The Bengal Pilot Service (BPS) was an arm of the British East India Company (EIC). Its pilot boats were responsible for guiding East Indiamen, and other vessels, up and down the Hooghly River between Calcutta and the sea. The BPS vessels and their role were transferred to the Indian Navy in 1834.
The information in the tables below comes primarily from Phipps (designated with a "†"), [1] or Hackman (designated with a "‡"). [2] The vessels listed are those one source or the other identified as serving the Bengal Pilot Service. Where the two sources disagree with respect to some datum such as year of launch, or burthen, the first datum mentioned is from Phipps and the second is from Hackman.
Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abercromby† | 147 | 1794 | Fort William (Calcutta) [3] | Converted to a buoy vessel; [3] condemned and sold out of the service 1807 | |
Amazon† | Cruiser | 138 | 1769 | Calcutta | Stationed at Chittagong; dispatched to Cochin China April 1778 |
Apollo† | Yacht | Sold 4 January 1769 | |||
Arrival‡ | Sloop | 1676 | |||
Asseergurh† | 197 | 1819 | Kidderpore | Sold 1839, or still in BPS in 1851 [4] | |
Balasore‡ | Sloop | 1689 | |||
Beacon† | Light vessel | 180 | 1831 | Howrah | Stationed at the Sand Heads; still in BPS in 1851 [4] |
Blessing‡ | Sloop | 80 | 1670 | London | |
Bombay‡ | Sloop | 1742 | Not in the BPS in 1766† | ||
Bonetto† or Bonetta‡ | Sloop | 107 | 1748 or 1746 | Bombay | Sold November 1786 |
Brilliant‡ | Brigantine | July 1743 | Bombay Dockyard | Madras Pilot Service | |
Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Caranga† (equally Caranja) | Schooner | 130 | 1775 | Bombay | Destroyed by a fire April 1779 [5] |
Calcutta‡ | Sloop | 1746 | Pegu | Authorized 14 April 1755 to be sunk to end white ant infestation; sold 1756 for breaking up | |
Calcutta‡ | Snow | 1757 | Calcutta | Not in the BPS in 1766† | |
Carnac†‡ | Schooner | 1762, or 1761, or 1763 | Bombay, or Chittagong | Sold 3 March 1767 | |
Carolina‡ | Sloop | 1739 | Pegu | ||
Cartier†‡ | Brig | 150, [6] or 170†‡ | 1787 | Bombay | Captured 21 January 1796 in Balasore Roads; recaptured February and taken into Madras [7] |
Cassimbazar (equally Cossimbazar | Fitted out October 1712 | Out of service c.1731, but rebuilt c.August 1733 | |||
Cavery†, or Cauvery‡ | Brig | 200 | 1838 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851 [4] |
Cecilia | Ship | 191 | 1813 | Bombay | Sold at Calcutta into country service 1828; Lengthened at Moulmain 1838 |
Chandernagore† | Schooner | 85 | Chandernagore | French pilot vessel seized at Calcutta on 5 July 1793; Condemned and sold at Calcutta on 27 June 1795 | |
Change† | Schooner | 144 | 1799 | Fort William | Transferred to the Residency at Ambonya September 1810. Participated in the 1810-11 British invasion of Java and the Moluccas. |
Charles‡ | Sloop | 1683 | London | ||
Charles† | River transport | 115 | 1796 | Calcutta | Sold 1808 |
Charlotte† | Yacht | 174 | 1794 | Calcutta | Converted to an agent vessel 1802; condemned and sold 1808 |
Chaser† | 160 | 1778 | Batavia | ||
Chittagong† | Sloop | 1755 | Mauritius | Sold 22 April 1767 | |
Colleron†‡ (or Coleroon) | Brig | 200 | 1838 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851 [4] |
Comet† | Floating light vessel | 139 | 1777 | Calcutta | Sold 1788 |
Conimere‡ | Sloop | 1682 | India | Purchased April 1683 at Madras for the BPS | |
Cornwallis†‡ | Brig | 170 | 1787 | Bombay Dockyard | 10 or 19 December 1796 the French privateer Enterprise captured her and she arrived at Mauritius in January 1797. [lower-alpha 1] |
Cudbert Thornhill† | 160 | 1804 | Calcutta | Sold 8 April 1818 into country service | |
