Indian Oak (1813 ship)

Last updated

History
Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
BuilderJames Peter Fearon, Cochin
Launched23 September 1813, [1] or 1814, [2] or 1817 [3]
FateWrecked 14 August 1840
Notes"Indian Oak" was a common term for teak, and Indian Oak was built of teak.
General characteristics
Tons burthen
  • Old Act: 400, or 445, [3] or 465, [4] or 472, or 47213⁄94, [1] or 476 [5] (bm)
  • New Act (post 1836): 569 (bm)
Length114 ft 9 in (35.0 m)
Beam30 ft 10 in (9.4 m)

Indian Oak was launched at Cochin, probably in 1813. She then traded between India and Britain. From circa 1824 she operated as a "country ship" trading primarily in the Indian Ocean. Notable events included arson by the crew, a dispute between her master and the government of Mauritius, transport of 200 labourers from Bengal to Mauritius, and mutiny that resulted in the cutting and maiming of her master. She was wrecked in August 1840 after having delivered troops to Chusan for the First Opium War.

Contents

Career

In 1813 the EIC lost its monopoly on the trade between India and Britain. British ships were then free to sail between India or the Indian Ocean and the United Kingdom under a license from the EIC. [6]

On 6 May 1815 Indian Oak was off the Isle of Wight. She had sailed from Bengal on 9 December 1814, and from St Helena on 5 March 1815. She left St Helena in company with Lady Nugent and the whaler Admiral Colpoys. [7]

On 26 August 1815 Indian Oak, Fearon, master, sailed from Gravesend, bound for Bengal. On 31 January 1816 she arrived at Madras, and on 14 February she arrived at Bengal.

Arson: On 16 June 1816 Indian Oak, Penterby, master, was anchored about a mile from Saugor preparing to sail from Bengal for London when a fire broke out forward. It was quickly extinguished and proved to have destroyed only a few bags of cotton. The fire was the result of sabotage by three of the crew who wanted to leave the ship and so need to delay her sailing. Apparently one had thrust a cheroot into a bale of cotton. [8] The three seacunnies involved were to be sent to Calcutta, from the New Anchorage, to stand trial. [9] [lower-alpha 1]

Indian Oak was expected to sail on 23 June. [11] Indian Oak, Benworthy, master, arrived at Liverpool on 24 December. She had sailed from Bengal on 19 June and from Île de France on 21 September.

YearMasterOwnerTradeSource
1816J.FearonFearon & Co.London–IndiaLR
1818PemborthyFearon & Co.Liverpool–BengalLR
1825PemborthyFearon & Co.Liverpool–BengalLR

Indian Oak appeared in the Calcutta registry in 1819 with T. Guthrie, master, and J.P. Fearon, owner. [5] In March 1819 she was at Callao.

Indian Oak was last listed in LR in 1825. She appeared on the Calcutta registry in 1824 with J. Reid, master, and Palmer and Co., owner. [4] Reid sailed her for Penang, Malacca, Sincapore, and Batavia.

Indian Oak served as a transport during the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826). [12]

On her release from transport service Indian Oak (Ried or Reid, or Read), master, traded around India and with Mauritius, Muscat, and Rangoon, and South America.

In November 1830, Indian Oak, A. Bane, master, sailed for the Persian Gulph. Over the next two years she was at Coplopo, Kopang, Mauritius, Mergui, the Red Sea, and Rangoon.

In June 1833 Indian Oak, E. Worthington, master, was at Covelong.

Mauritius incident: On 26 April 1834 Indian Oak, Worthington, master, arrived at Port Louis, Mauritius, from Calcutta. There he objected to an arbitrary decision by Mr. Cunningham, the collector of customs, who proceeded to have all manner of private goods on Indian Oak, but not belonging to Captain Worthington, seized. Before she could sail from Mauritius, Captain Worthington had to post a fine of £500. When he returned to Calcutta, Captain Worthington published his account of the affair in the India Gazette of 22 July. On his return to Mauritius in October he submitted on 27 October to the Colonial secretary, for transmission to the governor, a copy of the article as well as a narrative updating to the last day the narrative of facts. On 4 November he was ordered to attend a hearing in which he would have to show cause for why he should not be imprisoned for two years and have to pay a fine of $1000 for having defamed and injured, the government, the Court of Admiralty, the Judge of Admiralty, the collector of customs, and the administration of customs. Two days before the hearing the Mauritian authorities arrested Captain Worthington and held him until he posted a $1000 bond. At the hearing, after several appeals, Captain Worthington was sentenced to three months imprisonment, but was subsequently released. It was noted that the Mr. Blackburn, the chief justice of the Court of Appeal, was one of the parties Captain Worthington had accused. [13]

Later in 1834 Indian Oak, Durward, master, sailed between India and Ceylon. In 1835 Worthington was again her master, sailing her to Rangoon and Mauritius.

