England’s Safety: or, A Bridle to the French King. Proposing A sure Method of Encouraging NAVIGATION, and Raising Qualified Seamen for the well Manning Their Majesties FLEET: Improving the King's Navy to fight the French.

St. Lo, George. (d. 1718) England's Safety: or, A Bridle to the French King. Proposing A sure Method of Encouraging NAVIGATION, and Raising Qualified Seamen for the well Manning Their Majesties FLEET on any Occasion, in a Months Time, without Impressing; And a Competent Provision for all such as shall be Wounded in Service against the Enemy, either in their Majesties Ships of War, Privatiers, or Merchant-Men, to Encourage the better Defending them. ALSO An In-sight into the Advantages may be made by the Herring and other Fisheries, in respect to the Breeding of Seamen, and otherwise. Together with a PROPOSAL for the Maintenance and Education of the Male Children of all such as shall be Kill'd in Service, both Seamen and Officers; And a Provision for Gentlemens Younger Sons, and the Sons of Commanders Kill'd in the Service, to qualifie them for the Sea, in order to make Officers. ALSO Encouragement for Commanders of Men of War, Privatiers and Seamen, in Taking any Ship, or Effects of the Enemies, and all to be done, without any sensible Charge or Burthen to the Kingdom. London: W. Miller, 1693.

Quarto, 6 x 7.85. First edition. A-F4 (between B3 and B4 there is an inserted "Advertisement to the Reader."). This copy is bound in modern calf tooled in blind. Internally, its pages have been trimmed with some small loss to title page. It is otherwise in very good condition. KRESS 1823. GOLDSMITHS 2994. Wing S-341.

George St. Lo:

St. Lo was a commissioner of the British navy and onetime captain of H.M.S. Dartmouth and H.M.S. Terrible. He appears to have been a seasoned commander who saw action against the French. This piece is rather scarce and Lo highlights that more could be gained from the crews of the Kings Navy if 1/3 of the prize were shared with the captain and the crew. He also suggested that the prize be broken into smaller lots at auction, so that more bidders could be attracted and drive up the prices of the goods confiscated by the captain and his crew. His was a voice for treating the crew with respect and cross training so that all could learn and participate in the maintenance of the ship. He wanted to see the abandonment of the lash and other practices of punishment, including the unwilling impressment of sailors into service.

Capt. George St. Lo: deposition before His Majesty's Council, 16 August 1686

"Capt. George St Lo Esq. aged about thirty two years or thereabouts being duly sworne deposeth & saith that whereas an oath was to be administered to severall persons before ye Rt Hoble ye GoverE on Wednesday ye 11th Augt instant about Goerge Bascomb & Willm Keels deteyning his maties forts from ye GoverE, one Jonathan Stoakes going to lay his hands on ye bible in order thereunto was hindered by one James Farmer, one of His Maties Justices of ye Peace in these Islands, bidding Stoakes not to swear and in a rustical manner went up to ye GoverE and said if Stoakes must swear he would swear too, being as ready as ye other, when this depont thinking ye said James Farmer would have struck ye GoverE stepped between them, when Farmer cryed out, that this was what they had long expected wch was slavery, & now he found it to be true and further saith not. G StLo The above attestacon (excepting what concerns James Farmers striking ye GoverE) attested by me John Jauncye Dept. Sect. Sworne before ye Rt Honble GoverE ye 16th day of Augt 1686. Test. Richd Phillips, John Jauncye Dept. Sect."