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.
Nonsuch was the first regular Calcutta-built ship and her sequence number in the General Registry there was "1". She was built to be able to function either as a merchantman or a cruiser.[6]
Watson proposed to Hastings that the EIC start trading opium to China, and offered Nonsuch for the purpose. China prohibited the opium trade and the intent was to circumvent the Chinese authorities.
Watson also convinced Hastings to provide the armament for Nonsuch, and soldiers to act as marines. Watson requested that the EIC provide him with thirty-six light 12-pounder guns, perhaps by drawing on the guns at Fort St George (Madras), or Fort William (Kidderpore).[7] Apparently he received the guns, some especially cast for him and some transferred from Madras.[8]Nonsuch had 56 soldiers: 30 sepoys from an EIC battalion, and 26 men from the "Supernumerary Company".[9]
Career
First opium-trading voyage
Watson undertook to carry 2,000 chests of opium for the EIC at a freight of sicca rupees 50/chest, plus 250 chests on his own account. As it turned out, Nonsuch carried 1601 chests for the EIC, plus Watson's 250. She also carried lead, "elephants teeth" (ivory), and some gold.[10]
Watson's orders to Captain William Richardson of Nonsuch were that the sloop Patna was to accompany Richardson to Canton as a ship's tender. Richardson was to sail directly to China, avoiding the Malacca and Sunda Straits, passing east of Java, and then proceeding past the Philippines to China. Instead, Richardson sailed via the Malacca Straits and then spent a month around Java, where he sold numerous chests of opium on private account. He put the proceeds on Patna and sent her back to Bengal.[10]
Nonsuch arrived at Macao on 21 July. Thereafter reports differ as to the profitability of the voyage. The EIC's supercargoes claimed that they had sold the 1601 chests of opium at Spanish dollars 210/chest, most of it for re-export from Macao to Malaya, with a resulting loss to the company of Spanish dollars 69,973. Richardson countered that the opium had sold for Spanish dollars 350/chest, for a gain to the company of Spanish dollars 195,722.[11] In either case, the Court of Directors of the EIC forbade further trade in opium to China on the grounds that "it was beneath the Company to engage in such a clandestine trade".[12]
Subsequent voyages
Nonsuch continued to trade with China, and in opium, but now on private account not the EIC's.
On 19 August 1788 Lloyd's List reported that on 12 March Nonsuch, Canning, master, had cleared her pilot and was bound from Bengal to China, "all well".[13]
Vansittart salvage operations
The East IndiamanVansittart wrecked on 23 August 1789 in Gaspar Strait on the coast of Banca Island, East Indies, on her passage to Canton. All but one of her crew of 115 men survived the wrecking, though the boatswain and five men were lost in her gig after the survivors took to the boats. On 26 August the survivors reached Nonsuch, Captain Canning, and another country ship, General Elliot, Captain Lloyd. Vansitart was carrying chests of dollars worth £45,000 for the EIC, and £11,000 of private treasure. Captains Canning and Lloyd agreed with Captain Wilson of Vansittart to attempt the salvage of the treasure in return for one-third of what they were able to recover. Nonsuch and General Elliot sailed on 30 August to the site of the loss. There they were able to recover 40 chests, worth about £40,000. Some of the survivors then sailed Vansittart's cutter to Penang, while others, including Wilson, went on to Canton in Nonsuch, or Batavia in General Elliot.[14]
Nonsuch was among the country ships (British ships sailing between India and China) reported at Canton in 1789.[15]
In 1790 Canning made a voyage to Canton with opium, the quality of which was not good. Consequently, he lost money on the voyage. He sued the EIC, but his suit failed. Still, the EIC reportedly appointed him Master Attendant at Calcutta as a remuneration.[16]
Sunda Strait
In late 1793 John Shore, the EIC's Governor-General of India, formed a squadron from the company's own ships to patrol the region. He diverted two East Indiamen, William Pitt and Britannia, and Nonsuch from their regular route for the service. A vessel of the Bombay Marine, possibly Viper, accompanied them. The reason for the move was the coming together of two problems, the inability of the British Royal Navy to maintain a presence in the area, and intelligence concerning the presence of French privateers and naval vessels in the area.