Cuddalore†‡ | Sloop, or schooner | 1752 | Bombay Dockyard | Lost 1775 | |
Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Diamond Harbour [3] | Anchor boat | 1796 | Fort William | ||
Diana‡ | Ketch | The EIC purchased her on 4 July 1704 for the BPS | |||
Diligence† | Schooner | 101 | Bombay | ||
Dolphin‡ | Sloop | 1748 | Bombay | ||
Eliza†‡ | Schooner | 189; 251 after lengthening | 1813 | Bombay Dockyard | Condemned and sold September 1831 out of the service at Calcutta; local buyers renamed her Will Watch. Lengthened and registry transferred to London. Last listed 1844. [9] |
Expedition | Sloop | 1703 | Fort St. George, India (Madras) | ||
Fanny‡ | Snow | 1757 | |||
Fly | Sloop | Sold February 1772 | |||
Flora†‡ | Brig | 189 | 1814 | Bombay | Sold into the country service 1836 |
Fort St George‡ | Sloop | 1739 | Pegu | Grounded 20 April 1751 and possibly wrecked | |
Ford† | Sloop | 1750 | Java | Sold 1 October 1770 | |
Friendship | Ketch | 1705 | |||
Ganges‡ | Sloop | 1676 | |||
Ganges‡ | Sloop | 1703 | |||
Ganges‡ | Brig | 130 | 1794 | Bombay Dockyard | Destroyed by fire in the Saugor Roads 11 January 1797. An explosion in the magazine killed eight crew members; six hours later Laurel rescued the survivors. [10] [11] |
George† | River transport | 115 | 1796 | Calcutta | Sold 1807 |
George† | River transport | 109 | 1807 | Kidderpore | Sold into the country service 13 May 1819 |
Gillett† | Schooner | 140 | 1793 | Calcutta | Captured by a gang of French parole violators at Kedgeree 29 October 1795 [12] |
Gingali | Sloop or brigantine | Also Gingalle; destroyed by pirates at Anjengo June 1696 | |||
Grampus†‡ | Sloop | 105 | 1748 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold September 1775 to local buyers |
Guide† | 150 | 1799 | Fort William | Sold 23 July 1814 | |
Guide† | Brig | 189 | 1817 | Bombay Dockyard | In 1822 she rescued the passengers and crew of Matilda. Guide was sold 1837 to local buyers and renamed Sir William Wallace |
Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Haldane† | Schooner | 163 | 1797 | Fort William | Sold 28 June 1816; possibly sold at Port Jackson 1821 |
Harland† | 132 | 1772 | Bombay Dockyard | Dispatched to sea October 1776 and lost | |
Harriett† | Agent vessel | 70 | 1795 | Calcutta | Sold into the country service |
Harrington† | 150 | 1796 | Calcutta | The French privateer Apollon, Captain Jean-François Hodoul, captured her on 9 November 1797 off Sand Heads (equally, Balasore Roads). Harrington arrived at Mauritius on 21 December. [13] The same privateer also captured Trial that same day. [14] | |
Hastings†‡ | Schooner | 170 | 1787, or 1785 | Bombay Dockyard | Converted to a buoy vessel May 1818; sold to local buyers 11 October 1820. A fire destroyed her in the night on 17 April 1823 while she was at Pulau Pasang, off Padang. |
Hattrass† (or Hatras) | 197 | 1819 | Kidderpore | Still in BPS in 1851 [4] | |
Hawk† | 180 | 1778 | Batavia | Sold March 1783 | |
Hawke‡ | Sloop | 1749 | Bombay Dockyard | ||
Hawke‡ | Gallivat | 1773 | Bombay Dockyard | ||
Hay† | 150 | 1796 | Calcutta | On 21 December 1796 the French privateer Enterprise captured her in Balasore Roads. [lower-alpha 2] | |
Henry Meriton†‡ | Brig | 190 | 1817 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold 1838 to local buyers and renamed William |
Hertford†‡ | Sloop | 1752 | Pegu | Sold 1 July 1767 | |
