East Indies.- Ship's Log.- Alms (Captain James) Monmouth's Log Book Comm. June 20th 1783, 184pp. logging service in East Indies and ultimate return to Spithead, 20 June 1783 to 5 July 1784, followed by a story entitled Frederic de Bosenberg The Exile of Underwald, describing the life of a Swiss boy whose father has gone to fight in America under French service, written in another hand, 23pp., followed by Log Book of His Majesty's Armed Transport Manilla, written from the reverse, in Alms's hand, 30 September to 13 October 1781, 14pp., altogether 221 pages plus blanks, spotting, foxing to text around hinge, first few leaves lightly stained at head and foot, contemporary vellum, title in ink on upper cover, spine and corners rubbed and torn, 4to, 1781-84.

⁂ James Alms (1728-91) took command of HMS Monmouth, a third rate ship-of-the-line with 64 guns, in 1780 and sailed to the East Indies the following year. At the Battle of Providien on 12 April 1782, the concentrated attack of five French ships left 147 of his crew dead or injured and his ship a wreck. This log commences in the Bay of Bengal the following year and gives an account of the Battle of Cuddalore - the final engagement of the American War of Independence - noting the death of several sailors from wounds over the subsequent days, the withdrawal of the fleet to Madras, and the slow return to Britain. The daily entries record bearings, course, winds, punishments and other remarks.

Provenance: James Alms; by descent to his great-grandson Frederick H. Alms (ownership inscription dated 9 December 1896); by descent to J.F. Duckworth (provenance note loosely inserted, dated 25 April 1954).