Underdown, John

• Main Author: Riggs, Bertram G., 1954-
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1997
• Subjects: Bonavista Bay; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/ead/id/77

From 1701 to 1713 England and France were engaged in another of their many wars, - this one known in Europe as the War of the Spanish Succession, and in North America as - Queen Anne's War. The war caused many problems for those involved in the Newfoundland - fishery, especially the fishermen and other residents who lived in the communities that had - grown up around the Newfoundland coasts. French raids and destruction of property were - commonplace, as the French could easily send raiding parties from their headquarters at - Placentia to English settlements on the eastern Avalon Peninsula and in Conception, Trinity - and Bonavista bays. English settlers estimated the cost of destruction of their property for 1705 - as 188,000 sterling. - - In an effort to curb this destruction and retaliate against the French, the British made several - attempts to destroy French property and possessions. In 1702 forces under the command of - Captain John Leake destroyed French fishing properties at Trepassey, St. Mary's, Colonet and - St. Lawrence and the fort at St. Pierre. An attempt on the fort at Placentia was unsuccessful. In - 1707, Captain John Underdown, the Commodore of the Newfoundland station, was ordered to - proceed north past Bonavista Bay to Notre Dame Bay and the eastern coast of the Great - Northern Peninsula, an area known as the Petit Nord where the French conducted a very - lucrative fishery. He was instructed to destroy French fishing premises and capture or destroy - their ships. - - Underdown was relatively successful in his mission. This collection contains his report on that - mission, providing details on the places visited and various encounters with the enemy. It - should prove of interest to those researching the military history of Newfoundland, particularly - English-French encounters during Queen Anne's War.