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.
EIC voyage #1 (1805–1807): Captain William Edmeades acquired a letter of marque on 6 July 1805.[4] He sailed from Falmouth on 10 August 1805, bound for the Cape of Good Hope, Madras, and Bengal. William Pitt was at Cork on 31 August, Madeira on 29 September, and San Salvadore on 11 November.
William Pitt was one of the EIC vessels that were part of the expedition under General Sir David Baird and Admiral Sir Home Riggs Popham that would in 1806 capture the Dutch Cape Colony. They would carry supplies and troops to the Cape, and then continue on their voyages.
William Pitt reached Madras on 22 April and Penang on 4 June, and arrived at Diamond Harbour on 26 July. On 22 September was at Vizagapatam, on 28 September Coringa, on 4 October Madras, and on 30 December the Cape. She reached St Helena on 23 January 1807 and arrived at the Downs on 12 April.[2]
EIC voyage #2 (1808–1809): Captain Charles Graham acquired a letter of marque on 20 January 1808.[4] He sailed from Portsmouth on 15 April 1808, bound for Madras and Bengal.[lower-alpha 1]William Pitt reached Madras on 22 August and arrived at Diamond Harbour on 12 December. She was at Kidderpore on 1 October. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 23 December, Coringa on 2 January 1809, Madras on 12 January, and Colombo on 7 February.[2]
On 14 March 1809, off Mauritius, a gale developed. Four of the ships, Bengal, Calcutta, Jane, Duchess of Gordon, and Lady Jane Dundas, parted company with the main convoy. They were never heard of again.
William Pitt reached St Helena on 29 April and the Downs on 13 July.[2]
EIC voyage #3 (1810–1812): Captain Charles Graham sailed from Portsmouth 14 March 1810, bound for the Cape, Madras, and Bengal. William Pitt was at the Cape on 22 May, and arrived at Madras on 5 August.[2]
There the British government hired her as a transport for the Île de France (Mauritius). William Pitt was at Rodrigues on 6 November, and Port Louis, Mauritius, on 7 December. The invasion took place on 3 December.[2]
By 17 February William Pitt was back at Saugor and Diamond Harbour on 24 February. There the government again hired her, this time for the invasion of Java.[7]
William Pitt was at Malacca on 6 May. She was in the 1st division, which left Malacca on 1 June. She was at Batavia by 8 August. She was back at Diamond Harbour on 22 October and Calcutta on 15 November. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 17 February 1812. She was at Madras on 2 February, reached St Helena on 11 May, and arrived at Blackwall on 11 September.[2]
EIC voyage #4 (1813–1814): Captain Charles Graham sailed from Portsmouth on 2 June 1813, bound for Ceylon and Bengal. William Pitt was at Madeira on 22 June and Colombo on 13 October. She arrived at Saugor on 4 December. She left Saugor on 17 February 1814, was at Point de Galle on 1 March, and the Cape on 25 March. She reached St Helena on 19 May and arrived at The Downs on 6 August.[2]
EIC voyage #5 (1815–1816): Captain Graham sailed from The Downs on 8 April 1815, bound for Madras and Bengal. She reached Madras on 20 July, and arrived at Diamond Harbour on 19 August. She was at Saugor on 10 November and homeward bound, she left Saugor on 20 January 1816. She was at Madras on 6 February, Point de Galle on 14 February, and the Cape on 18 April. She reached St Helena on 10 May, and arrived at The Downs on 2 July.[2]
EIC voyage #6 (1817–1818): Captain Graham sailed from The Downs on 14 April 1817, bound for Madras and Bengal. She reached Madras on 3 August and arrived at Diamond Harbour on 1 September and the New Anchorage on 21 October. She sailed from the New Anchorage on 7 December, reached St Helena on 13 February 1818, and arrived at The Downs on 2 May.[2]
EIC voyage #7 (1819–1820): Captain Graham sailed from Portsmouth on 29 January 1819, bound for St Helena, Bencoolen, and China. She was at St Helena on 6 May and reached Bencoolen on 5 August. She reached Penang on 5 October and arrived at Whampoa Anchorage on 9 February 1820. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 26 March, reached on St Helena on 26 July, and arrived at The Downs on 26 September.[2]
↑ One source gives the name of William Pitt's master as Charles Gordon.[2] However, two sources give it as Charles Graham,[4][1] and the source that gives the Gordon name changes it to Graham on the next voyage.[2]
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.
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.
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.
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.
Union was an East Indiaman that made eight voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) between her launching in 1803 and her sale for breaking up in 1819.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tigris was launched in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1802. She made six voyages between 1803 and 1815 as an "extra ship" for the British East India Company (EIC). After her stint as an East Indiaman, Tigris became a West Indiaman. She was wrecked in December 1823.
Devaynes was launched in 1802 and made six voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She then made one more round-trip to India, sailing under a license from the EIC. She was condemned at Bengal in 1817 on a second licensed voyage to Bengal.
Marquis of Lansdown was launched in 1787 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages as an "extra" ship for the British East India Company (EIC) before the EIC declared her worn out. Her owners sold her in 1800 and she became a West Indiaman. The French captured her in 1805 when they captured Dominica.
Lord Duncan was launched on the River Thames in 1798 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before she was sold in 1813 for breaking up.
Marchioness of Exeter was launched in 1801 as an East Indiaman of the British East India Company (EIC). She made seven complete voyages for the EIC. She then made one more voyage to Java, sailing under a license from the EIC. Her last voyage ended in 1819.
References
Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN0-905617-96-7.
Taylor, Stephen (2007). Storm and Conquest: The Clash of Empires in the Eastern Seas, 1809. W. W. Norton. ISBN978-0393060478.
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