![]() Water colour of the "Honourable Company's Ship Vansittart, painted by Danish artist Jacob Petersen between 1814 and 1817. In the collections of Bornholms Museum, Denmark. Reg. nr. 1288x00022. | |
History | |
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Name | Vansittart |
Owner |
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Builder | Calcutta: Hugh Reid, [1] or Gilmore & Co. [2] [3] |
Launched | 9 November 1813 |
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Name | Vansittart |
Owner | Hare & Co. |
Acquired | 1834 by purchase |
Fate | Sold 1839 |
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Name | Danske König |
Acquired | 1839 by nominal purchase |
Fate | Circa September 1840 gave up nominal Danish flag and ownership |
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Name | Vansittart |
Owner | Hare & Co. |
Acquired | Circa September 1840 resumed British registry |
Fate | Destroyed by fire 1842 |
General characteristics [3] | |
Type | Barque |
Tons burthen | 1272, [2] or 1273, [3] or 1311, [4] or 131170⁄94, [1] (bm) |
Length | 165 ft 8+1⁄4 in (50.5 m) (overall); 133 ft 7 in (40.7 m) (keel) |
Beam | 42 ft 4 in (12.9 m) |
Draught | 17 ft 1 in (5.2 m) |
Crew | 135 [4] |
Armament | 36 × 18-pounder guns [4] |
Notes | Three decks |
Vansittart was launched at Calcutta in 1813 for the India to China trade. However, she then became an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made 11 voyages for the EIC. Her owners then sold her and her new owners continued to sail her to China from London, the EIC's monopoly having ended. She carried opium from India to Canton. In 1839 she assumed a Danish name and registry as a short-lived subterfuge to evade Chinese government restrictions on the opium trade. By September 1840 she reverted to her original name and British registry. A fire of questionable origin destroyed her at Bombay in 1842.
Captain Hugh Reid sailed Vansitart for England, leaving Calcutta on 27 December 1813. She was at Saugor on 31 December. She left Saugor on 6 February 1814, reached Pointe de Galle on 17 February and St Helena on 19 May. [3]
On 18 May, as HMS Semiramis was approaching St Helena during the night, Vansittart hit and badly damaged her. Vansittart arrived at the Downs on 6 August. [3]
Captain Robert Stair Dalrymple became Vansittart's master for her next seven voyages. On 17 December Dalrymple received a letter of marque against vessels of the United States of America. [4]
Vansittart sailed from the Downs on 14 January 1815 bound for Bombay and China. She reached Bombay on 27 May, and left on 22 July. She arrived at Whampoa on 25 September. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 21 January 1816, reached St Helena on 28 March, and arrived at the Downs on 12 May. [3]
When Vansittart arrived back at London she discharged her crew, including her Chinese sailors hired in Canton. Princess Amelia repatriated 27 to Canton, together with 363 others, leaving the Downs on 20 July 1816. [5]
Vansittart left the Downs on 7 January 1817 bound for Bombay and China. She reached the Cape of Good Hope on 31 March, and Bombay on 31 May. She left Bombay on 27 July, reached Penang on 14 August, and arrived at Whampoa on 24 September. [3] Vansittart was carrying a cargo of Turkish opium. [6]
Homeward bound, Vansittart crossed the Second Bar on 20 December, reached St Helena on 24 March 1818, and arrived at the Downs on 4 June. [3]
Vansittart left the Downs on 28 January 1819 and reached Bombay on 1 June. She left Bombay on 25 July ad arrived at Whampoa on 17 September. She left China on 20 January 1820 and arrived at the Downs on 15 May. [3]
Vansittart left the Downs on 19 February 1821, bound for St Helena, Bombay, and China. She reached St Helena on 23 May, and arrived at Bombay on 29 August. She left Bombay on 23 October, reached Batavia on 27 December, and arrived at Whampoa on 7 March 1822. Homeward-bound she crossed the Second Bar on 18 April, reached St Helena on 9 August, and arrived at the Downs on 13 October. [3]
Vansittart left the Downs on 29 April 1823, bound for China. She arrived at Whampoa on 29 September. Homeward-bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 27 January 1824, reached St Helena on 13 April, and arrived at the Downs on 10 June. [3]
Vansittart left he Downs on 9 January 1825, bound for thee Cape, Bombay, and China. She reached the Cape on 13 March and Bombay on 31 May. She left Bombay on 11 August and arrived at Whampoa on 1 October. Homeward-bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 1 January 1826, reached St Helena on 12 March, and arrived at the Downs on 16 May. [3]
