In the second episode of Discovery Channel's "TreasureQuest" the crew of Odyssey Marine has identified the bell they recovered as being that of "Marquis de Tournay". This coincides with the court filings that Odyssey made on Jan. 14, 2009 in which they call the shipwreck "Le Marquis Tournay".
Towards the end of 'TreasureQuest' they gave a brief history of the shipwreck. The Marquis was a French privateer from the Bordeaux region that would sail to North America and the Caribbean. It was captured at least three times by the British. During the final capture they were set upon by a French warship and instead of allowing the return of the Marquis to the French the British set fire to her and she sank. This was in 1757.
The only reference that could be found on the Marquis de Tournay is from the very interesting book "History of the Liverpool Privateers" by By Gomer Williams & David Eltis.
http://books.google.com/books?id=QoCIlf10H0sC&pg=PA128&dq=%22Le+Marquis+Tournay%22&lr=#PPA128,M1
An excerpt from page 128:
"The Liverpool sailed from the Mersey on June loth, 1757,
and in going down Formby Channel lost one landsman,
who was drowned. " On Saturday, June i8th, 1757,"
writes Captain Hutchinson in his journal, "in lat. 48-018 mins.
long., from London, made a sail from the masthead
bearing S. from us, called all hands to quarters, and
gave chase with all sails set. At 8, the ship hauled up her
courses, and by appearance seemed to prepare for action.
At 10, they threw out a French ensign and fired a gun.
We answered them only with French colours, but they, not
trusting us, began to fire their stern chase pretty briskly,
upon which we gave them two of our bow chase. The ship
yawed and gave us her larboard broadside. Several of
their shot went through our sails, and one of the crossbar
shots (a six-pounder) struck the fore topmast and fell upon
our deck. We immediately gave her both our broadsides,
upon which she struck. Sent our boats on board the prize
for the prisoners. On examination she appears to be the
Grand Marquis de Tournay, Francis Dellmar, commander,
from St. Domingo for Bordeaux ; is pierced for 24 guns
(20 upon the upper deck and 4 upon the lower deck), but has
only 12 six-pounders mounted. She came out of St.
Domingo with 31 sail, under convoy of six men-of-war,
one of 80 guns, four of 74 guns, and a frigate of 36 guns,
who saw them through the windward passage and then left
them. Found on board the prize, Captain John Mackay,
and his crew, of the Sarah, brig, bound from Bristol for
Boston, whom they had taken on the 3rd ult. The English
prisoners report that the brig was retaken on the i5th by two
men-of-war, and that the Frenchmen had behaved extremely
civil to them."
The cargo of the Le Grand Marquis de Tournay, valued
at upwards of ^20,000, as advertised to be sold by the
candle at the Bath Coffee-house, consisted of 494 hogsheads,
<3 tierces, and 4 barrels of sugar ; 19 butts, 35 hogsheads,
30 tierces, and 83 barrels of coffee ; 2 butts, 7 hogsheads,
24 tierces, 31 barrels, and 4 ankers of indigo ; 22 whole, and
117 half hides ; and 8^ tons of logwood. The vessel, also
sold by auction, was described as "a firm, good ship of
about 450 tons burthen, pierced for 22 guns, prime sailer
and very fit for a privateer or merchantman." Referring to
this capture, the Liverpool paper tells us that " all the officers
and the whole ship's company gave Captain Hutchinson
the best of characters, both as to conduct, courage and
humanity. He would not permit the least article to be taken
from any of the French prisoners, and to the honour
of the whole crew, each man behaved well in his station.
Some of the landsmen, who had not been at sea before,
could scarcely be kept within bounds, they were so eager
to come to action. Several who had entered themselves for
seamen, on trial proved to be incapable of their duty, and
have been since they came into this port discharged."
Thank you Odyssey for once again bringing history to life.
Fascinating.