Tamerlane was launched in 1769 in Bermuda. She first appeared in British records in 1788 and then carried out three voyages as a whaler in the British southern whale fishery. Next, she made one voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. French frigates captured and burnt her in 1794.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Name | Tamerlane |
| Namesake | Tamerlane |
| Builder | Bermuda |
| Launched | 1769[1] |
| Captured | 12 August 1794 and burnt |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 120,[2] or 128, or 150[1] (bm) |
| Notes | Built of Bermuda cedar and mahogany |
Career
editTamerlane, Basset, master, arrived at Gravesend from Nova Scotia on 14 September 1788. Tamerlane first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1789.[1]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1789 | W. Simpson | H.Wrde | London-Southern Fishery | LR |
Tamerlane made three voyages as a whaler in the Southern Whale Fishery.
1st whaling voyage (1789–1790): Captain William Simpson sailed in 1789 and returned on 17 August 1790.[3] She had sailed to the Africa Grounds and returned from the Brazil Banks.[2]
2nd whaling voyage (1790–1791): Captain Smith sailed in 1790 and returned on 17 August 1791.[3] Tamerlane sought whales off the coasts of Guinea and Patagonia.[2]
3rd whaling voyage (1791–1792): Captain Snell sailed on 11 October 1791, was at Portsmouth on 18 October, and returned to Gravesend on 17 May 1792.[3] Tamerlane had been whaling around the Falkland Islands.[2]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1792 | John Snell J.Woodworth |
Ward & Co. A.F____ |
London–South Seas Liverpool–Dominica |
LR |
| 1793 | Woodworth R.White |
F_____ Dickson |
Liverpool–Dominica | LR |
Transporting enslaved people: Tamerlane next made one voyage as a slave ship. Captain Robert White sailed from Liverpool on 17 January 1793, bound for West Africa.[4]
Tamerlane arrived at Kingston, Jamaica on 14 September with 194 captives. At some point Captain Robert Mule replaced White.[4] While Tamerlane was still at sea Gill Slater, one of her two owners, went bankrupt. (The other owner was William Dickson.)[5] Her owners sold Tamerlane after she had delivered her captives.[4]
Fate
editOn 12 August 1794, a French squadron captured Tamerlane, Richardson, master, on the Newfoundland Banks as she was sailing from Jamaica to London. The French burnt Tamerlane and took her crew to France.[6]
During the period 1793 to 1807, war, rather than maritime hazards or resistance by the captives, was the greatest cause of vessel losses among British enslaving vessels.[7] In 1794, 25 British enslaving vessels were lost; two were lost on the homeward-bound leg of their voyage.[8]
Citations
edit- ^ a b c LR (1789), Seq. No.T384.
- ^ a b c d Clayton (2014), p. 231.
- ^ a b c British Southern whale Fishery Database – Voyages; Tamerlane.
- ^ a b c Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Tamerlane voyage #83706.
- ^ "No. 13539". The London Gazette. 18 June 1793. p. 524.
- ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 2672. 12 December 1794. hdl:2027/uc1.c3049067.
- ^ Inikori (1996), p. 58.
- ^ Inikori (1996), p. 62.
References
edit- Clayton, Jane M (2014). Ships employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery from Britain: 1775–1815: An alphabetical list of ships. Berforts Group. ISBN 9781908616524.
- Inikori, Joseph (1996). "Measuring the unmeasured hazards of the Atlantic slave trade: Documents relating to the British trade". Revue française d'histoire d'outre-mer. 83 (312): 53–92. doi:10.3406/outre.1996.3457.