Britannia (1802 ship)

Britannia was a merchant vessel launched at Kingston-upon-Hull in 1802. She repelled the attack of a French privateer in a notable single-ship action in 1804, but was lost to an accidental explosion in Cork harbour in 1806.

For other ships with the same name, see Britannia (ship).
History
United Kingdom
Name: Britannia
Owner:
  • Fletcher & Co.[1]
  • 1805:Poole & Co.[2]
  • 1806:France and Co.[3]
Launched: 1802
Fate: Destroyed by explosion 11 February 1806
General characteristics
Tonnage: 455,[4] or 460,[1] or 465[2](bm)
Propulsion: Sails
Complement: 35[4]
Armament: 20 × 9-pounder guns[4]

Career

Britannia entered Lloyd's Register in 1803 with master M. Leavy, owner Fletcher, and trade Liverpool-Jamaica.[1]

Captain Matthew Leavey received a letter of marque on 2 June 1803.[4]

Single-ship action
Britannia was on her way to Jamaica from Madeira when on 1 July 1804 she encountered Général Ernouf, which did not engage. Four days later the two again sighted each other, and again the French vessel did not engage. However, one month later, on 5 August, Général Ernouf encountered Britannia about 200 miles west of Antigua.[5]

This time, sensing an easy capture as her quarry appeared unready, General Ernouf came alongside and attempted to board. The two vessels exchanged both cannon and small arms fire, with Britannia twice repulsing boarding attempts. After the engagement left both vessels with severely damaged masts and rigging, Général Ernouf withdrew, with Britannia in pursuit; however, Britannia lost her attacker in the dark after night fell. Britannia had one man killed (a passenger who had volunteered his services), and four wounded, Leavey among them.[5]

In his description of the engagement, Leavey mentioned that the desertion of four men at Madeira and the illness of two had left him short-handed and unable fully to man his guns. He later found out that General Ernouf, out of Basse-Terre, was armed with four 24-pounder guns and twelve 18-pounder carronades, and had a crew of 170-180men.[5]

In 1805, Britannia changed owners and her trade appears as Liverpool-Madeira.[2]

Loss
In 1806, Britannia's ownership changed again, and her trade became Liverpool-Jamaica.[3]

On 11 February 1806 Britannia exploded in the Cove at Cork. No nearby ships suffered any damage, but on Britannia 12 lives were lost; one of the people killed was a woman passenger. Two crew members and the ship's papers were saved.[6] Captain Leavy was on shore at the time.[5] The Register of Shipping (2006) has the notation "LOST" against her name.[7]

Citations and references

Citations

  1. Lloyd's Register (1803), Supplement, Seq. №B30.
  2. Lloyd's Register (1805), seq. №B457.
  3. Lloyd's Register (1806), Seq. №B495.
  4. Letter of Marque, Archived 2016-10-20 at the Wayback Machine p.53-4 - accessed 25 July 2017.
  5. Williams (1897), pp. 393-5.
  6. Journal (1890), p.309.
  7. Register of Shipping (2006), Seq. №498.

References

  • Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland (1890). (Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland).
  • Williams, Gomer (1897). History of the Liverpool Privateers and Letters of Marque: With an Account of the Liverpool Slave Trade. W. Heinemann.
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