Description: Historical trivia / Political humor
Circulating since: Aug. 2012
Status: True (see details below)
Text example #1:
As posted on Facebook, Aug. 7, 2012:
In 1768, the British dispatched a 50-gun warship to New England to enforce Parliament's right of taxation over the colonies. Her actions involved impressing local sailors, confiscating a vessel belonging to John Hancock, and providing a refuge for the unpopular Boston tax commissioners when rioting broke out.The name of the warship: the HMS Romney.
Text example #2:
As posted on Facebook, Aug. 7, 2012:
HMS Romney was a 50-gun fourth rate of the Royal Navy. She served during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars in a career that spanned forty years.Launched in 1760, Romney spent most of her early career in North American waters, serving on the Newfoundland station, often as the flagship of the commander-in-chief there. She became caught up in the tensions leading up to the outbreak of the American Revolution when she was sent to support the Boston commissioners enforcing the Townshend Acts in 1768. Her actions involved impressing local sailors, confiscating a vessel belonging to John Hancock and providing a refuge for the unpopular commissioners when rioting broke out.
Text example #3:
As posted on Facebook, Aug. 7, 2012:
HMS Romney was the British ship that the King sent to quell the American Revolution after the Boston Tea Party. Romney - where have I heard that name?
Analysis: 'Tis true, the name of the British warship sent to Boston Harbor to enforce the Townshend Acts of 1767, which imposed indirect taxes on various commodities sold in the American colonies — notably tea — was HMS Romney.
Please note, however, that this was before, not after, the Boston Tea Party notwithstanding erroneous reports to the contrary (see example #3 above).
The presence of the Romney did further exacerbate tensions between the colonists and the British, especially after the ship's captain began impressing local men to serve in His Majesty's Navy. The Romney was also instrumental in the confiscation of a ship owned by prominent colonist John Hancock on accusations of smuggling, which led to street riots, which prompted the sending of British troops, which prompted more rioting, and ultimately led to the Boston Massacre in 1770.
None of which has anything really to do with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney or the 2012 election, of course — but you knew that.
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Sources and further reading:
American Revolution: Boston Massacre
About.com: Military HistoryCauses of the American Revolution
About.com: American HistoryHMS Romney (1762)
Wikipedia, 3 June 2012
Last updated 08/08/12
