Naphthali and Andrew Ball both commanded fireships in the action referred to at vii.228. [ http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1666/06/06/ ]. Pepys gives the name clearly in longhand, as 'Bell,' but there was no Naval officer of that name at that time. Coventry thought Napthali 'stout and ingenious.'
BALL, Andrew,—was, in 1666, made commander, first of the Happy Entrance fireship, and afterwards of the Aleppine fireship. In 1668 he was removed into the Orange Tree fireship, and sailing soon afterwards to the Streights, under the command of sir Thomas Allen, was unfortunately drowned. ---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.
BALL, Napthali,—was made commander of the Bramble fireship in the year 1665, and towards the latter end of the same year was removed into the Success, a fireship also. On the 9th of December he fell in with two Dutch privateers off the Dogger Bank, and after a very smart action, in which nine of the Dutchmen were killed, captured one of them, the other made her escape during the contest. He was afterwards tolerably successful in distressing the enemy's commerce, particularly in capturing a valuable prize, belonging to Amsterdam, in the month of January. The next information we meet with concerning him is, that he commanded the Roe ketch and Assurance in succession, during the year 1667. In 1672 he was made commander of the Richmond and soon afterwards, in the course of the same year, of the Greenwich. ---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.
Michael Robinson Link to this
Per L&M Companion:
Naphthali and Andrew Ball both commanded fireships in the action referred to at vii.228. [ http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1666/06/06/ ]. Pepys gives the name clearly in longhand, as 'Bell,' but there was no Naval officer of that name at that time. Coventry thought Napthali 'stout and ingenious.'
JWB Link to this
Suggest Naphthali was fireship Capt. Andrew Ball's nickname.
Bill Link to this
BALL, Andrew,—was, in 1666, made commander, first of the Happy Entrance fireship, and afterwards of the Aleppine fireship. In 1668 he was removed into the Orange Tree fireship, and sailing soon afterwards to the Streights, under the command of sir Thomas Allen, was unfortunately drowned.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.
Bill Link to this
BALL, Napthali,—was made commander of the Bramble fireship in the year 1665, and towards the latter end of the same year was removed into the Success, a fireship also. On the 9th of December he fell in with two Dutch privateers off the Dogger Bank, and after a very smart action, in which nine of the Dutchmen were killed, captured one of them, the other made her escape during the contest. He was afterwards tolerably successful in distressing the enemy's commerce, particularly in capturing a valuable prize, belonging to Amsterdam, in the month of January. The next information we meet with concerning him is, that he commanded the Roe ketch and Assurance in succession, during the year 1667. In 1672 he was made commander of the Richmond and soon afterwards, in the course of the same year, of the Greenwich.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.