Bengal Merchant (1812 ship)

History
United Kingdom
Name: Bengal Merchant
Owner:

Sedgewicke & Hearne (1812-1832)

John Groves (1832-1834)

Joseph Somes (1834-1839)

Haviside & Company (1839-1856)

Builder: Anthony Blackmore, Howrah,[1] Bengal
Launched: 26 May 1812
Fate: Hulked in 1856
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 463,[1] or 503[2] (bm)
Propulsion: Sail

Bengal Merchant was a sailing ship built of teak in Bengal and launched there on 26 May 1812. She served the East India Company (EIC) in 1813 and from 1830 till 1834. She also twice transported convicts from Britain to Australia before she was hulked in 1856.

Between 1812 and 1829, Bengal Merchant was in private trade as a licensed ship.[2]

Career

First voyage for the EIC (1813–14)

Captain Thomas Ross sailed from Calcutta on 21 May 1813. '"Bengal Merchant was at Saugor on 26 July, Mauritius on 21 September, and the Cape on 17 November. She reached the Downs on 3 March 1814.[1]

A passenger travelling from Batavia to Dover in 1815 on the Bengal Merchant remarked on her master's insistence on her crew attending divine service on Sunday. The passenger thought it ridiculous to read prayers in English to a crew of lascars, Chinese, and Malays, who did not understand the language.[3]

In early 1820 Bengal Merchant was at Canton. She had 300 chests of opium.[4]

First convict transport (1828)

Bengal Merchant sailed from Plymouth on 25 March 1828, under the command of Alex Duthie, with 184 male convicts. She arrived at Hobart Town on 10 August 1828.

Second voyage for the EIC (1830–31)

Captain Gilson Reeves Fox and Bengal Merchant left Portsmouth on 5 June 1830. They reached the Cape on 24 August, Madras on 19 October, and Calcutta on 1 December. For the return journey, the reached St Helena on 1 June 1831 and the Downs on 6 August.[1]

Third voyage for the EIC (1833–34)

In 1832 Bengal Merchant was sold to John Groves.[2]

Captain John Campbell left the Downs on 25 July 1833 and reached Calcutta on 9 December. On the return voyage Bengal Merchant passed Saugor on 28 January 1834. She reached St Helena on 8 April, and Blackwall, London, on 8 June.[1]

Second convict transport (1834)

Under the command of William Capbell, she sailed from London on 1 October 1834, with 270 male convicts. She arrived at Port Jackson on 30 January 1835. Three male convicts died on the voyage. In 1834 She was sold to Joseph Somes.[2]

Third convict transport (1836)

Again under the command of William Capbell, she sailed from Downs on 8 August 1836, with 270 male convicts. She arrived at Port Jackson on 9 December 1836. One male convict died on the voyage. Leaving Sheerness on 28 March 1838, under the command of William Capbell, with 270 male convicts. She arrived at Port Jackson on 21 July 1838. Three male convicts died on the voyage.

Passenger transport

In 1839, Bengal Merchant was sold to Haviside & Co., London.[2] She sailed from Glasgow on 30 October 1839 with 160 passengers and arrived at Port Nicholson, New Zealand on 20 February 1840.

Fate

Bengall Merchant was hulked in 1856.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 National Archives: Bengal Merchant, - accessed 15 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Hackman (2015), p. 67.
  3. ↑ Jaffer (2103), pp159-61.
  4. ↑ Asiatic Journal, (2 February 1821), Vol.11, p.204.

References

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