In August Indian Oak was under the command of R. Rayne, who sailed her to Mauritius. Captain Worthington later resumed command and continued to sail her to Mauritius. In late 1836 Captain Rayne sailed her to Mauritius and Rangoon.

Indentured labourers: A letter dated 22 April 1837 from the Colonial Secretary of Mauritius to the Chief Secretary of Bengal complained of the trade in indentured labourers being carried from Bengal to Mauritius in deplorable conditions and without concern for the labourers' medical needs. [lower-alpha 2] Three vessels had had to go into quarantine on their arrival because of dysentery and cholera, Indian Oak being the least affected. Only six of the 200 labourers on board had died on the voyage. The worst was Adelaide, where 24 of 72 labourers had died. The vessels also carried large cargoes of rice that reduced the room the labourers had at their disposal. [14]

Indian Oak had sailed from Calcutta on 28 November with 200 males, five women, and a male child. All were classified as labourers. [15] [16] Of the six men who died, three died in the water. [17] Ten jumped overboard on 3 June, of whom nine were saved; one was believed to have gone under the stern of the ship. On the late evening of 7 June one man jumped overboard and swam away from the ship, which was near Saugor, but because of the flood tide some 16 miles from the nearest reachable shore; on the advice of the pilot, Rayne was unwilling to risk a boat crew to attempt to save him. [18] On 9 June one coolie was discovered missing; he had told his wife he was going up on deck and it was believed that he had fallen overboard. [19] [lower-alpha 3]

Mutiny: On 10 February 1838, Indian Oak, Rayne, master, had to put back to Mauritius in consequence of a mutiny on board. [20] Thirteen of the crew were tried before a special Court of Admiralty and convicted of cutting and maiming Captain Rayne with intent to murder. The governor, who was president of the board, commuted their death penalty sentences. [21]

Captain Rayne's injuries, were clearly not severe enough to end his career. On 8 May Indian Oak, Rayne, master, arrived in the Hooghly River from Madras and Port Louis.

A letter from Bombay dated 13 January 1840 reported that the British East India Company (EIC) had chartered a number of vessels to carry coal, provisions, and troops to China in support of the British expedition in the First Opium War. Indian Oak was one of the vessels so chartered. [22] She carried eight officers and 134 men of the Cameronians. [23] She arrived at Penang on 18 April; one man had died of cholera. On 6 May she sailed for Singapore.

Fate

Indian Oak left Chusan on 10 August, after the capture of Chusan. On 14 August she was wrecked about 10 miles north of Napakiang (Naha) at Great Loochow Island (Okinawa). The Okinawans built a junk for the crew and passengers from Indian Oak that was given the name Loochoo. HMS Cruizer and Nimrod arrived on 16 September. Cruizer left soon after with dispatches. Nimrod and Loochoo, which was carrying the people from Indian Oak, sailed on 28 September and arrived at Chusan on 5 October. [24]

Notes

  1. ↑ The three men were found guilty and were sentenced to four years imprisonment. [10]
  2. ↑ The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 had abolished slavery within the British Empire and plantation owners, especially in the sugar plantations of Mauritius and the West Indies, turned to indentured laborours from India to replace the slaves.
  3. ↑ He had a wife and two sons aboard. It was believed that he had gone on deck to "ease himself" and the first that Rayne knew of the matter was when the wife came on the quarterdeck and reported him missing. The weather at the time was severe. [18] In all, Rayne transported some 800 collies over several voyages. [18]