Hope† | Light vessel | 180 | 1834 | Howrah | Stationed at the Sand Heads. In 1842 she caught fire whilst at Saugor, but was saved. There was suspicion against some of the crew. [16] Still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Hooghly†‡ (or Hooghli, or Houghley) | Schooner | 130, or 147, or 150 | 1794 | Bombay Dockyard | Captain Humphrys, rescued, with John Bebb, the passengers and crew of Asia, Captain Tremenheere 1 June 1809; condemned and sold out of the service at Calcutta. Lost. |
Hughley Anna‡ | Ketch | 1705 | |||
Hunter‡ | Schooner | 1758 | |||
Indus (later Industry†‡ | Schooner | 140 | 1776 | Bombay Dockyard | Taken by the French 1782 |
Intelligence† | Schooner | 160 | 1780 | Calcutta | Transferred to the Fort Marlborough Residency 1782 |
Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jane†‡ | Brig | 170 | 1819 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Jessey (or Jessy) | Schooner | 163 | 1797 | Fort William | Lost on the Reef Head 25 May 1815 |
Johanna‡ (also referred to as Juno†) | Snow | 170 | 1787 | Bombay Dockyard | Lost on the Andaman Islands expedition 1788 |
John Bebb† | 155 | 1800 | Calcutta | Captain Nash. Rescued, with Hooghli, the passengers and crew of Asia, Captain Tremenheere, 1 June 1809; participated in the 1810-11 British invasion of Java and the Moluccas. | |
John Shore† | 167 | 1807 | Calcutta | Sold 2 July 1818 to the country trade | |
Josiah‡ | Ketch | 1703 | |||
Juno† | Yacht | ||||
Juno† (see Johanna) | |||||
Krishna†‡ | Brig | 200 | 4 April 1837 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Lady William Bentinck† | Brig [17] | 200 | 1833, or 1834 [17] | Howrah | Still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Lilly‡ | Sloop | 1679 | |||
London | Sloop | Fitted out October 1712 | |||
Louisa‡ (also referred to as Princess Louisa) | Sloop | 21 December 1741 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold to local buyers 1755 | |
Lovely Sophia† | Snow | 106 | 1775 | Mauritius | Sold July 1786 |
L'Orient† | 80 | 1771 | Chandernagore | Pilot boat of the French Bengal Pilot Service; captured at Balasore 1778; sold 1785 | |
Mary‡ | Sloop | 70 | 1695 | Surat | Sold to local buyers 27 March 1705 |
Megna†‡ | Brig | 201 | 1836 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Mercury† | Schooner | 1667 | Bardarmarghanka | Sold 24 February 1773 | |
Mergee Frigate‡ | Ship | 1689 | Sold almost immediately to French buyers | ||
Mermaid‡ | Sloop | 1758 | Wrecked at Calingapatam February 1759 | ||
Mermaid† | Dutch pilot vessel captured at Chinsurah 1796; sold and afterwards burnt at Penang | ||||
Mermaid† | 1767 | Surat | Sold 24 February 1773 | ||
Mermaid | 1778 | Sold | |||
Mermaid†‡ | Brig | 18819⁄94 | 1825 | Bombay Dockyard | Round stern. In the Pilot Service 1839; lost 1847; However, a Mermaid was still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Minerva† | Cruizer | 180 | 1770 | Calcutta | Sold February 1774 |
Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nerbuddah†, or Nerbuda‡ | Schooner | 106 | 1776 | Bombay Dockyard | Captured by the French 1782 |
Nereide† | Yacht | 237 | 1821 | Kidderpore | Sold 1824; sent to England |
Nymphe† | Sloop | 180 | 1778 | Batavia | |
Patna† | Sloop | 108 | 1778 | Java | Buoy vessel 1793; sold 1796 |
Phillip Dundas†‡ | Brig | 176 / 187 | 1797, or 1798 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold. Conflicting reports exist concerning her subsequent career and fate. |
Phoenix‡ | Schooner | 1667† | Sold for breaking up 30 April 1759 | ||
Phoenix†‡ | Schooner | 113 | 1770‡ | Bombay Dockyard | Sold to local buyers June 1788, or in 1778 |
Phoenix† | Agent vessel | 181 | 1808 | Kidderpore | Sold 18 October 1820 |
Pilot† | 90 | 1835 | Howrah | Employed in river duties; still in BPS in 1851. [4] | |
Planet†‡ | Brig | 174 | 1816 | Bombay Dockyard | Acted as a light vessel. Sold to local buyers December 1832 (or 1838) and renamed Bright Planet |
