Hope was launched in 1797 on the Thames River. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before she was sold for breaking up in 1816. She was one of the East Indiamen at the battle of Pulo Aura.
Captain James Horncastle acquired a letter of marque on 11 April 1797. He sailed from Portsmouth on 3 June 1797, bound for China. Hope arrived at Whampoa Anchorage on 18 December. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 15 February 1798, reached St Helena on 5 August, and arrived at the Downs on 18 October.[1] Horncastle remained Hope's master for two more voyages.
EIC voyage #2 (1799–1800)
Hope sailed from Portsmouth on 18 June 1799, bound for China. She reached Penang on 29 October and arrived at Whampoa on 14 January 1800. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 10 March, reached St Helena on 15 July, and arrived at the Downs on 23 December.[1]
A fleet of East Indiamen at Sea, by Nicholas Pocock; it is believed to show the Indiamen Lord Hawkesbury, Worcester, Boddam, Fort William, Airly Castle, Lord Duncan, Ocean, Henry Addington, Carnatic, Hope, and Windham returning from China in 1802
EIC voyage #3 (1801–1802)
Hope sailed from Portsmouth on 31 March 1801. She reached Madras on 26 July and Penang on 28 August, before arriving at Whampoa on 29 September. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 19 December, reached St Helena on 12 April 1802, and arrived at the Downs on 11 June.[1]
Captain James Pendergrass would remain master of Hope for all her six remaining voyages.
EIC voyage #4 (1803–1804)
Pendergrass sailed from the Downs on 27 April 1803, bound for China. Hope arrived at Whampoa on 17 September.[1] Two days later, he was issued a letter of marque, in England.[3] Homeward bound, Hope was at the Second Bar on 26 November. However, the Royal Navy was unable to provide an escort and the captains of the EIC's China Fleet debated about setting out for home. Still, the China Fleet crossed the Second Bar on 31 January 1804.
Hope can be seen in this printed key for a view of the Battle, showing the China Fleet a painting by Francis Sartorius, the younger after a drawing by an officer on board the Henry Addington
On 14 February 1804, the China Fleet, under the command of Commodore Nathaniel Dance, intimidated, drove off, and chased a powerful French naval squadron at Pulo Aura. Dance's aggressive tactics persuaded Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois to retire after only a brief exchange of fire. Dance then chased the French warships until his convoy was out of danger, whereupon he resumed his passage towards British India. Alfred was one of the Indiamen that actually exchanged fire with the French, in her case for about 15 minutes, and that at long range.
Hope reached Malacca on 18 February.[1] On 28 February, the British ships of the line HMSSceptre and Albion joined the Fleet in the Strait and conducted them safely to St Helena.[4]Hope reached St Helena on 9 June.[1]HMSPlantagenet escorted the convoy from St Helena to England. Hope arrived at the Downs on 8 August.[1]
On their return to England Nathaniel Dance and his fellow captains were highly praised. Saving the convoy prevented both the EIC and Lloyd's of London from likely financial ruin, the repercussions of which would have had profound effects across the British Empire.[5] The various commanders and their crews were presented with a £50,000 prize fund to be divided among them, and the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund and other national and mercantile institutions made a series of awards of ceremonial swords, silver plate and monetary gifts to individual officers.[6] Lloyd's Patriotic Fund in particular gave each captain a sword worth 50 pounds.
EIC voyage #5 (1805–1806)
Hope sailed from Portsmouth on 25 April 1805, bound for China.[1]
Hope was at Madras on 23 August, Penang on 18 September, and Malacca on 22 October. She arrived at Whampoa on 27 December. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 8 February 1806, reached Malacca on 18 March and St Helena on 2 July. She arrived at the Downs on 3 September.[1]
Pendergrass brought with him seedlings of the Camellia japonica 'Incarnata', which he gave to Sir Abraham Hume of Wormley Bury, Hertfordshire, as a gift for Lady Amelia Hume. Sir Hume was Hope's managing owner. The camellia is also known as Lady Hume's Blush".[9]
EIC voyage #6 (1807–1808)
Hope sailed from Portsmouth on 18 April 1807, bound for China. She was at Penang on 14 September and Malacca on 20 October. She reached Whampoa on 27 December. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 10 February 1808, reached Penang on 5 April and St Helena on 9 July, and arrived at the Downs on 11 September.[1]
EIC voyage #7 (1811–1812)
Hope sailed from Portsmouth on 11 March 1811, bound for Madras and China. She was at Madras on 27 July, Penang on 18 September; she arrived at Whampoa on 1 January 1812. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 11 February, reached St Helena on 23 May, and arrived at the Downs on 22 July.[1]
EIC voyage #8 (1813–1814)
Hope sailed from Torbay on 23 March 1813, bound for China. She reached Simons Bay on 15 June, and arrived at Whampoa on 6 September. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 5 January 1814, reached St Helena on 26 May, and arrived at the Downs on 7 August.[1]
EIC voyage #9 (1815–1816)
Captain Pendergrass sailed from the Downs on 3 April 1815, bound for China. Hope reached Whampoa on 13 September. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 14 November, reached St Helena on 2 March 1816, and arrived in the Downs on 29 April.[1]
When Hope arrived back at London she discharged her crew, including her Chinese sailors hired in Canton. Princess Amelia repatriated 26 to Canton, together with 354 others, leaving the Downs on 20 July 1816.[10]
Warley, launched in 1796, was one of the British East India Company's (EIC), larger and more famous East Indiamen. She made nine voyages to the East between 1796 and 1816, most direct to China. In 1804 she participated in the Battle of Pulo Aura. In 1816, the company sold her for breaking up.
