1767. 7 August. 539.  The Same to the Governor of Guernsey. Transmitting a copy of a memorial from the French Ambassador, on behalf of the syndics and proprietors of the Insurance Company of Paris, on the subject of the ship ” Mary Joseph,” of Dunkirk, wrecked on the Isle of Guernsey; for enquiry to be made into the truth of the facts, and whether the 5 per cent, commission set forth to be demanded by Mr. Bood, and the salvage of one third said to be insisted on, are more than are legally due in such cases, and whether it be the legal course to oblige the owners on such occasions to sale of vessel and cargo, in order to ascertain their value. Mr. Bood, or Budd, as the name should be properly spelt, was agent to the Commissioners of Sick and Hurt, for the care of prisoners at Guernsey in the late war, but has at present no public employment. —Whitehall.

20 August 1767.   544.   Lieut.Governor John Mylne to the Earl of Shelburne Relative to the wrecked ship “Mary” of Dunkirk. The affair was determined some time ago by the Royal Court in Guernsey, Mr. Budd, H.M.’s Receiver General, had for his trouble 5 per cent. The salvors were paid by the day according to the risk they had to run, and the time they had worked.—Guernsey.

5 Sept.  552.  Salvage  Report of the Advocate General (Marriott) on the case of the “Joseph Marie” of Dunkirk.  In this the proprietors are entitled to have their property immediately delivered up to them by Mr. Bood, the King’s naval officer and a salvor, who is represented to have the same in his custody, upon the owners at the same time paying the salvage.  The proportion that the salvage dues bear to the value of cargoes is not fixed, but the law of the Admiralty (which is the general maritime law of all Europe) rates it according to the circumstances of distress and danger attending the saving.  The difficulty in this esse arises from Bood, the naval officer and a salvor, and the other salvors who were with him, insisting upon a sale of the cargo, and Bood going farther, and insisting that be should be the seller and have five per cent commission tor the selling; whereas the owners are unwilling. Both the pretensions of Bood and the other salvors are unjust and without reason.  Nobody can compel the owners to sell the goods; their value must be appraised.   Gives his idea as to where Bood and the salvors got their notion of selling the cargo. The true reason, he supposes, why the owners do not choose to sell the cargo is that it would suit them better to run it into England. The reason which the memorialists give, viz, that the cargo would sell for more at Dunkirk, can hardly be true, unless in the above idea of smuggling. The true valuation of the cargo must be taken at the prices of the actual place where the will of Providence has thrown it.

Also SP 46/151/fo 57  Shelburne to [Sir Richard Littleton] Governor of Guernsey. Concerning the wreck of the Mary Joseph of Dunkirk off the coast of Guernsey and a complaint from the French Ambassador about the cost of salvage; 7 Aug.1767.