'From the Daily Advertiser, Dec. 31.

'The violent storm of wind, etc., which has held for two days past, has done considerable damage to shipping lying in the River.

'On Saturday last...The same day in the morning a hoy, laden with malt, was sunk in Chelsea Reach by the violence of the wind.' (1)

'Extrait des lettres de Londres, du 5. du 8. du 12. et du 15. janvier.

'Le 9., il fit ici un vent d'Est tres violent, qui continua le 10...'

[On the 9th [30th December English style] there was a very violent wind at East, which continued on the 10th [31st]...' (2)

'On fait monter a plus de 100 mille liv. st. le dommage cause par les dernieres tempetes entre la Riviere de Medway et la Pont de Londres...Le Vaisseau DRAGON, venant de la Jamique, richement charge, perit hier pres de Gravesend.' (3) [The date of the letter concerned is not clear.]

["We compute more than £100,000 worth of damage caused by the late storms between the Medway and London Bridge. The ship DRAGON, from Jamaica, richly laden, was lost yesterday near Gravesend."]

'On Saturday last...the same day a laden collier sunk at Limehouse Hole, being damaged by the ice...' (4)

'The DRAGON, Bride, which arrived lately from Jamaica, and had been blown over to the coast of Holland, is returned from thence, and put into Margate Road, but has been obliged to cut away her masts by bad weather.' (4)

'From the London Evening Post, January 8.

'Yesterday the DRAGON, Capt. Bridge, from Jamaica, was sunk a little on this side Gravesend, with a valuable cargo, occasioned by her being laid on hard and shelving ground. She arrived at Margate a few days past, where, after she had waited near 5 hours for a pilot without success, a storm arose in which she lost her anchors and cables and cut away her masts.' (5)

'The DRAGON, Bride, from Jamaica, but last from Holland, is sunk near Gravesend.' (6)

[Compiler of original record 1442883, now deleted, did not add source (6) as a bibliographic reference. From date of original compilation it is believed that it is likely to be a Bristol newspaper since this was checked at the date of original compilation, 2006. The following publications: a) Lloyd's List, b) the London Gazette and (c) the Newcastle Courant can be excluded on the respective grounds of (a) no extant issues; (b) not in the London Gazette; and (c) checking of the Newcastle Courant for this date in 2003-4.]

NB: At this period the Julian Calendar ["Old Style"] was still in use in England. Prior to the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar ["New Style"] into English usage in 1752, dates in England were 11 days behind continental usage, and additionally the New Year began on 25th March. Thus dates between 1st January and 24th March inclusive were one year "behind" the modern reckoning, and could be recorded in contemporary sources as the Old Style Year, Old and New Style combined, as with sources (1) and (4), or, rarely, the New Style only.

There is further confusion because few of the sources are very specific. The storm appears to have taken place 29-DEC to 31-DEC-1739, but source (5) indicates the final loss of the vessel as taking place on 07-JAN-1740, but this would have been 18-JAN-1740, too late for the letters reporting her loss in source (3).

Master: Bride (4), (6); Bridge (5)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Approximate date of loss

<1> Unknown, Kentish Post or Canterbury Newsletter, 29 December - 2 January 1739/40, No.2,311 (Old/New Style) (Newspaper). SKE56214.

<2> Unknown, Nouvelles d'Amsterdam, du mardi 26 janvier 1740 (New Style) (Newspaper). SKE56215.

<3> Unknown, Nouvelles d'Amsterdam, Suite des nouvelles d'Amsterdam du 26 janvier 1740 (New Style) (Newspaper). SKE56215.

<4> Unknown, Kentish Post or Canterbury Newsletter, 05 January to 09 January 1739/40, No.2,313 (Newspaper). SKE56214.

<5> Unknown, Kentish Post or Canterbury Newsletter, 09 January to 12 January 1739/40, No.2,314 (Newspaper). SKE56214.