Matilda (1803 ship)

Matilda was launched at Calcutta in 1803. She spent most of her career in private trade in India or in trading between England and India. She participated in the British invasion of Java (1811) and made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC). She grounded and was wrecked in March 1822.

History
United Kingdom
Name:	Matilda
Owner:	1803:Hogg, Davidson & Co.[1] 1819:David Ibbister[2][1]
Builder:	Calcutta, India
Launched:	24 September 1803[1]
General characteristics
Tons burthen:	762,[3] or 762​^50⁄94,[4] or 774,[2] or 774​^10⁄94[1](bm)
Length:	131 ft 10 in (40.2 m)[1]
Beam:	37 ft 1 in (11.3 m)[1]
Propulsion:	Sail
Complement:	75[2]
Armament:	12 guns[2]
Notes:	Teak-built three-decker

Career

Matilda at least twice underwent repairs in England and fitting out for the return voyage to India. In 1804 the cost was £10,085 and in 1806 it was £9,654.[5] Matilda was admitted to the Registry of Great Britain on 2 January 1806.[4] However, she does not appear in the Register of Shipping until 1809.

Matilda appeared for the first time in the Register of Shipping in 1810. Her master was P. Scott, and her owner Bruce & Co.[6]

Matilda, Hogue, Davidson, & Co., owners, appeared in a list of vessels registered at Calcutta in January 1811.

Matilda was one of the transport vessels for the British invasion of Java (1811),[3] conducted under the auspices of Lord Minto. She was in the first division, which left Malacca on 8 June 1811.[7]

In March 1812 a British squadron, consisting of Bucephalus, Cornelia, and Procris, as well as the EIC's warships Mercury and Teignnmouth and its gunboats Wellington and Young Barracouta, as well as the transports Sandany, Minerva, Matilda, and Mary Ann, sailed from Batavia on a punitive expedition to Palembang, on Sumatra, after the Sultan there massacred Dutch and Malays at the Dutch factory there earlier in the month. The British brought with them detachments from the 59th and 89th Regiments of Foot, the Madras horse artillery and hussars (dismounted), Bengal artillery, two battalions of sepoys, and an Ambonese contingent.

Matilda also appears in the Register of Shipping in 1819 with Hamilton as master and owner.[8]

EIC voyage (1819–1820): Captain William Hamilton sailed from Portsmouth 22 April 1819, bound for China. Matilda arrived at Whampoa Anchorage on 12 September. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 23 November, reached Saint Helena on 6 February 1820, and arrived at the Downs on 7 April.[2] She then returned to private trade to India, sailing under a licence from the EIC.[1]

Fate

Matilda left London on 4 August 1821 for Bengal. She was at the Cape of Good Hope on 24 December.[9]

Matilda wrecked on Saugor Sand, River Ganges, on 5 March 1822. The Bengal Pilot Service vessel Guide, Mr. Thomas Yong, master, rescued the passengers and crew.[10][11] Guide carried them to Kedgeree, arriving there on 7 March.[9]

Citations and references

Citations

1. Hackman (2001), p. 156.
2. British Library: Matilda.
3. House of Commons (1814), p. 655.
4. House of Commons (1814), p. 87.
5. House of Commons (1814), p. 616.
6. Register of Shipping (1809), Seq. №M665.
7. Naval Chronicle, Vol. 27, p.109.
8. Register of Shipping (1819), Seq.№M836.
9. Asiatic Journal (1822), Vol. 14, p.395.
10. "(untitled)". The Times (11647). London. 26 August 1822. col E, p. 2.
11. "(untitled)". The Morning Chronicle (16644). 24 August 1822.

References

• 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.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)