The EIC appointed Charles Mitchell, captain of William Pitt, Commodore of the squadron. On 21 January 1794 Houghton joined the squadron. The next day the squadron engaged two French privateers, Vengeur, of 34 guns and 250 men, and Résolue, of 26 guns and 230 men. Britannia captured Vengeur, and Nonsuch captured Résolue, with the French captains realising that further resistance would be pointless as William Pitt and Houghton came up. Eleven French sailors had been killed and 25 wounded; losses on Résolue were heavy. British losses were one killed and two wounded on Britannia.
On 24–25 January, the EIC squadron engaged a French naval squadron from Île de France, consisting of the frigates Prudente and Cybèle, the brig Vulcain, and the captured East Indiaman Princess Royal, now renamed Duguay-Trouin. The two squadrons engaged at long range though Houghton and Nonsuch managed to hit Cybèle. The French broke off the engagement and the British did not pursue. Casualties among the French squadron are not known, but the only loss on the British ships was on Nonsuch, which had a man killed in combat with Cybèle.
EIC voyage (1795–1796)
Captain Robert Duffin sailed Nonsuch from Calcutta to England. She was carrying rice on behalf of the British government which was importing grain to address high prices for wheat in Britain following a poor harvest.
Nonsuch left Diamond Harbour on 21 December 1795, reached St Helena on 17 February 1796, and arrived at the Downs on 18 April.[4]Nonsuch was admitted to the Registry of Great Britain on 8 August 1795.[17] She first appeared in Lloyd's Register in 1796. Her captain was R. Duffin, her owner was Canning, and her trade was London—India.[3]
This information continued unchanged until she was last listed in 1804. However, this obscures at least one notable incident, and other service.
The Nonsuch affair
In August 1797, Captain Thomas, of Nonsuch, seized the merchant vessel Arminde, Barizy, master, off Penang (equally Pedir Roads, i.e., the north coast of Sumatra). Captain Barizy was a Frenchman, and Armida and her cargo was sold as a prize on the grounds that she was carrying enemy goods. However, the vessel was travelling on behalf of the King of Cochin China and carrying a cargo of sugar consigned to the King's agents, the Danish firm of Harrop and Stevenson of Tranquebar, then a Danish colony. The King made a number of inquiries and eventually the EIC returned Armide to Saigon and agreed to compensate the King for the loss of his cargo, though it is not clear that it actually did pay the compensation.[18]
Earlier, Thomas had also intervened in a dispute between Captain Piercy, captain of a country ship, who claimed that the Rajah of Tellasmoy owed Piercy money. The Court of Directors found Thomas's behavior "irregular, unjustifiable and highly culpable".[19]
Lastly, Thomas had disobeyed instructions to bring Nonsuch back to Bengal by a certain date. The Court stated that it believed that had he followed his instructions he would have been able to prevent a French privateer from capturing the EIC's pilot schooners Harriet and Harrington in Balasore Roads.[19][lower-alpha 1]
The Court of Directors therefore in November 1797 removed him from command of Nonsuch. In his place they appointed Captain Grey, a lieutenant in His Majesty's navy who formerly commanded the marines at Prince of Wales Island (Penang).[19]
Recapture of Osterley
On 24 February 1799 the French frigate Forte captured the East Indiaman Osterley in the Bay of Bengal after a sharp action of about 45 minutes in which Osterley sustained casualties of four men killed and 13 wounded before she struck. She had also sustained substantial damage. After removing the stores, the French on 27 February permitted Osterley to proceed as a cartel for an exchange of prisoners.[21]
Osterley almost immediately encountered Nonsuch, which had been observing Forte and her prize for an opportunity to recapture Osterley.[22] Captain Grey, of Nonsuch, examined the papers of M. La Forée, the French officer accompanying Osterely. Nonsuch then escorted her to Saugor Roads, where Osterely anchored on 1 March.[21]
In April and May 1799 the Court received letters from the Marine Board criticizing Captain Gray's conduct. The Court relieved Gray of command and on 6 May appointed Captain John Canning, the Deputy Master Attendant, to temporary command of Nonsuch.[23]
When Earl Fitzwilliam caught fire in the Hooghli River, Nonsuch sent a boat, but she would not approach closer than 600ft (183m) to Earl Fitzwilliam. A boat from Thetis came within an oar's length of Earl Fitzwilliam and hauled in as many crew members as it could. A midshipman from Thetis, with two sailors, rowed back and forth between the wreck and the larger boats that were standing off, and kept up his shuttle service until all the men still on board were rescued.
