Dispatch Packet (1808 ship)

For other ships with the same name, see Dispatch (ship).

History
United Kingdom
Builder	France [1]
Launched	1807 [1]
Acquired	1808
Fate	Wrecked 14 April 1812
General characteristics
Tons burthen	180 [1] (bm)
Armament	10 × 6-pounder guns [1]

Dispatch Packet (or Dispatch) was launched in France in 1807, probably under another name. She was taken in prize and from 1808 sailed from Falmouth, Cornwall, as a packet for the Post Office Packet Service. She sailed primarily to the Iberian peninsula, but also made voyages to North America, Suriname, and the Mediterranean. She was wrecked on 14 April 1812 while returning to Falmouth from Malta.

The following information is from Howat. ^[2]

Captain	Date of appointment
John Harris	18 August 1808
Edward Vinscombe	10 January 1810
John Parsons	30 July 1810
William Kirkness	November 1810

Fate

Dispatch was wrecked on a shoal between Malta and Mazara del Vallo, Trapani. ^[2] All on board and the mails were rescued. ^{[3] [2]}

Captain Kirkness returned to England aboard the store ship HMS Abundance.

Citations

1. Register of shipping (1812), Seq.No.269.
2. Howat (1984), p. 24.
3. "Marine List". Lloyd's List (4672). 9 June 1812. hdl:2027/hvd.32044105232920.

References

• Howat, J.N.T. (1984). South American packets: the British packet service to Brazil, the River Plate, the West Coast (via the Straits of Magellan), and the Falkland Islands, 1808-80. York, England: Postal History Society in Association with William Sessions. ISBN   0900657952.