Princess Royal (1790 ship)

Princess Royal was launched at Liverpool in 1790. She made four voyages as a slaver before the French captured her in 1794 at the beginning of her fifth slaving voyage.

For other ships with the same name, see Princess Royal (ship).
History
United Kingdom
Name: Princess Royal
Owner:
  • 1790: John Dawson
  • 1794:Richard Watt
Builder: Liverpool
Launched: 1790
Fate: Captured December 1794
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 405[1][2] (bm)
Propulsion: Sail
Complement: 70[2]
Armament: 20 x 9-pounder guns[2]

Slaver

Princess Royal first appears in Lloyd's Register with William Forbes, master, John Dawson, owner, and trade Liverpool—Africa.[3]

On all four slave trading voyages that Princess Royal completed, she gathered her slaves in the Bight of Biafra and Gulf of Guinea islands. In 1791 she delivered them to Cuba. On the other voyages she took them to Jamaica.[4]

First slave voyage: Dawson sailed from Liverpool on 29 April 1790. He gathered his slaves at Bonny Island and delivered them to Kingston, Jamaica on 6 November. He had embarked 576 slaves and he landed 528, for a loss rate of 8.3%. Also, four of his 46 crew members died on the voyage. Princess Royal sailed from Kingston on 22 December and arrived back at Liverpool on 14 February 1791.[4]

Second slave voyage: Robert Catterall replaced Forbes for the second slaving voyage. He sailed from Liverpool on 8 March 1791 and started slave trading on 6 June. Apparently he first gathered slaves at "Barabalemo", and then at Bonny. Princess Royal sailed from Africa on 21 October and arrived at Havana on 30 December. Catterall had embarked 485 slaves and landed 444, for a loss rate of 8.5%. Also, four of Princess Royal's 39 crew members died on the voyage. She left Havana on 27 January 1792 and arrived back at Liverpool on 19 March.[4]

Third slave voyage: John Bunnell replaced Catterall, but John Carson in turn replaced Bunnell. Carson sailed from Liverpool on 26 April 1792 and arrived at Kingston, Jamaica, on 1 December. Princess Royal had embarked 501 slaves and landed 459, for a loss rate of 8.4%. Two of her 39 crew members died on the voyage. She left Jamaica on 14 January 1793 and arrived back at Liverpool on 2 March.[4]

Fourth slave voyage: Captain James Brown replaced Carson, and on 16 July 1793 acquired a letter of marque.[2] He sailed from Liverpool on 5 August 1793 and gathered slaves at Bonny. Princess Royal left Africa on 14 November, and arrived at Jamaica on 28 January 1794. She had embarked 549 slaves and landed 539, for a loss rate of 1.8%. Eight of her 64 crew members died on the voyage. She left Jamaica on 1 April and arrived back at Liverpool on 21 May.[4]

Fate

Brown sailed from Liverpool on 29 July 1794.[4] Lloyd's List reported on 12 May 1795 that a French squadron had captured Princess Royal, Brown, master, of Liverpool, in the Bonny River. The capture occurred between 22 and 29 December 1794. The French also captured the slavers Eliza and Vulture during the same period.[5] Lloyd's List reported on 27 October that Princess Royal, Brown, master, was among a number of vessels that a French squadron had captured and taken into Cadiz.[6] Princess Royal had not embarked any slaves before the French captured her.[4]

Citations
  1. Lloyd's Register (1793), Seq.№334.
  2. Letter of Marque, p.83 - accessed 25 July 2017.
  3. Lloyd's Register (1790), Seq.№164.
  4. Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database Voyages: Princess Royal (1790-94).]
  5. Lloyd's List, №2715.
  6. Lloyd's List, №2763.
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