Pursuit of Confiance
On 7 October 1800 Captain Robert Surcouf in Confiance captured the East Indiaman Kent. Canning and Nonsuch set out on 18 October from Saugar Roads in pursuit. On 23 October Nonsuch encountered Confiance at 16°46′N85°56′E / 16.767°N 85.933°E / 16.767; 85.933 and commenced a running fight. The EIC's frigate Bombay came up the next day and joined the pursuit, but eventually Confiance escaped in the night after having cut away her anchors and thrown overboard all but her stern chase guns. Nonsuch suffered no casualties in the exchange of fire. She then searched for Kent until 28 October, before returning to Saugur.[24]
In 1801 Nonsuch served in the Bengal squadron, again for the protection of trade.[6] Then on 30 August 1802, the Court of Directors announced that "the Company's frigate Nonsuch", had been discharged in Bengal and the crew paid off in consequence of the peace.[25]
Fate
The New Oriental Register... for 1802 showed Nonsuch as being in the EIC's employ with John Canning, master.[2]
When Nonsuch was being hauled into dock in December 1802 at Sulkea (opposite Calcutta), an accident occurred. She was so damaged that the decision was taken to condemn her rather repair her; she was subsequently broken up.[26]
East India Company (1959) Fort William: India House Correspondence and Other Contemporary Papers Relating Thereto (foreign, Political, and Secret). (National Archives of India).
Elmore, H. M. (1802; 2002) The British Mariner's Directory and Guide to the Trade and Navigation of the Indian and China Seas: With an Account of the Trade, Mercantile Habits, Manners, and Customs, of the Natives. (Cambridge University Press). ISBN9781108045872
Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN0-905617-96-7.
Hastings, Warren (1787) India Courier Extraordinary: Proceedings of Parliament Relating to W. Hastings, Volume 9.
House of Commons, Parliament of Great Britain (1806) Reports from Committees of the House of Commons: Which Have Been Printed by Order of the House, and are Not Inserted in the Journals, Volume 6 – East Indies 1783.
House of Commons, Parliament, Great Britain (1814). Minutes of the Evidence Taken Before the Select Committee on Petitions Relating to East-India-Built Shipping. H.M. Stationery Office.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Lamb, Alistair, ed. (1961). "British Missions to Cochin China: 1778–1822". Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 34 (3/4(195/196)): i–vii, 1–248.
Maeres, John (1791). Voyages Made in the Years 1788 and 1789, from China to the N. W. Coast of America: With an Introductory Narrative of a Voyage Performed in 1786, from Bengal, in the Ship Nootka. To which are Annexed, Observations on the Probable Existence of a North West Passage. And Some Account of the Trade Between the North West Coast of America and China; and the Latter Country and Great Britain. Vol.2. J. Walter.
New Oriental Register and East India Directory for 1802 (1802). (London: Black's and Parry).
Phipps, John (1840). A Collection of Papers Relative to Ship Building in India ...: Also a Register Comprehending All the Ships ... Built in India to the Present Time ... Scott.
Tinling, James Forbes Bisset (1876). The Poppy-plague and England's Crime. E. Stock.
Experiment was launched in 1798 at Stockton-on-Tees, England. Between late 1800 and 1802 she made a voyage to India for the British East India Company (EIC). In 1803 she transported convicts to Port Jackson. In 1805, on her way home the French captured her, but the British recaptured her. In 1808 she became a West Indiaman. Still, in 1818 or so she sailed out to India. Experiment was condemned at Batavia in 1818 and sold there in 1819 for breaking up.
Princess Royal, launched in 1786, was an East Indiaman. She made two complete trips to India for the British East India Company (EIC) and was on her third trip, this one to China, when French privateers or warships captured her on 27 September 1793. The French Navy took her into service in the Indian Ocean as a 34-gun frigate under the name Duguay Trouin. The Royal Navy recaptured her and she returned to British merchant service. In 1797 she performed one more voyage for the EIC. She received a letter of marque in July 1798 but was captured in October 1799 off the coast of Sumatra.
Osterley was a three-decker East Indiaman, launched in 1780, that made seven trips for the British East India Company between 1781 and 1800. She was present at two battles, and an engagement in which four Indiamen and a country ship engaged a French frigate. On her last trip a French frigate captured her in a single-ship action, but sent her on her way. Osterley eventually returned to Britain in 1800. Her subsequent fate is unknown.
