Anti-Catholicism Catholics, and his replacement by a Dutch Protestant. For decades the Stuarts were supported by France in plots to invade and conquer Britain, and anti-Catholicism persisted. The Gordon Riots of 1780 were a violent anti-Catholic protest in London against the Papists Act of 1778, which was intended to reduce official discrimination against British Catholics. Lord George Gordon, head of the Protestant Association warned that the law would enable Catholics in the British Army to become a dangerous threat. The protest evolved into riots and widespread looting. Local magistrates were afraid of reprisals and did not issue the riot act. There
HMS Monsieur (1780) On 22 January 1780, the "Lively" was sailing from London to Liverpool when she fell victim to the Irish pirate vessel "Black Prince". "Lively" escaped only to fall victim to "Monsieur" two days later. "Monsieur" took all the crew out of "Lively", except for three boys, and put a 13-man prize crew aboard. On 4 February, the boys recaptured the ship while almost the entire prize crew was asleep. The next day they sailed to Kinsale where the letter of marque "Hercules" took possession. On 12 March 1780 the Third Rate "Alexander", under the command of Captain Lord Longford, was