Resource was launched in Calcutta in 1804 as a country ship; that is, she traded out of India but only east of the Cape of Good Hope. In 1807 the French captured her, but she returned to British ownership. She participated as a transport in the British invasion of Java. After 1813 she traded between Britain and India under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). From about the mid-1830s she traded primarily between Britain and Australia, and in 1839 she transported immigrants to South Australia. In 1843 she started sailing between Britain and Quebec until December 1846 when her crew had to abandon her at sea while on a voyage back to Britain from Quebec.

History
United Kingdom
NameResource
BuilderMatthew Smith, Calcutta[1]
Launched12 February 1804
FateAbandoned at sea by her crew 26 December 1846
General characteristics
Tons burthen350, 385,[1] or 3904094,[2] or 417[3] (bm)
Length109 ft 2 in (33.3 m)
Beam29 ft 2 in (8.9 m)
Sail planShip-rigged, later barque

Career

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Resource first appeared in readily available online sources in 1807 when the French frigate Piémontaise captured Resource (of 480 tons[4]), on 9 October 1807. Resource was carrying toile and 7,500 sacks of rice. The value of the prize was 215,930.24 francs.[5] Resource returned to British ownership; she was registered at Calcutta prior to January 1811.[6]

Resource was one of the transport vessels supporting the British Invasion of Java (1811).[7]

In 1813 the EIC had lost its monopoly on the trade between India and Britain. British ships were then free to sail to India or the Indian Ocean under a license from the EIC.[8]

Resource, James Henderson, master, arrived at Batavia on 31 October 1814 from Bengal and Bencooolen. She sailed from Java on 12 December 1814 for London and the Cape of Good Hope.[9]

Resource first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1815.[10]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1815 Henderson Bonham London–Bengal LR
1822 Henderson
Fenn
Bonham London–Bengal LR; good repair 1819

In 1822 Resource was sold for a "Free Trader".

In 1813 the EIC lost its monopoly on the trade between India and Britain. British ships were then free to sail to India or the Indian Ocean under a license from the EIC.[8]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1823 Fenn Fenn London–Fort William, India LR; good repair 1819
1826 Tomlin
Fenn
B.Fenn London–Calcutta LR; good repair 1819
1830 B.Fenn
G.Stoddard
B.Fenn London–Calcutta
London–Cape of Good Hope
LR; good repair 1819 & small repairs 1828
1830 [Henry] Shuttleworth Watson & Co. London–Van Diemen's Land LR (Supple.); good repair 1819 & small repairs 1828
1832 Shuttleworth
Warren
Watson & Co. London–Van Diemen's Land LR; good repair 1819 & small repairs 1828
1834 Warren Watson & Co. London LR; good repair 1819 & small repairs 1828
1835 Coombes London LR
1836 J.Coombes T.Ward London LR
1837 T.Ward London LR
1839 W.Boyle T.Ward London–South Australia LR

Resource, W.Boyle, master, left London on 7 October 1838 and arrived at Adelaide on 23 January 1839 with 211 passengers. She sailed on to Port Phillip, returning to Adelaide on 13 May having lost 2280 out of the 2700 sheep she was carrying.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1842 W.Boyle T.Ward London–New South Wales
London
LR; small repairs 1840 & 1842
1843 W.Boyle
Lewis
T.Ward London
London–Africa
Liverpool–Quebec
LR; small repairs 1840 & 1842

Fate

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Resource was lost in 1846. On 26 December 1846, her crew abandoned their barque in the Atlantic Ocean; Georgiana rescued the crew. Resource was on a voyage from Quebec City to London.[11][12] The volume of LR for 1846 carried the annotation "LOST" by her name.[3]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b Phipps (1840), p. 101.
  2. ^ Hackman (2001), p. 308.
  3. ^ a b LR (1846), Seq.204.
  4. ^ Le Duc (1925), p. 637.
  5. ^ Roman (2007), p. 223.
  6. ^ Phipps (1840), p. 145.
  7. ^ House of Commons (1814), p. 636.
  8. ^ a b Hackman (2001), p. 247.
  9. ^ The Java half-yearly almanac and directory for 1815.
  10. ^ LR (1815), Supple. pages "R", Seq.No.R53.
  11. ^ "Ship News". Glasgow Herald (4584). Glasgow. 4 January 1847.
  12. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". Caledonian Mercury (19639). Edinburgh. 7 January 1847.

References

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  • Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-96-7.
  • House of Commons, Parliament, Great Britain (1814). Minutes of the Evidence Taken Before the Select Committee on Petitions Relating to East-India-Built Shipping. H.M. Stationery Office.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Le Duc, Saint Elme (1925). Ile de France: documents pour son histoire civile et militaire. Government Press. Mauritius.
  • Phipps, John (1840). A Collection of Papers Relative to Ship Building in India ...: Also a Register Comprehending All the Ships ... Built in India to the Present Time ... Scott.
  • Roman, Alain (2007). Robert Surcouf et ses frères [Robert Surcouf and his brothers] (in French). Preface by Olivier Roellinger. Editions Cristel. ISBN 978-2-84421-050-0. OCLC 159954380.