 United Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lord Melville |
| Owner | Henry Bonham [1] |
| Builder | Dudman, Deptford [1] |
| Launched | 9 March 1803 [1] |
| Fate | Sold for a hulk in 1817 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 818, [2] 871, [3] 871+33⁄94 [1] (bm) |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 36 ft 0 in (11.0 m) |
| Depth of hold | 14 ft 10 in (4.5 m) |
| Complement | |
| Armament | |
| Notes | Three decks |
Lord Melville was launched in 1803 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made six voyages for the company before she was sold for a hulk in 1817.
On 28 August 1801, i.e., before Lord Melville was built, the EIC agreed with Robert Charnock to engage her for six voyages. The peacetime rate was £17 9s per ton with kentledge, and £19 per ton without kentledge. On her first voyage she would also receive an allowance for building of £6 6s per ton. [4]
EIC voyage #1 (1803–1805): Captain Charles Lennox acquired a letter of marque on 27 May 1803. [3] He sailed from Portsmouth on 30 June, bound for Bengal. Lord Melville was at Rio de Janeiro on 16 September. [2]
Lord Melville, Earl Spencer, Princess Mary, Northampton, Anna, Ann, Glory, and Essex left Rio on 13 October. They were in company with the 74-gun third rate ships of the line HMS Albion, HMS Sceptre, and HMS Russell, and the fourth rate HMS Grampus. Three days later Albion and Sceptre separated from the rest of the ships. [5]
Lord Melville arrived at Diamond Harbour on 12 February 1804. She was at Saugor on 24 April. Homeward bound, she was at Madras on 16 August and reached St Helena on 31 December. She arrived at the Downs on 20 March 1805. [2]
EIC voyage #2 (1806–1808): Captain Lennox sailed from Portsmouth on 30 March 1806, bound for Madras and Bengal in a convoy that included Asia, Lady Burges, Lord Nelson, Sovereign, and Walthamstow, and that was under the escort of HMS Leopard.
During the night of 20 April Lady Burges wrecked on a reef off Boa Vista, Cape Verde. Boats from the convoy were able to rescue 150 of the 184 people on board; 34 drowned.
Lord Melville reached Madras on 26 August, and arrived at Diamond Harbour on 30 October and Kidderpore on 14 November. She then sailed to Penang and back. She was at Saugor on 26 February 1807 and reached Penang on 8 April. She was back at Diamond Harbour on 25 June. She was at Saugor on 21 August, Madras on 9 October, and the Cape of Good Hope on 30 December. She reached St Helena on 1 January 1808, and arrived at the Downs on 4 April. [2]
EIC voyage #3 (1809–1810): Captain John Nelson Whyte acquired a letter of marque on 5 December 1808. [3] He sailed from Portsmouth on 22 February 1809, bound for Madras and Bengal. Lord Melville was at Madras on 3 July, and arrived at Diamond Harbour on 19 July. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 25 October, Madras on 5 February 1810, Point de Galle on 18 February, and St Helena on 3 May. She arrived back at The Downs on 6 July. [2]
EIC voyage #4 (1811–1812): Captain James George Crabb acquired a letter of marque on 15 March 1811. He sailed from Torbay on 12 May, bound for Madras and Bengal. Lord Melville reached Madras on 10 September, and arrived at Diamond Harbour on 12 October. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 26 November. On 18 January 1812 she was at Masulipatam and Madras on 25 January. She reached St Helena on 11 May and arrived at the Downs on 21 July. [2]
EIC voyage #5 (1813–1814): Captain Crabb sailed from Torbay on 25 Mar 1813, bound for Madras and Bengal. Lord Melville was at Teneriffe on 11 April, and Johanna on 14 July. She reached Madras on 9 August and Masulipatam on 27 August. She arrived at Diamond Harbour on 9 September, and Calcutta on 11 November. Homeward bound she was at Saugor on 7 December, Madras on 25 January 1814, Colombo on 14 February, and the Cape on 25 April. She reached st Helena on 19 May and arrived at The Downs on 6 August. [2]
EIC voyage #6 (1815–1816): Captain Crabb sailed from The Downs on 3 Apr 1815 bound for Madras and Bengal. Lord Melville was at Madras on 21 July, Masulipatam on 14 August, and Diamond Harbour on 22 August. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 9 November, Madras on 6 February 1816, and the Cape on 18 April. She reached St Helena on 9 May, and Ascension Island on 20 May. She arrived at The Downs on 2 July. [2]
Lord Melville was sold in 1817 as a hulk.
