A ship like this is usually called a 'privateer'. They were used by governments that did not want to be directly involved in causing problems to other governments. Some were used to bring in revenue.
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Privateer
Privateers.
A privateer is basically a 'pirate' that is authorized by a governmental head to attack foreign ships. They are authorized to do this by something called a 'Letter of the Marque'. These letters, however, were granted by any kind of governmental leader back in the day, not just 'the queen'. Basically, they started as a way for European nations to ransack Spanish transport ships that were delivering goods to and from the New World, following its discovery by Columbus.
The ships were called privateers. The authorisations were called letters of marque.
They attacked British merchant ships
Build and manning of ships to defend England if there was an attack
Specify the attack.
ships
he attacked 17 ships
America's support of the allies led Hitler to attack American ships.
America's support of the allies led Hitler to attack American ships.
America's support of the allies led Hitler to attack American ships.