The action of 10 September 1782 was a minor engagement between five merchant vessels — four East Indiamen of the British East India Company and a country-ship — on the one side, and a French frigate on the other. The action resulted in only a few casualties and was inconclusive. What was noteworthy was that the Indiamen sought out the French man-of-war and attacked it; it would have been more usual for the merchantmen to have avoided combat as they had little to gain from a battle.
Asia was launched in 1780 and made six voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She participated in three actions, two against the French and one against the Dutch. She left the EIC's service in 1799 and traded between London and Lisbon until 1802 when new owners from Embden renamed her Reine Louise de Prusse and returned her to trading with the East Indies. Asia is last listed in Lloyd's Register for 1808 on the London-Batavia trade.
Porcher was launched in 1799 at Calcutta. She made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC) from Bengal to England. A French privateer captured her in 1802, which gave rise to a case in French courts about the validity of the capture given the impending Treaty of Amiens. The French courts condemned her in prize and new owners in Bordeaux named her Ville de Bordeaux. The British recaptured her in 1804. Thereafter she traded between England and India as a licensed ship. In 1809 she sailed to England where in 1810 new owners renamed her Cambridge. As Cambridge she made three voyages for the EIC as an extra ship. In 1818 she was again sold with her new owners continuing to sail her to the Far East as a licensed ship. She then made two more voyages to India for the EIC. In 1840 she was sold to an American trading house at Canton, and then to the Qing Dynasty, which purchased her for the Imperial Chinese Navy. The British Royal Navy destroyed her on 27 February 1841 during the Battle of First Bar at the onset of the First Opium War.
Houghton was launched in 1782 and made six voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). In 1794 she was part of an EIC squadron that had some success against French privateers and naval vessels in the Sunda Strait, and then in 1796 she participated as a transport in the British capture of St Lucia. She was sold in 1799 and her owner took her out to India to work in the tea trade between India and China. She foundered in 1803.
Patna was a sloop built at Java in 1778 that served the British East India Company (EIC) as a pilot boat of the Bengal Pilot Service.
Four ships named Vansittart, the first probably for Peter van Sittart, served the British East India Company (EIC) as East Indiamen:
Hind or Hinde was launched at Hull in 1800. After a voyage to Russia she made one voyage for the British East India Company. She then became a West Indiaman. She was wrecked in April 1815.
Retreat was launched in 1801 and briefly sailed as a West Indiaman between London and Jamaica. She then made five voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) as an "extra ship", that is, under charter. She was broken up in 1814.
Royal Edward was launched in 1782 in France as Alexandre. The British captured her c.1796, and new owners changed her name. She then sailed for a few years as a West Indiaman before completing four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She returned to the West India trade after leaving enslaving, and then traded more generally. She was condemned as unseaworthy and broken up in Bengal in 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 she served as a transport. She set out for her twelfth EIC voyage but was lost in 1805 during the third naval campaign.
Essex was launched in 1780 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). On her first voyage she was present at an inconclusive battle with the French, and later at a second inconclusive engagement with a French frigate. In 1798 she was sold to be hulked or broken up.
Manship was launched in 1785 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages as a "regular ship" for the British East India Company (EIC). In June 1795 Manship shared with several other Indiamen and the Royal Navy in the capture of eight Dutch East Indiamen off St Helena. Her owners sold her in 1801 and she then made one voyage for the EIC as an "extra ship" on a voyage charter. Her owners sold her to the British government in 1803 for use as a powder hulk.
Skelton Castle was an East Indiaman launched in 1800. She made three complete voyages to India for the British East India Company (EIC). She disappeared without a trace in December 1806 while on the outward-bound leg of her fourth voyage.
Several ships have borne the name Cambridge for Cambridge:
Ganges was launched in 1799 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC) bringing rice from Bengal for the British government. She then became a West Indiaman until the French navy captured her in 1805.
William Pitt was launched on the River Thames in 1785 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). During her fourth she served as an ad hoc warship in a naval campaign during which she saw action. Thereafter she served as a transport, including one voyage in 1801-1802 transporting rice from Bengal to Britain. She was sold for breaking up in 1809.
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