History
Great Britaini
NameEarl Spencer
NamesakeGeorge Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer
OwnerJohn Hill, Paradise Row
BuilderBrazil
Acquired1799
FateWrecked late 1801 or early 1802
General characteristics
Tons burthen509,[1][2] 520,[3][4] or 600[5] (bm)
PropulsionSail
Complement35[1]
Armament
  • 1799: 20 × 6-pounder guns + 6 swivel guns[1]
  • 1802: 14 × 12-pounder + 6 × 6-pounder guns[3]

Earl Spencer was built in Brazil.[4] She entered Lloyd's Register in 1799 as foreign built,[5] with later editions specifying "Brazil". She made two seal-hunting voyages to South Georgia between 1799 and 1802, being wrecked there on the second.

Captain William Beacon received a letter of marque for Earl Spencer on 3 August 1799.[1] She was listed on the Protection List in 1799 and 1800;[4] the lists protected the crews of certain vessels, such as whalers, from impressment, at least on the outbound leg of a voyage.

Earl Spencer sailed in 1800 to South Georgia on her first sealing voyage.[2][6] At the time of her visit she was the largest vessel to have visited to that date.[7] Lloyd's List reported on 2 May 1800 that Earl Spencer was at South Georgia. She was reported to be returning from the South Seas on 22 December 1800, dismasted and leaky.[8][9] She put into Plymouth, having lost her masts in a heavy gale on the 13th. She was carrying 500 tons of spermaceti oil and seal skins.[10] She finally returned to London on 3 February 1801.[2]

Earl Spencer sailed a second time for South Georgia on 15 May 1801 under the command of Captain William Beacon (or Bacon, or Beyton).[2] She was lost there towards the end of 1801 or early 1802 when she drifted from her anchors and was wrecked.[lower-alpha 1] However, the crew was saved. She was valued at £8,000.[4]

The Register of Shipping for 1802 gave the name of her master as W. Beaton, and had the notation "LOST" against her name.[3] Earl Spencer was last listed in Lloyd's Register for 1803 (published in 1802).[12]

Notes

  1. ↑ Lloyd's List (LL) reported the loss on 16 February 1802.[11] Contra some accounts, it did not occur on that day.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Letter of Marque, p.60 - accessed 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 BSWF Database – voyages: Earl Spencer.]
  3. 1 2 3 Register of Shipping (1802), Seq. №E48.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Clayton (2014), p. 107.
  5. 1 2 Lloyd's Register (1799), №E470.
  6. ↑ Headland (1990), p. 89.
  7. ↑ Jones (1950), p. 361.
  8. ↑ "News". Lloyd's Evening Post (London, England), December 22, 1800 - December 24, 1800; Issue 6760.
  9. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4114. 26 December 1800. hdl:2027/uc1.c3049070.
  10. ↑ "EXETER, WEDNESDAY, Dec.24". Trewman's Exeter Flying Post (Exeter, England), 25 December 1800; Issue 1941.
  11. ↑ LL №4230.
  12. ↑ Lloyd's Register (1803), Seq. №E48.

References

  • Clayton, Jane M (2014). Ships employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery from Britain: 1775–1815: An alphabetical list of ships. Berforts Group. ISBN 9781908616524.
  • Headland, 1R.K. (1990). Chronological List of Antarctic Expeditions and Related Historical Events. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521309035.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  • Jones, A.G.E. (1950). Polar portraits: collected papers. Caedmon of Whitby.
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