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Sir John Hawkins, a pioneer of the English slave trade, was protected by the Navy. The Navy Board also invested in his second voyage.
"Hawkins' first voyage in 1562 took him from Plymouth to the African coast of Guinea where he loaded his three ships with 300 negro slaves. Crossing the Atlantic he sold the slaves for a handsome profit to the plantation owners on Hispaniola.
The success of the venture secured him backing from the highest quarter for his second voyage. Queen Elizabeth authorized the use of the 700-ton warship Jesus of Lubeck as flagship of the squadron, and the Navy Board and City of London merchants were among the investors."
Source: 'Pirates: fact and fiction' by David Cordingly and John Falconer. Published by Collins and Brown, 1992. |
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