Black Jack Punch’s service to king and country

sir – Black men were not merely appreciated in Nelson’s Navy (Letters, September 8), but could also rise to commissioned rank.

John Perkins, a Jamaican of mixed race, enjoyed outstanding successes, and was known, from the schooner he commanded, as “Jack Punch”.

Lord Rodney promoted him to the rank of Master and Commander in 1782, “for his many services to His Majesty and the Publick”.

He was a prototype, perhaps, for the captain of HMS Vigil in the current television series.

Rupert Willoughby

London W9

sir – There were 22 nationalities in the crew aboard HMS Victory. They were some of the toughest, hardiest men in the world, but my ancestor, who was Nelson’s chaplain, records that when they heard of the Admiral’s death, “They sat down by their guns and wept like wenches”.

Antony Mackenzie-smith Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

sir – Two of my forebears were among the 11 African-american convicts on the First Fleet arriving in New South

Wales in 1788. In the American Revolutionary War, one from New England had been among the many African-americans who served in the British forces.

After the defeat, most came to Britain. Theft of a basket of clothes gained my forebear a sentence of seven years, but on its completion he served in the New South Wales Corps. There, as in America, he experienced no military colour bar.

Rev Dr John Bunyan Campbelltown, NSW, Australia

sir – The French have fewer qualms about their national heroes, including Nelson’s greatest enemy. I went to buy some stamps from La Poste today and received a magnificent portrait of Napoleon surrounded by symbols of his empire, including the scales of

égalité.

It contains no suggestion that Napoleon was problematic on account of his law of 1802 reversing the abolition of slavery to provide labour for Caribbean and American colonies. It made France the only country to re-impose slavery after abolishing it. Martin Davies

Pers, Cantal, France