Citations

  1. 1 2 Hackman (2001), pp. 284–285.
  2. ↑ Phipps (1840), p. 147.
  3. 1 2 Phipps (1840), p. 173.
  4. 1 2 East-India register and directory (1824), p.154.
  5. 1 2 East-India register and directory (1819), p.135.
  6. ↑ Hackman (2001), p. 247.
  7. ↑ "LLOYD'S MARINE LIST—MAY 9. 1815". Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), 13 May 1815; Issue 14575.
  8. ↑ Sandeman (1869), pp. 135–137.
  9. ↑ "EAST INDIA SHIPPING". Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), 16 November 1816; Issue 14818.
  10. ↑ "SUPREME COURT". Asiatic Journal (London, England), 1 October 01, 1817, pg. 411; Issue 22.
  11. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 5126. 15 November 1816. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735027 . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  12. ↑ Low (1877), p. 419.
  13. ↑ "ASIATIC INTELLIGENCE". Asiatic Journal (London, England), 1 July 01, 1834; pg. 153; Issue 55.
  14. ↑ "THE NEW SLAVE TRADE, AND ITS PATRON—MR. GLADSTONE". Bradford Observer (Bradford, England), 12 April 1838; pg. [1]; Issue 219.
  15. ↑ "EXPORTATION OF COOLIES FROM INDIA". The Friend of India (Calcutta, India), 7 June 1838; Issue 180.
  16. ↑ "Government have appointed the following gentlemen". Asiatic Journal (London, England), 1 December 1838]; pg. 273; Issue 108.
  17. ↑ "THE COOLIES AT MAURITIUS. JOHN SCOBLE". The British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Reporter: Under the Sanction of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society (London, England), 26 February 1840; pg. 25; Issue 4.
  18. 1 2 3 House of Commons (1841), p. 67, Correspondence between the Government of India and the Court of Directors regarding the Hill Coolies.
  19. ↑ "THE HILL COOLIES". Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), 28 February 1840; Issue 1443.
  20. ↑ "SHIP NEWS". Morning Post (London, England), 29 May 1838; pg. 7; Issue 21030.
  21. ↑ "Mauritius". Asiatic Journal (London, England), 1 August 1838; pg. 230; Issue 104.
  22. ↑ "MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS". Morning Chronicle (London, England), 8 April 1840; Issue 21957.
  23. ↑ "OVERLAND MAIL FROM INDIA". Morning Post (London, England), 8 May 1840; Issue 21617.
  24. ↑ "Narrative of facts attending the Wreck of the Transport "Indian Oak" on the Loochoo Islands; communicated from the Political Secretarial Office, Government of India. J. J. R. BOWMAN, Agt." Journal of the Asiatic Society (Calcutta, India), 1 September 01, 1840; pg. 916; Issue 105/21.

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Assistance</i> (1850) 1835 survey barque

HMS Assistance was an Arctic discovery barque of the Royal Navy, and the sixth vessel to carry the name. She began in 1834 as the India-built merchant vessel Acorn. Her name was changed to Baboo. Under that name she transported contract labourers between Mauritius and India, and immigrants to South Australia. The Royal Navy purchased her in 1850 and named her HMS Assistance. Assistance participated in two Arctic expeditions before her crew abandoned her in the ice in 1854.

Albion was a sailing ship of two decks and three masts, built at Bristol, England, and launched in 1813. She made three voyages transporting convicts to Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. She also traded with Jamaica, India, and Quebec. For two of the voyages to India she was an "extra" ship to the British East India Company (EIC).

Whitby was a three-masted, square-rigger launched in 1837 and later re-rigged as a barque. She was registered in London, and made voyages to India, British Guiana, Australia, and New Zealand. In 1841 Whitby, Arrow, and Will Watch carried surveyors and labourers for the New Zealand Company to prepare plots for the first settlers. Whitby was wrecked at Kaipara Harbour in April 1853.

Gaillardon was a merchant ship built in Calcutta, British India in 1833. She made three voyages transporting convicts from India to Australia and was wrecked upon the Coromandel Coast in 1840.

Mornington was a British merchant vessel built of teak and launched in 1799 at Calcutta. She made three voyages under charter to the British East India Company (EIC). On the first of these her non-European crew suffered a high mortality rate on the voyage back to India. On the third French privateers twice captured her and Royal Navy vessels twice recaptured her. She was a transport for the British invasion of Java in 1811. A fire destroyed her in 1815.

HMS <i>Cruizer</i> (1828) Snake-class sloop-of-war

HMS Cruizer was a Snake-class ship-sloop launched in 1828 for the British Royal Navy. The ship was built as a revival of the retired Snake-class ship-sloops. The Navy converted her to a brig in 1831, back to a ship in 1840, and sold her at Bombay in 1849.

<i>Lady Nugent</i> (1814 ship)

Lady Nugent was built at Bombay in 1813. She made four voyages under contract to the British East India Company (EIC). She then made two voyages transporting convicts to Australia, one to New South Wales and one to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). She also made several voyages with emigrants to New Zealand under charter to the New Zealand Company or the Canterbury Association. She foundered in May 1854 with the loss of some 400 persons, most of them soldiers that she was carrying from Madras to Rangoon.

Prince Blucher was launched at Chittagong in 1815. She made one voyage for the British East India Company. She participated in two and possibly three rescues, one particularly notable, and was wrecked in 1821. Condemned, she was laid up and later broken up in 1824.