Citations
References
Earl Spencer was an East Indiaman, launched in 1795 for the British East India Company (EIC). She made seven voyages for the EIC until in 1811-12 the government took her up to transport convicts to Australia in 1813. On her return voyage from Australia she sailed via China, where she carried a cargo back to England for the EIC.
Northumberland was launched in 1805. She made six voyages as an extra ship of the British East India Company (EIC), between 1805 and 1818. In 1810 and 1811 she served as a transport in the British invasions of Mauritius and Java. She was sold for breaking up in 1819.
Streatham was launched in 1805 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made seven voyages for the EIC. On her second voyage the French captured her, but the British Royal Navy recaptured her some months later. She was broken up in 1821.
Europe was launched in 1803 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made six voyages for the EIC. On her third voyage the French captured her, but the British Royal Navy recaptured her some months later. In 1817 her owners sold her for a hulk but new owners continued to sail her between London and India. She is last listed in 1824.
Lord Keith was launched in 1804 by and for Peter Everitt Mestaer. He chartered her to the East India Company (EIC) for six voyages, and she then went on to make another two voyages for the EIC. On her second voyage, and unusually for an East Indiaman, she participated in the proceeds for the recapture of a former British Royal Navy brig and possibly in a skirmish with a French ship. On her third voyage she participated in a notable action. She was broken up c.1820.
Asia was launched at Liverpool in 1798. She competed four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), and wrecked on her fifth. During the second she transported EIC troops to Macao to augment the Portuguese forces there, but the authorities there refused them permission to land. She was wrecked in 1809 on the outbound leg of a voyage to Madras and Bengal.
Huddart was launched in 1803 as an East Indiaman. She made eight voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), between 1803 and 1818. In 1810-1811 she participated as a transport in two British military campaigns. In 1818 new owners deployed her in sailing to Canada. She was wrecked there in 1821.
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.
Phoenix was launched in 1804 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 broken up by 1821.
William Pitt was launched in 1805 as an East Indiaman. She made seven 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 1820.
City of London was launched in 1800 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) between 1800 and 1814 when she was taken up as a troopship for one voyage. She made one more voyage to India under a license from the EIC and then was broken up circa 1817.
Lord Castlereagh was launched on the Thames in 1802 as an East Indiaman She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before she was sold in 1820. She then may have sailed one or twice to Bombay under license from the EIC. Her subsequent disposition is currently obscure.
Lord Hawkesbury was launched in 1787 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made eight voyages for the EIC before she was sold in 1808 for breaking up.
Melville Castle was launched in 1786 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). She was sold in 1802 to Dutch owners and wrecked with great loss of life later that year on her first voyage for them.
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.
Castle Eden was launched in 1800 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before she became a transport in 1812 and disappears from online records.
Lady Burges was launched in 1799 as an East Indiaman. She made three voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) between 1800 and 1805. She was wrecked in 1806 early in her fourth voyage.
Walthamstow was launched in December 1799 in Rotherhithe. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). She was sold in 1814 for breaking up.
Surrey was launched in 1804 at Deptford as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). She was sold for breaking up in 1816.
Thomas Grenville was an East Indiaman launched at the Bombay Dockyard for the British East India Company (EIC), and one of only a handful of East Indiamen that it actually owned. She made 14 voyages for the EIC. It sold her in 1834 when it gave up its maritime activities. She was sold for a free trader and burnt in Bombay in June 1843 in a suspicious fire.
