POPHAM, Sir Home - DONNELLY, Ross.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

A Correct Account of the Trial at Large Between Ross Donnelly, Esq. and Sir Home Popham, Knt, before Sir James Mansfield and a Special Jury. First edition, detailing the sensational fraud trial brought against Sir Home Popham, during which he was accused of illegally receiving a flag-share from the spoils of his 1806 invasion of Buenos Aires. We have traced only four copies on WorldCat, all in American institutions.After the successful invasion of the Río de la Plata on Buenos Aires in 1806, Popham decided to send £275,000 worth of Spanish dollars to Britain on the Narcissus, captained by Ross Donnelly. As was the custom at the time, Popham received a flag-share of the prize to the tune of £2,004 17s 2d. However, after returning to Britain, Donnelly began to question whether Popham, as a temporary commodore, had the right to appoint a captain underneath him and therefore had the right to receive the money. The case came before the Court of Common Pleas and the special jury ruled in Donnelly's favour.

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