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 Amphion (1780) HMS Amphion (1780) HMS "Amphion" was a Royal Navy 32-gun fifth-rate frigate of the "Amazon" Class built in Chatham in 1780 which blew up on 22 September 1796. On 6 September 1781, a small squadron under the command of the "Amphion's" captain John Bazely, in conjunction with General Benedict Arnold, completely destroyed the town of New London, Connecticut, together with stores and shipping in the harbour. On 3 January 1782 "Amphion" recaptured the British sloop , which the French had captured at the capitulation of Yorktown on 19 October 1781. On 22 September 1796, "Amphion" was completing repairs at Plymouth,