Saviour of the merchants

Senior lieutenant Edmund Heathcote had notes made in his small 'Evolution Book' during February 1847. [ SeeAdmiral Edmund Heathcote ] We know he did not write the notes himself because the 'note taker' shows a clear left-handed style of writing; Heathcote's script was very sloped and right-handed. The note taker was also employed to keep the important accounts of treasure loaded onto 'Constance'. The handwriting is identical in both documents. Indeed, this person - rated as 'passed clerk' - was one of only two or three people on the ship capable of handwriting which was unequivocally readable. His work is found in many of the ships books; Muster Logs, Master Logs and any important documents such as Marriage Certificates - as we shall see. The clerks' name was J L Southey.

We know a little about this man from his record of service: PRO ADM 196/11/page221.  He joined the navy in May 1842 when he was 22, coming from a small village in Suffolk called Walton.  That place is now subsumed into the built up area of Felixstowe - on the North Sea coast.  The clerk's full name was James Lowther Southey. His role was as an additional clerk - aged 26 - when he joined the 'Constance' in 1846, but he continued in service until he retired aged 59 with the rank of Paymaster-in-chief at a retirement rate of £450 per annum.
Southey's treasure account book was headed - 'Box Money Account'.  Merchants who asked to have their money stowed on board the 'Constance' paid to have their treasure boxed up and the boxes marked so that a proper account of who owned which boxes could be maintained. The entries show the sequence number of the shipment, date, received from whom, at what place, the number of boxes, contents and value, then the mark on the box. Box money was recorded when it was paid and the charge counted in Dollars and Rials [ 8 Rials to the Dollar]. On the expended side of the ledger there were entries showing purchases of wood and nails for making the boxes. The first such entry is interesting because it is dated 23rd December 1846, just as 'Constance' was leaving Valparaiso for Calleo and San Blas for the first time. Clearly the need to gather money and specie was part of the ships orders. It also suggests that the flight of money from Mexico had already started when the expectation of conflict was rumoured in 1845/46.

The entry reads;  Bought of Peter King Valparaiso 

4 Kegs of nails 100 each at $8 per Quintal [32 dollars]                  50 Boards $17.4 Cartage 5 rials Boat 6 $ 1.3 [50 dollars 7rials]

A Quintal is an old term for 100lbs weight.  

On the same page we note that the ship received 24 planks from HMS 'Fisgard' on 24th February 1847 and four logs of cedar brought by 'Carysfort' from San Blas.  Ship's logs show 'Carysfort' was making up its own boxes for the treasure.  Perhaps 'Fisgard' - Captain John Alexander Duntze - was taking on treasure as well since she had been based in Esquimalt Harbour, Vancouver Island, since 1843. Going home the quick way 'Fisgard' would have had the chance to take on specie as she passed Mazatlan and San Blas towards Valparaiso. Only 'Fisgard's' logs can reveal that information.

There is a note on the top left-hand corner of the first page of the 'Box Money' document which explains: " Silver is paid for at the rate of one Dollar per thousand and Gold a Dollar per box - as the boxes are very small".  By the time 'Carysfort' set sail for home - mid June 1847 - she held 136 shipments in 559 boxes (and one packet with gold) the total valued at $ 1,284,437. The ship took box money of $ 1,247 and 4 Rials, less costs of $ 91 and 1 Rial. A surplus of $ 1,156 and 3 Rials. The money was stowed in a box marked BX No 1 in the Spirit room, and in a small box marked BX No 2, which contained 9 Doubloons, 12 Dollars and 3 Rials. A note said the small box was 'in my drawer'; a pencil note crossed out 'my drawer' and substituted 'Mr Thorne's box'. Afraid of theft or could not trust the clerk?

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