Lucy Maria or Lucy and Maria was launched at Calcutta in 1801. She made one voyage to England carrying rice from Bengal on behalf of the British East India Company (EIC). She was seized at Amboyna in 1804 and then sailed as the Dutch ship Victoria. The British recaptured her in 1806 and new owners renamed her Troubridge and later renamed her Lucy Maria. As Troubridge she served as a transport for two invasions, that of Mauritius in 1810 and Java in 1811. She was broken up in 1821.

Countess of Sutherland was launched in 1801 at Tittaghur on the Hooghly River, about 15 miles upstream from Calcutta. She made one voyage from Calcutta to England for the British East India Company in 1801–1802. The French captured her in 1803 as she was sailing from Bengal to China. They used her as a hulk until she was broken up c.1821.

<i>Fairlie</i> (1810 ship)

Fairlie was launched at Calcutta in 1810 and sailed to England. There she became a regular ship for the British East India Company (EIC). Including her voyage to England, she made four voyages for the EIC. From around 1821 on she became a Free Trader, continuing to trade with India under a license from the EIC. She also made two voyages transporting convicts to New South Wales (1834), and Tasmania (1852). She made several voyages carrying immigrants to South Australia, New South Wales, and British Guiana. She foundered in November 1865.

Aurora was launched in 1790 at Calcutta. The first 10 years of her career are currently obscure. In 1801 she made a voyage to England for the British East India Company (EIC), and then was briefly registered in England. She returned to India to continue to sail as a "country ship" until she was sold to Portuguese or Spanish owners in 1811. She returned to British ownership circa 1816 and made a second voyage for the EIC, this time from China to England. She returned to English registry and made one voyage to India under a license from the EIC. She then switched to sailing between Liverpool and Quebec and was lost in the Atlantic around 1822.

Barrosa was launched in 1811 at Cossipore. She sailed to England and then made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC); during this period she also made one voyage carrying immigrants to South Africa. After the EIC gave up its maritime activities in 1833-1834, Barossa became a transport. She made three voyages transporting convicts to Australia. She was lost in 1847, without loss of life, while transporting contract labourers from Madras to Jamaica.

Ceres was launched at Kolkata in August 1793 as Lutchmy and renamed in 1794. She sailed to England in 1798 and became a West Indiaman. She was condemned at Barbados in 1806. New owners returned her to service, first as a West Indiaman and then as an East Indiaman. She was damaged at Mauritius in 1818 and although she was listed until 1824, it is not clear that she sailed again after the damage she sustained in Mauritius.

<i>Roxburgh Castle</i> (1825 ship)

Roxburgh Castle was launched by Wigrams & Green, Blackwall, in 1825. She made two voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), during the first of which she captured a slave schooner with 125 slaves that she delivered to Sierra Leone. She carried immigrants to New South Wales in 1838–1839. She was condemned as unseaworthy after survey at Mauritius and in 1842 was sold for breaking up.

Ganges was launched at Calcutta in 1806. In 1807 or 1809 a French privateer captured her. The British Royal Navy recaptured her the next year. She assumed British Registry in 1812, but had traded out of London since late 1810 or early 1811. By 1820 she was trading between London and Bengal. She was last listed in 1846.

Lord Hungerford was launched at Calcutta in 1814. Her most notable voyages were one transporting convicts to Van Diemen's Land and two for the British East India Company. Later she brought laborers to British Guiana and immigrants to Victoria and South Australia. She foundered on 1 June 1861 on her way to Valparaiso to be converted to a coal hulk.

Trial was launched at Calcutta as a packet for the British East India Company. She made two voyages to England. In 1782 she narrowly escaped being seized by mutineers. After her return to Calcutta in 1786 she became a pilot schooner for the Bengal Pilot Service. A French privateer captured her in 1797.

Gilwell was launched in 1801 at Howrah, Calcutta as a "country ship", that is, she traded east of the Cape of Good Hope. She made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC). In 1804 she was present but not engaged at the Battle of Pulo Aura. The French captured her in 1805 and 1807. She was renamed Fyzal Curreem and eventually Cashmere Merchant. As Cashmere Merchant she reappeared in 1827 in records of vessels registered at Calcutta. She was reported in 1842 as having been damaged in a typhoon at Calcutta. Last mentioned as dismasted at Mauritius prior to 13 April 1843.

Cornwall was launched at Calcutta in 1810. She participated as a transport in two military campaigns more than 40 years apart. In between, she made four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), carried assisted immigrants from England to Sydney, and transported convicts to Tasmania. She was wrecked at Mauritius in July 1858.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.