| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | Lapwing |
| Namesake: | Lapwing |
| Operator: | British East India Company |
| Builder: | Hull [1] |
| Launched: | 1745 [1] |
| Fate: | Last listed 1789 |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Tons burthen: | 120 [3] [(bm) |
| Sail plan: | Snow |
Lapwing was a packet ship that made two round-trips to India for the British East India Company (EAC). Currently, both her origin and her fate are obscure, though it is possible that she was launched at Hull in 1745 and was last listed in 1789.
Captain Henry Gardiner left The Downs on 6 June 1769, bound for Bengal and Madras. Lapwing left Kolkatta on 24 August 1770 and on 12 October was at Madras. She reached the Cape on 16 December and St Helena on 6 January 1771, and arrived back at The Downs on 16 April. [2]
Lapwing stopped at Falmouth before reaching The Downs and Captain Gardiner came overland to London. He brought the news that although Madras was quiet, a threat of war hung over Bengal. The Mogul emperor (Shah Alam II) had allied with the Marathas, and Sujah Dowla (the Nawab of Bengal), would require British assistance. [4]
Captain Gardiner sailed from Portsmouth on 2 September 1771, bound for Bengal. Lapwing reached False Bay on 25 November, and arrived at Calcutta on 23 April 1772. Homeward bound she was at Ingeli, a point on the west side of the Hooghli Estuary on 17 November. [2] She left Bengal on 20 September and Madras on 14 October. [5] She reached the Cape on 26 January 1773, St Helena on 16 February, and Ascension Island on 22 February. She arrived at Falmouth on 15 April, and returned to The Downs on 1 May. [2]
When Lapwing reached Falmouth her purser left her and travelled overland to India House in London. There he reported her arrival at Falmouth, and that Captain Gardiner was no longer with her. (He had sought employment with the Bengal Pilot Service.) The purser also reported that a terrible famine had descended on Bengal, killing an enormous number of people. Bad weather had destroyed the "fruits of the earth", and the country ships that normally brought provisions had not arrived. [5]
Lloyd's Register (LR) for 1776 showed one vessel named Lapwing. She was a brig of 120 tons (bm), launched at Hull in 1745 that had undergone a thorough repair in 1765. Her master was Henry Peach, her owner was W. Burstall, and her trade was Hull–London. [1] She was last listed in 1789.
Citations
References
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HMS Greenwich was the East Indiaman Greenwich, launched in 1766 that made four voyages to India for the British East India Company. The Royal Navy purchased her in 1777 for use as a frigate during the American Revolutionary War, but then converted her to a storeship and receiving ship. She saw service in North American waters and off the English port of Sheerness between 1777 and 1783, but was ultimately declared surplus to requirements and sold into private hands at Deptford Dockyard.
Bridgewater was launched in 1785 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC), which engaged her for six voyages. She then made two more as an "extra ship", that is, under voyage charters, and was lost at sea homeward bound from Bombay on the eighth voyage.
Bengal was launched in 1799 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made four complete voyages but foundered in 1809 with no trace while homeward bound from the fifth.
Hugh Inglis was launched in 1799 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), between 1800 and 1817. In 1810 and 1811 she participated as a transport in two British military campaigns. She was sold for breaking up in 1817.
Preston was launched in 1798 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), between 1805 and 1819. In 1810 and 1811 she participated as a transport in two British military campaigns. She was sold for breaking up in 1812 but instead became a transport and a West Indiaman. She disappeared after a gale in August 1815.
Britannia was launched by the Bombay Dockyard in 1772, and was rebuilt in 1778. The British East India Company (EIC) apparently acquired her in 1775. Between 1779 she made eleven complete voyages as an East Indiaman for the EIC. She also participated in three naval campaigns, during the first of which she was deployed as a cruiser off Sumatra. There she engaged and captured a French ship. In the other two served as a transport. She set out for her twelfth EIC voyage but was lost in 1805 during the third naval campaign.
Contractor was launched in 1779 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), and one as transport for a military expedition before her owners sold her in 1800 for use as a transport.
Dublin was launched in 1784 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), to India and China. On her last voyage for the EIC she recaptured a country ship. Her owners sold Dublin in 1800 and she became a West Indiaman, but apparently was lost on her first voyage.
Rose was launched in 1786 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages between 1787 and 1800 for the British East India Company (EIC). She also participated as a transport for a military expedition to the West Indies. She then made one more voyage for the EIC, bringing rice back to England from Bengal. Next she sailed as a general trader, but also made one voyage seal hunting. She was last listed in 1820.
Lady Jane Dundas was launched in 1800 as an East Indiaman. She made four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) and was lost in 1809 on the homeward-bound leg of her fifth voyage. She and three other Indiamen parted from the homeward-bound convoy during a gale on 18 March 1809 and were never seen again.
Berrington was launched in 1783. She made six voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She then became a West Indiaman before again making a voyage under the auspices of the EIC to bring rice from Bengal to England for the British government. She returned to Indian waters and was last listed in 1807.
Minerva was launched as an East Indiaman in 1786. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), and one carrying rice from Bengal for the British government. She is last listed in 1805 but with stale data from 1802.
Lady Lushington was launched in 1808. Then in 1809 the British East India Company (EIC) chartered her. She made four voyages to India for the EIC and several others while under a license from the EIC. She was on a voyage to India under a license from the EIC when she was wrecked on 10 August 1821.
Diana was launched in 1799 as a West Indiaman. From 1805 she made four voyages as an East Indiaman under charter to the British East India Company. She made a fifth voyage to India in 1817 under a license from the EIC. She ran into difficulties in the Hooghly River while homeward bound and was condemned in Bengal in June 1818.
Walpole was launched in 1798 as an East Indiaman. She made four complete voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) and was in 1808 as she was returning to London from her fifth voyage.
Sovereign was launched at Rotherhithe in 1800 as a West Indiaman. The British East India Company (EIC) then took her up as an "extra" ship on several contracts; in all she made seven voyages as an East Indiaman for the EIC. After she left the EIC's service in 1817 she continued to trade with India, but under a license from the EIC. She was broken up in 1822.