Excerpt from History of New York, Vol. 2

The departure of Governor Tryon called back Lieutenant Governor Colden from his country house at Flushing to take up again, in his eighty sixth year, the reins of provincial government. Before Governor Tryon's departure news had arrived, on March loth, from St. Eustatius via Philadel phia, to the effect that the ship Nancy, Captain Lockyer, having been blown off the coast by contrary winds, had put into Antigua. So the vigi lance of the Sons of Liberty committee was redoubled, and was rewarded, on April 18th, by news that the vessel was in the outer harbor. The pilot did not deem it safe to take the vessel into the harbor, but the committee of the Sons of Liberty called 011 the captain and advised him that he could safely come up on condition that he should not enter his vessel at the Custom House. Coming ashore he was received with kindness, visiting his consignees, who refused to receive his cargo. He made his arrange ments to leave without unloading, and a handbill invited the citizens to see him off, 011 May 29th, stating that the bells would be rung half'an hour before he should leave Murray's wharf. By private advices the Sons of Liberty were led to watch also for the ship London, Captain Chambers. When the vessel arrived at the Hook, the captain denied to the pilot that he had any tea 011 board, but the Sons of Liberty, then a power not to be despised, called the captain and the owner before them, and the captain admitted that he had eighteen cases of tea on board, of which he was sole owner. A deputation from the Sons of Liberty visited the ship in the evening, broke open the cases and emptied their contents into the river. The next day Captain Lockyer was escorted from the Coffee House to the end of Murray's Wharf, followed by cheering crowds, and put upon the pilot boat. The committee of observation at Sandy Hook reported that the Nancy had departed not only with the tea, Captain Lockyer and her crew, but also with Captain Chambers, who had thus put himself at a safe distance from punishment at the hands of unfriendly citizens. All these proceed ings about the tea went on without the lieutenant governor knowing any thing about them until they were all over.

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