Warren Hastings was a three-decker East Indiaman, launched in 1802. The French captured her in 1805 during her second voyage for the East India Company and sold her to Danish owners. The British recaptured her in January 1808, and within a year thereafter she was again in her former owner's hands. She then made several more voyages for the company.
Albion was an East Indiaman of the British East India Company (EIC). She made eight voyages for the EIC before she was sold to the British government in 1810 for service as a troopship. She was lost at sea in 1816.
Perseverance was launched in 1801 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), before she was sold in 1819 for breaking up.
Alfred was launched in 1790 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made eight voyages for the EIC before she was sold. She participated in two notable incidents in which East Indiamen bluffed superior French naval forces from engaging. In January 1797, on her third voyage, in the Bali Strait Alfred and five other Indiamen sent off a French squadron of six frigates without a shot being fired. In February 1804, at Pulo Aura, during her sixth voyage she participated in a notable engagement with a French squadron. After her last voyage for the EIC Alfred served as a storeship and a hulk.
Wexford was launched in 1802 as an East Indiaman in the service of the British East India Company (EIC). She made seven voyages to India, Persia, and China for the EIC, on the first of which she participated in the battle of Pulo Aura. Her last voyage ended in 1817 and she was broken up c. 1819.
Boddam was built by William Barnard at Barnard's Thames Yard at Deptford and was launched on 27 December 1787 on the River Thames. She made six voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). Her fourth voyage was particularly notable as she participated in an encounter between six Indiamen and six French frigates in which the Indiamen succeeded in bluffing the French into withdrawing. During that voyage she also survived several typhoons. Her owners sold her in 1803 and her subsequent deployment and fate is currently unknown.
Taunton Castle was launched on the River Thames in 1790 as an East Indiaman. She made nine voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before she was broken up in 1813. In 1797, on her third trip, she was one of a fleet of six East Indiamen that bluffed a squadron of six French frigates into fleeing.
Bridgewater was launched in 1812 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made eight voyages to India and China for the EIC. A hurricane dismasted her as she was homeward bound on her ninth voyage. She was surveyed at Calcutta in 1830, condemned, and sold for breaking up in 1831.
Ceres was launched in 1797 as an East Indiaman. She made nine voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), before she was hulked in 1816.
Lord Macartney was launched in 1782 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC0 before she was sold in 1798. She then traded across the Atlantic to North America and was last listed in 1811.
Carnatic was launched in 1787. She made six voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She was sold for breaking up in 1802.
True Briton was launched in 1790 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She was lost without a trace in 1809 during her eighth voyage.
Nottingham was launched in 1787 as an East Indiaman. She made only eight voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) in the 23 years before she was sold for breaking up.
Dorsetshire was launched in 1800 as an East Indiaman. She made nine voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). In each of her first, second, and third voyages she was involved in a notable action. The remainder of her voyages appear to have proceeded without incident. She ceased sailing for the EIC in 1823 and was broken up c.1827.
Walpole was launched on the Thames in 1779. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). On sixth voyage, on her way to China, her captain discovered an island that he named Walpole Island. She was sold for breaking up in 1799.
Essex was launched on 7 February 1803 by Perry, Blackwell as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) until on 20 August 1821 her register was cancelled as she had been demolished.
General Coote was built by John Barnard probably at Barnard's Wharf in Rotherhithe and launched in 1781 or 1782 as an East Indiaman. Between 1782 and 1797 she made six voyages to India or China for the British East India Company (EIC). On the last voyage she participated as a transport in a campaign. She was sold in 1797.
David Scott was launched on the Thames in 1801 as an East Indiaman. Between 1801 and 1816 she made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). She was sold in 1816 for hulking.
Marquis of Huntly was launched at Rotherhithe in 1811. She made 11 voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) between 1812 and 1834, when she was broken up.
References
Biden, Christopher (1830). Naval Discipline: Subordination Contrasted with Insubordination: Or, A View of the Necessity for Passing a Law Establishing an Efficient Naval Discipline on Board Ships in the Merchant-service ... J.M. Richardson.
Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN0-905617-96-7.
James, William (2002) [1827]. The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 3, 1800–1805. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-85177-907-7.
Maffeo, Steven E. (2000). Most Secret and Confidential: Intelligence in the Age of Nelson. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN1-86176-152-X.
Van Dyke, Paul A. (2017). "A ship full of Chinese passengers: Princess Amelia's voyage from London to China in 1816–17". In Swope, Kenneth M.; Andrade, Tonio (eds.). Early Modern East Asia: War, Commerce, and Cultural Exchange. Routledge.
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