Britannia (1798 ship)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Britannia |
| Owner | W. Boyd[1] |
| Builder | Dutch |
| Acquired | 1798 by purchase of a prize |
| Homeport | London |
| Captured | 1801 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 296,[1] or 309[2] (bm) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Armament | 8 × 12-pounder carronades[2] |
Britannia was a merchant vessel captured from the Dutch. She made one complete whaling voyage to the South Seas. A Spanish vessel captured her at the Galapagos Islands in 1801 on her second whaling voyage.
Britannia was a Dutch prize, captured in 1797 that underwent repairs in 1798.[3] She entered Lloyd's Register in 1798 with W. Shaw, master, W. Boyd, owner, and trade Portsmouth-Jamaica.[1] In 1799 Mortlock replaced Shaw as master, and her trade was listed as Portsmouth-Cape of Good Hope.[4]
Whaling voyage
Captain Mortlake left Britain on 13 March 1799 and returned on 30 May 1800.[5] Britannia had called in at Rio de Janeiro in July for sugarcane syrup.[6]
Loss
A Spanish ship of 24 guns captured "Britannia, late Mortlock, of London", and Castor & Polux, Anderson, master, in the Galapagos Islands. The Spaniards then took their prizes into Lima.[7]
Citations and references
Citations
References
- Clayton, Jane M. (2014) Ships employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery from Britain: 1775-1815: An alphabetical list of ships. (Berforts Group). ISBN 978-1908616524