Diamond Rock, off the coast of Martinique.

Diamond Rock (Rocher du Diamant) is a 175 meter (574 feet) high^[1] basalt island located south of Fort-de-France, the main port of the Caribbean island of Martinique. Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock. Fort-de-France is the Capital of France 's Caribbean Département d'outre-mer of Martinique. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Martinique is an Island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, having a land area of 1128 km²

In 1804 Commodore Sir Samuel Hood, aboard HMS Centaur (Captain Maxwell) and aided by calm weather, was able to run lines ashore and hoist three long 24 pounder^[2] and two 18 pounder cannons to the summit of the Rock. Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than For other related uses see Admiral Hood Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood 1st Baronet KCB RN (1762&ndash 24 December | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural ^[1] Fortifications were hastily built, and the position supplied with food and water for a garrison of twenty men under the command of Lieutenant Maurice, Hood's 1st lieutenant. Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services

The fort was able to harass French shipping trying to enter Fort-de-France for seventeen months. ^[2][3] The Royal Navy garrisoned island was officially commissioned as a Man-of-war HMS The Fort Diamond. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) A man-of-war (also man of war, man-o'-war or simply man) is an armed naval vessel ^[2]

On his voyage to Martinique in 1805, Admiral Villeneuve was ordered by Napoleon to recapture Diamond Rock. Year 1805 ( MDCCCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Pierre-Charles-Jean-Baptiste-Silvestre de Villeneuve ( 31 December 1763 &ndash 22 April 1806) was a French naval officer during the Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. A French-Spanish combined naval force of sixteen ships^[4] under French Captain Cosmao-Kerjulien attacked the garrison on Diamond Rock. The garrison's stone water cistern had cracked, due to an earth tremor, so they were without water and short of food. For cisterns in Neuroanatomy, see Cistern (neuroanatomy.For the village in England see Syston. After a fierce bombardment, they surrendered to the superior force on June 3rd, 1805,^[4] beaten by two French seventy-fours, a frigate, a corvette, a schooner, and eleven gunboats. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering Year 1805 ( MDCCCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or For the bird see Frigatebird. A frigate /ˈfrɪgɪt/ is a warship A corvette is a small maneuverable lightly armed Warship, originally smaller than a Frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft, although many A schooner (ˈskuːnɚ is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts Schooners were first used by the ^[1]

The 1950 novel The Diamond Rock by Geoffrey Bennett is based on the 1804 event. Captain Geoffrey Martin Bennett (1908-1983 was a British Royal Navy officer and author The 1976 novel Ramage's Diamond by Dudley Pope is based on the same event. Dudley Bernard Egerton Pope ( 29 December 1925 - 25 April 1997) was a British Writer of both Nautical fiction

Diving attraction

Below water the Diamond Rock cavern, a deep triangular cave, is a popular attraction for scuba divers. A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter Scuba diving is swimming underwater, or taking part in another activity while using a Scuba set. The cave is said to contain prolific quantities of beautiful sea fans and corals, though strong currents make diving the island a risky venture. Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many An ocean current is continuous directed movement of Ocean water.

Coordinates: 14°26′30″N 61°02′20″W / 14.44167, -61.03889

References