Plassey†‡ | 1762 | Bombay | Sold to local buyers 24 February 1773 | ||
Porto Bello‡ | Sloop | July 1741 | Bombay | ||
Prudent‡ | Sloop | 1683 | |||
Queen Anne‡‡ | Sloop | 1702 | |||
Queensborough† | Sloop | 1752 | Bombay | Sold 1 October 1770 | |
Ranger†‡ | Schooner | 160 | 1780 | Bombay | A French privateer captured Ranger on 21 December 1796 in Balasore Roads. The privateer took off the pilot and the European crew members, and put on board a five-man prize crew. The next day the serang (boatswain) and the lascars overpowered the prize crew, killing one. They then took Ranger into Balasore. [8] The EIC in 1805 sold Ranger to local buyers. |
Ring† | Schooner | Sold 24 February 1772 | |||
Rising Sun‡ | Ketch | 1703 | |||
Rochester‡ | Sloop | 1684 | River Thames | ||
Royal James‡ | Sloop | 1683 | River Thames | ||
Russell | Captured September 1712 | ||||
Russell†‡ | Schooner | 111 or 110 | 1770 | Bombay Dockyard | Taken by the French in Balasore Roads 14 January 1796 |
Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
St David‡ | Ketch | 1742 | |||
Saugor†‡ | Brig | 200 | 1836 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Sea Horse†‡ | Sloop | 108 | 1749 or 1759 | Bombay | 1785 or July 1786 transferred to the French at Chandernagore |
Sea Horse†‡ | Brig | 188, or 18819⁄94 | 4 February 1825 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Sophia†‡ | Brig | 189 | 1814 | Bombay | Lost on the Long Sand 1818 |
Speedwell†‡ | Schooner | 107 | 1765 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold to local buyers 1785 |
Sumatra‡ | Sloop | 1742 | Bombay | ||
Swallow† | Ship | 200 | 1779 | Bombay | March 1780 dispatched to England; afterwards transferred to the Bombay Establishment; lost near Fultah c.1824 |
Swift‡ | Schooner | 1763 | Bombay Dockyard | Converted into a State yacht, or foundered in Balasore Roads 1766 | |
Syren†‡ | Schooner or snow | 1753 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold to local buyers 1769 | |
Syren† | Sloop | 105 | 1783 | Calcutta | Condemned and sold 15 July 1796 |
Tannah† | Schooner | 142 | 1775 | Bombay | The French captured her in February 1781; she was lost in 1782 |
Tartar‡ | Sloop | 1758 | |||
Thomas‡ | Sloop | 1684 | |||
Thomas‡ | Sloop | 1689 | River Thames | ||
Torch†‡ | Brig | 167 or 174 | 1815 | Bombay Dockyard | Built as a floating light vessel; converted into Harbour Master’s depot at Calcutta 1835; still in BPS in 1851. [4] |
Trial†‡ (also Tryal) | EIC packet | 160 or 1603⁄94 | 1780 | Calcutta | Made at least two voyages for the EIC; [18] She returned to India 1786 and served the BPS; rebuilt 1796; the French privateer Apollon, Captain Jean-François Hodoul, captured Trial and Harrington in Balasore Roads on 9 November 1797. [14] |
Triton† | Schooner | 102 | 1770 | Bombay | Condemned and sold 19 January 1798 |
Tweed†‡ | Schooner | 170 | 1788 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold 2 September 1815 |
Udny† | Brig | 169 | 1802 | Calcutta | Sold to local buyers 14 November 1814. In 1821 she was listed with W. Humble, master, and C. Taylor, owner; [19] condemned and broken up at Calcutta 1821 |
William‡ | Smack | 1705 | |||
William‡ | Sloop | 1739 | Pegue | ||
Ganges was a brig launched at Bombay Dockyard for the Bengal Pilot Service, of the British East India Company (EIC). She was burnt in Saugor Roads on 11 January 1797, or 11 January 1799. The accidental fire spread to the powder magazine and the explosion killed eight men. Forty men took to her boat, and 59 to a hastily constructed raft. Six hours after the men took to the raft Laurel rescued all the survivors.