On 2 August 1826, the EIC accepted a tender from Joseph Hare for Vansittart for three voyages as a regular ship at a rate of £18 18s 6d per ton for 1200 tons (bm). [7]
Vansittart left the Downs on 18 February 1827, bound for Bengal and China. She reached Saugor on 4 June. She left on 20 August, reached Penang on 1 September, and arrived at Whampoa on 18 November. Homeward-bound, she crossed the Second Bar o 12 January 1828, reached St Helena on 11 April, and arrived at the Downs on 4 June. [3]
For her last three voyages for the EIC, Vansittart's master was Robert Scott.
Vansittart left the Downs on 4 May 1829, bound for China. She reached Singapore on 24 August, Urmston's Bay on 17 September, and Cap Sing Moon Bay on 17 November, before arriving at Whampoa on 10 February 1830. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 17 March, reached St Helena on 13 July, and arrived at the Downs on 7 September. [3]
Vansittart left the Downs on 20 February 1831, bound for Bengal and China. She arrived at Saugor on 1 June, and left on 25 July. She reached Penang on 2 August, Malacca on 14 August, and Singapore on 22 August, before arriving at Whampoa on 20 September. Homeward-bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 1 November, reached st Helena on 26 January 1832, and arrived at the Downs on 18 March. [3]
In 1832, the Chinese merchant who posted security for Vansittart was Fatqua, who gave 3906 taels as a security deposit for the vessel, her crew, and for the payment of customs duties. [8]
On 25 July 1832, the EIC accepted a tender from Joseph Hare for Vansittart to make one voyage to China as a "dismantled ship" at a rate of £14 9s 6d per ton, for 1311 tons (bm). [9]
Vansittart left the Downs on 5 March 1833, bound for Madras, Bengal, and China. She reached Madras on 7 June and Saugor or 18 June. She left Saugor on 18 June, reached Malacca o 7 September, and arrived at Whampoa on 13 October. Homeward-bound, she crossed the second Bar on 11 December, reached St Helena on 16 March 1834, and arrived at the Downs on 30 April.
In 1834 Vansittart came off contract to the EIC, but remained under the ownership of Hare & Co. Lloyd's Register provides the following information:
Year | Master | Owner | Trade |
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1835 | R.Scott Marquis | Hare & Co. | London — China |
1836 | Marquis | Hare & Co. | London — China |
1837 | Marquis | Hare & Co. | London — China |
1838 | Marquis | London | |
1838 | Marquis | London |
Vansittart became an opium clipper, carrying opium from Bengal to Canton. She primarily carried 150-pound chests of opium from Malwa. The opium generally shared the vessel with cotton. [10]
In 1839, in the run-up to the First Opium War, the Chinese authorities banned any trade with Britain. British shipowners and their agents proceeded to sell their vessels to citizens of the United States, or others. [11] Vansittart was sold in 1839 to Danish interests for £16,000. [1] Her new owners renamed her Danske König (Danish King). [11] James Matheson provided Danish papers on the basis of a consular commission granted by the Danish colony of Tranquebar. The head of the Danish establishment at Serampore reported to Copenhagen that although Danske König sailed under the Danish flag while in Chinese waters, she had visited Madras in early and mid-1840 under the name Vansittart, and flying the British flag. [12]
The outbreak of the First Opium War in mid-1840 ended the Chinese restrictions on British vessels and trade with the United Kingdom. By September 1840, the Danish vice-consul in Manila reported that Vansittart had returned to her name and the English flag. He also reported that Matheson was abusing his office by issuing temporary papers. [12]
On 3 June 1842, Vansittart, Lyon, master, was in the harbour at Bombay ready for a voyage to China. At 2.a.m. a fire was discovered. Despite every assistance from steam and other vessels, "this fine ship was destroyed under very suspicious circumstances." Several lives were lost. [13] [lower-alpha 1]
Charles Grant was built at Bombay 1810. Between 1810 and 1833 she made 12 voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). Her owners sold her in 1834. She then sailed for new owners until 1838 when they had her broken up. Alternatively, she may have been sold to India and burnt there in 1847 at Bombay.
