CHAPTER FIFTEEN
During the autumn of 1806 a general election was held in England and slavery became an election issue. William Wilberforce was re-elected and finished his letter of presentation, some four hundred pages which formed a book for the final leg of his campaign. British ships were flying American flags and carrying slaves to countries at war with England. The Union movement was stirring among the populace and things were changing, heralding the start of an industrial revolution. Wilberforce opposed unionism and suffered in some regions for his views but his relentless struggle for the abolition of slavery bore fruit in the House of Commons when his bill was passed on the 23rd February 1807, carried by 283 votes to 16. The Slave Trade Act received Royal Assent on 25th March 1807, putting a stop to the carrying of people on British ships to be sold as slaves.
In the preceding six months a disturbing trend had begun to emerge between Portugal and the Persian Gulf. Britain, France and Spain and indeed other slave traders had been decimated by pirates. Escort warships were sunk and the slave trading ships taken to land and the slaves released; the admiralty had no clue as to the origin of the attacks which were at night in pitch darkness. A dull, drab, black ship, thought to be a brigantine from those who had survived to tell the tale, struck without warning.
The crew could only be seen by the white marks painted on their black bodies. Once the armed escort ships were sunk the unarmed slave ships were taken, booty stowed and the ships run aground with the slaves being released. The ship had come to be known as the Ghost of the Night; her crew were expert seamen and fearless fighters. The long-bearded captain had a distinct Irish accent. The ship was often accompanied by other pirate ships that moved in after the escorts were sunk to assist in taking supplies and treasure; these ships were Persian. The most alarming story was of the black Ghost of the Night; she had some kind of metal tube on her railing from which came a tail of fire through the night which exploded and set fire to whatever it hit. The only thing that was ever prominent on the Ghost was the pure red flag flying from her main mast. She never took prisoners.
Admiral Claremont had spoken to many eye witnesses and read a host of reports; he had grave fears of the ship’s origin. A crisis meeting in the round tower in Portsmouth had the entire Admiralty looking at the problem and it was also attended by a member of the King’s court. This however was not the topic of the meeting. The representative of the King’s court, Lord Dreyfus, had delivered a letter from the King instructing all British ships to stop carrying persons who were to be sold as slaves, then left without attending the meeting. Claremont opened with a statement.
"There is a grave change in our midst, we are at war with France and can now turn many of our ships to the war effort. We need to win this war for providence has taken a large slice of England's income." Claremont held up a letter. "I have here a letter from the King ordering that all British ships cease carrying any person to be sold as a slave. In the last six months we have lost seventeen warships, over forty merchant traders and over four thousand slaves who have been released on the coast of Africa. It could be divine providence that has delivered us this change.
“I am sure you are aware of the black ship they call the Ghost of the Night. I feel she had another name: the Ghost of McMurrin. Fial McGuire was seen to fall to his death from the mast of the Victory but now I fear he did not die. This ship attacks only slave escorts. The French and Spanish traders have also been laid waste by this party of villains. It comes out of the night with speed, breathing fire then with point blank accuracy delivers a waterline blow. Sound familiar? A ransom will be again put on the head of this pirate of ten thousand pounds. This pirate will be referred to as the Ghost of the Night. Using the name McGuire or McMurrin will do us no good. Ten thousand pounds to the privateer who delivers the Ghost of the Night alive here to Portsmouth."
Briscoe, now a member of the Admiralty, interrupted. "A small navy already follows this pirate who I am sure is McMurrin. The booty from raids on slave convoys totals many thousands of pounds. With this kind of return privateers are liable to join rather than attack him. He attacks the slave convoys because it is his quest. Send word of the new laws and he will turn on the French and Spanish and leave us alone. This could work to our advantage; I would rather fight next to McGuire than any other seaman."
Claremont began to nod his head. "You speak my mind, if the French and Spanish pour more power into the slave trade to fill the hole left by us they will come under the scrutiny of this remarkable seaman. We announce the ransom for political reasons. The last attacks off the coast of the Congo put his armada at over ten ships; they claimed a king's ransom from the haul. The ship they call the Ghost has never been seen in daylight and is always gone after sinking the armed ships. I cannot work this out. We need to capture a ship of his ‘fleet’ if I may use the term loosely; I want to know how and where this ship operates from."
"That is not important. The direction his power is channelled in should be a priority," stated Briscoe. "Bringing his quest closer to France and Spain would greatly assist our cause in the war; his tactics can be used where we are failing close to the coast. Pressure these operations too much and it could hinder his attacks on the French."
"I agree," replied Claremont. "I would like to know more about this man’s operations if we are to use him as a tool all the same. Have two frigates tail these last slave convoys and see if they can capture one of the fleet to gather information."