar and eventually ended up in the Caribbean near what is now the Dominican Republic, where the ship was set on fire and sunk after all its merchandise was sold. He subsequently sailed it to the Carribean. Charle… [28], When Kidd arrived in New York, he was arrested, but would not reveal the location of Adventure Prize, believing that the treasure aboard the ship could be used as barter to free him. 197). The fate of Quedagh Merchant rested in the hands of merchants hired by Captain Kidd to guard the ship and await his arrival back into the Caribbean in three months time. After approximately four hours, Adventure Galley caught up with Quedagh and hoisted a French flag for its colours, and Kidd commanded the other captain to board his ship. [19] The first stop on his return journey was Port Dolphin, 600 miles (970 km) down the coast of the Madagascar, then over to Tulear, also along the Madagascar coast, to buy provisions, and find more crew members. The capture of Quedagh Merchant, as well as Rouparelle, caused scandal throughout the British empire, hurting Britain's safe trading status along the African and Indian coasts. A Frenchman came over by boat, and when he stepped aboard Adventure Galley, Kidd gave the command to hoist an English flag. [28] He authorized Mr. Bolton to stay and guard Adventure Prize, which was now in a lagoon on the small island of Santa Catalina, along with the authorization to sell more of the cargo if he was able to get a good deal. [5], Unfortunately, Kidd did not know that hundreds of the bales below deck belonged to a nobleman, Muklis Khan, who was close to the Grand Moghul. Resting in the crystal-clear Caribbean for more than 300 years, the Quedagh Merchant was recently discovered just 70 feet off the coast of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic. [2][3] After approximately four hours, Adventure Galley caught up with Quedagh and hoisted a French flag for its colours, and Kidd commanded the other captain to board his ship. Indiana University’s Charles Beeker (l.) and Fritz Hanselmann collect a sample from what is believed to be the wooden keel of the Quedagh Merchant under a pile of coral-shrouded cannons on June 2. The ship is believed to be "the remains of Quedagh Merchant". Wooden hull remains were also discovered underneath the recovered cannon, possibly the keelson or keel of the vessel. Burned and scuttled off the coast of this former Spanish colony, an Armenian merchant ship captured by British privateer Captain William Kidd has since become the stuff of legend and an elusive prize for treasure hunters. Furthermore, most of the rich cargo belonged to a courtier of the emperor of Mughal India who controlled trade with the East India Company. [2], After several delays, the crew loaded the ship with cotton, and departed from Surat, travelled around the tip of India, and reached Bengal in late 1697.