Albion was an East Indiaman of the British East India Company (EIC). She made eight voyages for the EIC before she was sold to the British government in 1810 for service as a troopship. She was lost at sea in 1816.
Henry Addington was launched in 1800 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made seven voyages for the EIC before she was sold in 1815 for breaking up. She was one of the vessels at the Battle of Pulo Aura in 1804.
Northumberland was launched in 1780 to serve as a regular ship of the British East India Company (EIC). She made six voyages for the EIC between 1780 and 1797. She was sold in 1797 for breaking up.
Scaleby Castle was launched in 1798 at Bombay. She made three voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) under charter. At the end of the first she changed to British Registry. Her owners sold her in 1806 to William Moffat, who then entered into a four-voyage contract with the EIC as a regular ship. The EIC purchased Scaleby Castle outright in 1816. She proceeded to make 10 more voyages for the EIC. In all, she made 17 voyages for the EIC, a record. In 1833-35 the EIC ended its commercial activities and sold its vessels. New owners continued to sail Scaleby Castle to China and India. She was last listed in 1841. In 1847 her owners sold her as a hulk.
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 in 1805 while homeward bound from Bombay on her eighth voyage.
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.
Boyne was launched at Calcutta in 1807. In 1809 she sailed to England. She was sold to the Danes, but by 1811 was under English ownership under the name Moffat. She then made seven voyages as a "regular ship" for the British East India Company (EIC). After the EIC exited its maritime activities in 1833–34, Moffat made four voyages transporting convicts to Australia: one voyage to Port Jackson and three to Van Diemen's Land. She also made at least one voyage carrying immigrants to South Australia, and later regularly traded between Liverpool and Bombay. She was last listed in 1856.
Contractor was launched in 1779 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). She made one voyage as a 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.
Earl of Wycombe was launched in 1786 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). In 1800 she became a general trader, trading across the Atlantic to the West Indies and Canada. She was lost without a trace c.1803.
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.
Dorsetshire was launched in 1800 as an East Indiaman. She made nine voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). In each of her first, second, and third voyages she was involved in a notable action. The remainder of her voyages appear to have proceeded without incident. She ceased sailing for the EIC in 1823 and was broken up c.1827.
Winchelsea was launched in 1803 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made 11 voyages for the EIC before she was broken up in 1834.
Atlas was launched at Kingston upon Hull in 1812 as an East Indiaman. She made nine voyages to India or China for the British East India Company (EIC) before she was sold in 1831 for breaking up.
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.
Thetis was launched on the river Thames in 1786 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company between 1787 and 1800, She was then sold and spent a handful of years as a West Indiaman. She was broken up in 1806.
London was launched in 1779 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), between 1780 and 1798. She was sold for breaking up in 1799.
Warren Hastings was launched in 1781 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made six voyages for the EIC before being sold in 1797 for breaking up.
Castle Huntly was launched at Calcutta in 1812. She then made 11 voyages for the British East India Company as an East Indiaman. After the EIC ceased its shipping business in 1833, new owners continued to sail her between the United Kingdom and China until October 1845 when she was wrecked in the South China Sea.