Ocean (East Indiaman)

At least four ships with the name Ocean served the Honourable East India Company as an East Indiaman between 1760 and 1810:

• Ocean, a ship of 1189 tons burthen launched in 1788, made three voyages for the company; she was on her fourth voyage when she wrecked in February 1797 in the East Indies.
• Ocean, a brig of 481 tons burthen (bm) and launched in 1794, made two voyages to Bengal for the East India company as an "extra" ship, that is, on charter. In 1803, she accompanied HMS Calcutta to establish the British settlement at Port Phillip. She then made another trip for the EIC. She continued trading from London until at least 1820, but ber ultimate fate is unknown.
• Ocean, a ship of 1200 to 1337 tons burthen (sources vary), launched in 1800 at London, participated in the Battle of Pulo Aura and made four voyages for the company; she foundered in 1811 while on her fifth voyage.
• Ocean was launched on 21 June 1802 at Quebec.^[1] She was of 532, 560, or 567 ⁸⁹⁄₉₄^[1] tons burthen (sources vary), and made five trips for the EIC: 1) September 1804 - December 1805 (Coast and Bay); 2) June 1806 - November 1807 (St. Helena and Bengal); 3) September 1808 - July 1810 (Madeira, Madras and Bengal), 4) May 1811 - Jul 1812 (Madras and Bengal); 5) March 1813 - Mary 1814 (Madras and Bengal).^[2] This ship sailed under a letter of marque issued to Captain Thomas McTaggart on 30 June 1804. She was described as having a crew of 50 men and carrying sixteen 12-pounder guns.^[3] Her owners sold her on 30 July 1807 at Lloyd's Coffee House for the West Indies trade.^[1]

See also

• HMS Ocean
• Ocean (ship)

Citations

1. Hackman (2001), p.166.
2. National Archives: Ocean (6) - accessed 2 December 2014.
3. Letter of Marque, 1793-1815; p.80.

References

• Hackman, Rowan (2001) Ships of the East India Company. (Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society). ISBN 0-905617-96-7
• Hardy, Charles and Horatio Charles Hardy (1811) A register of ships, employed in the service of the Honorable the United East India Company, from the year 1760 to 1810: with an appendix, containing a variety of particulars, and useful information interesting to those concerned with East India commerce. (London: Black, Parry, and Kingsbury).