| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Name | Zephyr |
| Owner | Kensington & Co. [1] |
| Builder | Thames |
| Launched | 1790 |
| Captured | 1798 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 286, [2] [1] or 300 [3] (bm) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Complement | 18 [3] |
| Armament |
|
Zephyr was built on the River Thames in 1790 as a West Indiaman. From c.1796 she started to serve the British East India Company (EIC) as a packet ship. However, a French privateer captured her in 1798.
Zephyr entered Lloyd's Register in 1791 with T. Scott, master, and trade London-St Vincent. [2]
After the commencement of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793, Captain Thomas Scott received a letter of marque on 9 March. [3]
On 30 December 1795, Messrs. St Barbe, Green, and Bignell offered Zephyr, and another brig, Aurora, to the Committee of Shipping of the EIC. [5] The next day the Committee replied that as the EIC had decided not to engage any vessels of under 400 tons burthen, it would decline the offer. [6]
Lloyd's List reported on 11 October 1796 that Zephyr had arrived at Dover from Demerara. As she arrived in English waters she saw a brig founder at Lands End. [7]
The next year the EIC reversed its earlier policy and engaged Zephyr as a packet. Lloyd's Register for 1797 shows her trade changing from Cork—San Domingo to London—East India. [4]
On 20 February 1798 as Zephyr was returning to Britain from Bengal and the Cape of Good Hope, the French privateer Vengeance captured her at 45°35′N37°10′W / 45.583°N 37.167°W . Zephyr, which was under the command of Captain John Scott, was no match for Vengeance, which was armed with 24 guns and had a crew of 215 men. [lower-alpha 1] Vengeance sent Zephyr into Bordeaux. [9] The EIC valued its cargo on Zephyr at £2,554. [10]
Notes
Citations
References
Admiral Barrington was a ship built in 1781 in France and was employed as a French West Indiaman, though under a different name. She was captured in 1782 and was later sold to Godfrey Thornton. Thornton renamed her Admiral Barrington. She then made one full voyage for the East India Company (EIC) from 1787 till 1788. Her most notable voyage was as a convict ship in the third fleet to Australia. On her return voyage in 1793 pirates attacked her near Bombay and murdered almost her entire crew. She was apparently recovered, only to have a French privateer capture her in the West Indies in 1797. The privateer took her to Bordeaux, where she was sold.
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.
Numerous ships have sailed under the name Antelope. Notable ones include:
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 third French privateers twice captured her and Royal Navy vessels twice recaptured her. A fire destroyed her in 1815.
Culland's Grove was a merchant ship launched in 1802 that the British East India Company (EIC) hired as an "extra ship". On her maiden voyage she sailed to Bengal and Benkulen. The French privateer Blonde captured her on her return voyage.
HMS Swallow was an 18-gun Albatross-class brig-sloop of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1795 and sold in 1802. During her naval career she captured a number of French privateers while on the Jamaica station. After her sale she became an armed whaler sailing under a letter of marque. As a privateer she captured two French whaling vessels but then is no longer listed after 1810.
Wanstead was launched in 1802. In 1807 a French privateer captured her, but the British Royal Navy recaptured her the next day. Then in 1810 she was again captured by a French privateer, and was again recaptured a few days later. In 1819 she traded with India or China under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). She was wrecked in 1820.
Duff was a ship launched on the Thames in 1794. In 1796 the London Missionary Society engaged her to take a party of missionaries to the South Pacific. Once she had landed the missionaries she sailed to China and took a cargo back to England for the British East India Company. On this voyage her captain named a variety of South Pacific islands. On her second voyage to deliver missionaries a French privateer captured her off the coast of Brazil on the outward-bound leg of her voyage.
Britannia was launched in 1794 at Northfleet. She made two voyages as an "extra ship" for the British East India Company (EIC). On her second voyage a French privateer captured her, but the British Royal Navy recaptured her shortly thereafter. She then became a West Indiaman and was lost c.1801.
Tuscan was built at Hull in 1793. She reportedly made one voyage for British East India Company (EIC). A French privateer captured her in 1798, but she returned to British hands c.1805. She was wrecked at Memel in November 1823.
Pursuit was launched at Whitby in 1795. She made two voyages for the British East India Company and then traded with the West Indies. She repelled one attack by a French privateer that caused severe casualties, but eventually an American privateer captured her in August 1812.
Queen was launched at Quebec in 1795. She made three voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) and then became a West Indiaman, trading between London and West Indies. She was last listed in 1813.
Peggy was built at Calcutta in 1793 and initially sailed in the Indian coastal and Far East trade. In 1801 she assumed British registry and her name was changed to Juliana. Her owners sold her to the Transport Board but in 1804 the government resold her and she was sailing as a West Indiaman between London and Antigua. She then made two voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), and one voyage to Hobart, Van Dieman's Land, transporting convicts. On her return from this voyage she wrecked in 1821 on the English coast.
Admiral Gardner was launched in 1797 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made five voyages for the EIC, during the fourth of which she participated in an inconclusive single-ship action with a French privateer. Admiral Gardner was wrecked in January 1809. The wreck is a Protected Wreck managed by Historic England. She was named after Admiral Alan Gardner.
Indian Trader was launched in 1791. She made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC). She was on her second voyage when a French privateer captured her. The British recaptured her and she returned to merchant service, sailing to the Americas. She was lost c.1830.
Coverdale was launched at Whitby in 1795. She made two voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). She then became a West Indiaman. She foundered in 1806 on her way back to England from Jamaica.
Crescent was launched at Rotherhithe in 1790. She initially traded with the Levant, particularly Smyrna. After the outbreak of war with France she may have tried her hand as a privateer. In 1796–1798 she made a voyage to the East Indies, almost surely on behalf of the British East India Company (EIC). A French privateer captured her but the British Royal Navy quickly recaptured her. In 1802-1804 she made one voyage as a slave ship carrying slaves from West Africa to Jamaica. In 1805 she became a whaler. She was lost in 1807 off Patagonia while homeward bound from her first whaling voyage.
Snake was a prize that came into British hands in 1808. Her first owner employed her a privateer, but in 1810 sold her. Thereafter she sailed between London or Plymouth and the Cape of Good Hope (CGH), or from Falmouth in the packet trade. She may have spent her last years sailing between London and South America. She was last listed in 1824.
Sylph was launched at Whitby in 1791. She made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC) to New South Wales and China. However, a French privateer captured her in 1798 as she was returning to England.
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.