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.
Cornwallis was a snow that the Honourable East India Company (EIC) had built in 1787 at Bombay Dockyard for the Bengal Pilot Service. A French privateer captured her in 1796.
Harrington was a British vessel launched at Calcutta in 1796 for the Bengal Pilot Service. A French privateer captured her on 9 November 1797 at Balasore Roads. She returned to British ownership and Calcutta registry c. 1800. She undertook sealing expeditions, captured two Spanish vessels off South America, and was seized by convicts in Port Jackson, before being wrecked in March 1809.
Malartic, was a French privateer ship, famous for her exploits while under the command of Captain Jean-Marie Dutertre. The British captured her in 1800, ending her brief, but productive privateering career.
At least two and possibly three vessels have borne the name Philip Dundas, named for Philip Dundas (c.1763–1807), a Scottish British East India Company naval officer, president of the East India Marine Board, and superintendent of Bombay. He returned to Britain and became a Member of Parliament before returning to the Far East to become governor of Prince of Wales Island.
Four ships with the name Henry Addington, named for Henry Addington, Speaker of the House of Commons and Prime Minister of Britain (1801–1804), sailed in the Indian Ocean during the late 18th and early-19th centuries. Two served the British East India Company (EIC) as East Indiamen between 1796 and 1815, and two were country ships. At least two other, smaller vessels named Henry Addington sailed out of Britain. in the early 19th century.
Nonsuch was launched at Calcutta in 1781 as the first large vessel built there. She was designed to serve as either a merchantman or a man-of-war. She spent the first 12 years of her career as a merchant vessel, carrying opium to China amongst other cargoes. After the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793 her owner frequently hired her out as an armed ship to the British East India Company (EIC). She participated in an engagement with a French naval squadron and recaptured an East Indiaman. She also made two voyages for the EIC. After the Peace of Amiens in 1802 the EIC paid her off; as she was being hauled into a dockyard for repairs she was damaged and the decision was taken to break her up.
John Palmer was built at Calcutta in 1810. She made two voyages, the first under charter to the British East India Company (EIC). She wrecked with the loss of all hands in 1814 on the return leg of her second voyage.
Exeter was launched at Calcutta in 1793. She made three voyages from Calcutta to England for the British East India Company (EIC). On the way home from england on the second of these voyages she suffered a high mortality rate from disease among her non-European crew. She was lost in August 1806 in a hurricane while returning to London from Jamaica.
Highland Chief was launched at Calcutta in 1798. She made two voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before a French privateer captured her in 1802 south of the Bay of Bengal.
Anna was launched at Calcutta in 1793. She was often called Bengal Anna to distinguish her from BombayAnna. Bengal Anna made three voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). She was lost on the coast of Chittagong c.1811, after participating in a military expedition.
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.
Upton Castle was launched at Bombay in 1793. She spent her career as a "country ship", that is trading in the Far East. She made some voyages to England, including at least one, in 1809, under charter to the British East India Company (EIC). She also participated in two military campaigns as a transport. The French Navy captured her in 1804, but she returned to British hands before 1809. A fire in 1817 destroyed her.
Stirling Castle was built at Calcutta in 1801. She made one voyage from Calcutta to England for the British East India Company (EIC).
Margaret was launched at Calcutta in 1804 and cost 59,000 sicca rupees to build. Shortly after her launch she sailed to England for the British East India Company (EIC). Captain Benjamin Fergusson sailed from Calcutta on 3 December 1805. She was at Saugor on 14 February 1806. She reached Saint Helena on 29 April and arrived at The Downs on 24 June.
Varuna was launched at Calcutta in 1796. She made four voyages as an "extra ship" for the British East India Company (EIC), and then spent two years as a troopship. She returned to India in 1806. She was lost in 1811, probably in a typhoon.
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.
David Scott was launched at Bombay in 1801. She was a "country ship", i.e., she generally traded east of the Cape of Good Hope. Between 1802 and 1816 she made five voyages between India and the United Kingdom as an "extra ship" for the British East India Company (EIC). Thereafter she traded between Britain and India under a license from the EIC. A fire destroyed her at Mauritius on 12 June 1841.