Active (1764 ship) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Great Britain |
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| Owner | Calvert & Co. |
| Builder | Shoreham, Sussex |
| Launched | 1764 |
| Captured | May 1793 by a French privateer |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 350 (bm) |
| Sail plan | Ship rig |
The Active was a sailing ship built in 1764. She was a merchant ship, meaning she carried goods for trade. In 1786, she was known for trading between London and Jamaica.
A very important part of her story was in 1791 when she helped transport people to Australia. After that, she sailed back home, stopping in Mumbai (then called Bombay) to pick up goods for a big trading company, the British East India Company. Sadly, a French privateer (a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships) captured her in May 1793 while she was on her way back to Britain.
Contents
Active: A Convict Transport Ship
The Active worked for the British East India Company from 1791 to 1793. She was part of a group of ships known as the Third Fleet. These ships carried people who had committed crimes from Britain to the new colony in Australia.
Journey to Australia
Under the command of Captain John Mitchinson, the Active left Plymouth, England, on March 27, 1791. She arrived at Port Jackson in the Colony of New South Wales (which is now Sydney, Australia) on September 26, 1791.
The ship carried 175 male convicts. Sadly, 21 of them passed away during the long journey. The remaining prisoners left the ship at Port Jackson between September 27 and October 1.
Important Cargo and Rules
When the Active and other ships from the Third Fleet arrived, Governor Phillip, who was in charge of the colony, made an interesting discovery. These ships were supposed to carry supplies for the new settlement. However, they also had a lot of other goods like copper, lead, iron, and ropes. These extra items were meant for a Portuguese settlement in India, not for the struggling colony in Sydney.
Sydney was very short on food and other important things at the time. Governor Phillip wrote to officials in Britain, explaining that ships hired by the government to carry people and supplies should use all their space for the colony's needs. He didn't want them to carry private trade goods instead. He also asked that future agreements with ship owners should clearly state that they needed to deliver supplies to Norfolk Island as well as Port Jackson.
Because of this issue, Governor Phillip had to hire one of the ships to go to Kolkata (then Calcutta) to get flour and other necessities. He also had to hire another ship to take supplies to Norfolk Island.
Leaving Australia
The Active left Port Jackson on December 3, 1791. She sailed together with another ship called the Albemarle.
The End of Active
The Active left Bombay (Mumbai) on December 23, 1792, once again sailing with the Albemarle.
In May 1793, French privateers captured the Active. One report says she was coming from Canton (China) and was taken to Morlaix, France. However, another report from Lloyd's List (a famous shipping newspaper) says she was coming from Bombay and was taken to Brest. The same newspaper also reported that the Albemarle was captured by a privateer and sent to France. Later, it was reported that the Albemarle went to Morlaix.
