Culland's Grove (1802 EIC ship)

History
United Kingdom
Name: Culland's Grove
Namesake: Culland's Grove, Southgate, Middlesex
Owner:
  • 1802:Atty & Co.[1]
  • Managing owner:William Borradaile[2]
Builder: Fishburn & Brodrick,[3] Whitby
Launched: 16 February 1802[3][Note 1]
Captured: 22 July 1803
General characteristics [2]
Tons burthen: 556,[2] 576 79⁄94,[3] or 599[4][1] (bm)
Length: 128 ft 2 in (39.1 m) (overall); 104 ft 0 in (31.7 m) (keel)
Beam: 32 ft 3 1⁄2 in (9.8 m)
Depth of hold: 16 ft 0 in (4.9 m)
Complement: 56[4]
Armament: 16 x 6-pounder guns[4]

Culland's Grove was a merchant ship launched in 1802 that the British East India Company (EIC) hired as an "extra ship". On her maiden voyage she sailed to Bengal and Benkulen. The French privateer captured her on her return voyage.

Career

Captain Archibald Anderson sailed Culland's Grove from Portsmouth on 20 May 1802. He left during peacetime, but while he was away war with France resumed in early 1803. The EIC arranged for the issuance of a letter of marque that authorized him to engage in offensive action against the French should the opportunity arise. The letter was issued on 20 June 1803.[4]

On 22 July 1803, as Culland's Grove was in the Atlantic on her way home, she had the misfortune to encounter the French 32-gun privateer Blonde, which was under the command of François Aregnaudeau, at 50°21′N 17°0′W / 50.350°N 17.000°W / 50.350; -17.000.[2] Aregnaudeau had had a successful cruise already, but Culland's Grove, as an Indiaman returning with a valuable cargo, proved to be a particularly attractive prize. Culland's Grove was not in a position to resist and struck. Aregnaudeau took her and another of his prizes, Flirt, a former Royal Navy brig converted to a whaling ship that was returning to London from the South Seas Fisheries, into Pasajes on 3 August.[5] Culland's Grove then sailed from Pasajes to Bordeaux where she was condemned as a prize.[3]

According to French records, Culland's Grove proved to be worth 2.5 million francs in insurance money. The EIC put the value of the cargo lost when the French captured her at £24,640.[6]

Controversy

The Committee of Directors of the EIC prepared a report that they sent to Sir Evan Nepean, Secretary of the Navy, who transmitted it to Admiral sir William Cornwallis, commander-in-chief of the Channel Fleet. The Directors protested that the capture of Culland's Grove was the fault of Captain Charles Paget, captain of HMS Endymion.[7]

Shortly before Culland's Grove was captured, she had encountered Endymion. The officer Paget sent aboard the Indiaman proceeded to press 12 seamen. Culland's Grove's captain and second officer protested vehemently that they were already weakly manned and that this would leave them even more short-handed, but Paget was acting within the law. The Royal Navy was short of men and was in the habit of stopping homecoming merchant vessels and taking some of their best sailors. Paget's position was that the men he took were "surplus company, and that he was authorized to press men out of homeward-bound ships."[7]

All that came of this was that Paget was reminded of his obligations "to protect and assist the trade of His Majesty's subjects."[7] As the privateer Blonde had an armament and complement more than double that of Culland's Grove, even without the impressment, it is not clear that Paget's depredations mattered. One would have to argue that a better-manned Culland's Grove might have outsailed Blonde.

Notes, citations, and references

Notes

  1. ↑ Weatherill gives two years, 1801 and 1802.[1]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Weatherill (1908), p.28, 107, & 195.
  2. 1 2 3 4 British Library: Culland's Grove.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hackman (2001), p.86.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Letter of Marque,"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2015-10-07. - accessed 14 May 2011.
  5. ↑ Lloyd's List, n° 4378.
  6. ↑ Reports from the Select Committee of the House of Commons appointed to enquire into the present state of the affairs of the East India Company, together with the minutes of evidence, an appendix of documents, and a general index, (1830), Vol. 2, p.980.
  7. 1 2 3 MacMillan's Magazine, Vol. 80, p.373.

References

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