Britannia (1774)
| Career (United Kingdom) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Britannia |
| Owner: | East India Company |
| Launched: | 1774 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen: | 500 tons |
The Britannia was a 500 ton merchantman and convict ship that was dispatched in 1796 from Ireland to Australia. Built in 1774, she was the focus of a protest against the Tea Act in Charleston, North Carolina in 1774. She remained employed in the services of the East India Company between 1795 and 1799.[1]
Voyages
In November 1774, Britannia sailed from London to Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to passengers, she was carrying "seven chests of East Indian tea." The Captain, Samuel Ball, Jr., said that the tea had been ordered "without his knowledge or consent." Because of local objections to the British duty on tea, "on Thursday at Noon [November 3, 1774], an Oblation was made to Neptune." This incident has been called "The Charleston Tea Party" because the tea was dumped over the side, in the same fashion as had occurred at the Boston Tea Party a year earlier.[2]
Under the command of Thomas Dennott, Britannia departed Cork, Ireland on 10 December 1796, carrying 144 male and 44 female prisoners, and arrived in Sydney Cove on 27 May 1797. 10 male convicts and 1 female convict died during the course of the voyage. She departed Port Jackson on 2 December for England.[3]
References
- ↑ "Britannia". East India Company Ships. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
- ↑ "Charleston Tea Party Article". South Carolina Gazette. 21 November 1774. Retrieved February 02, 2012.
- ↑ Bateson, Charles (1974). The Convict Ships, 1787-1868. Sydney. ISBN 0-85174-195-9.