Friendship (1784 ship) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | Friendship |
| Owner |
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| Port of registry | Liverpool |
| Launched | 1784, Scarborough |
| Fate | Scuttled in the Straits of Makassar in 1788. |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Brig |
| Tons burthen | 274, 2781⁄94, or 300 (bm) |
| Length | 75 feet (23 m) |
| Beam | 23 feet (7.0 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
The Friendship was a type of sailing ship called a brig. It was built in 1784 in Scarborough, England. This ship became famous for being part of the First Fleet to Australia. The First Fleet was a group of ships that carried the first European settlers and prisoners from England to New South Wales.
Sadly, the Friendship had problems with its crew. Because of this, the crew had to sink the ship in 1788.
Contents
The Ship's Early Days
The Friendship first appeared in a shipping record book called Lloyd's Register in 1784. At that time, its captain was named Fowler. The ship was used for trading goods between St Petersburg and Lieth.
After this, the Friendship was not listed in Lloyd's Register for a few years. It then showed up again in the 1787 records.
Journey to Australia
The Friendship began its important journey from Portsmouth, England, on May 13, 1787. It was one of the smaller ships in the First Fleet. The ship's captain was Francis Walton, and the ship's doctor was Thomas Arndell.
The ship carried 76 male and 21 female prisoners. These were people sent from England to start a new life in Australia. There were also soldiers from the New South Wales Marine Corps on board. These soldiers were there to guard the prisoners.
Changes During the Voyage
When the Friendship reached the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, Captain Walton made a big change. He moved all the female prisoners to other ships. This was done to make space for farm animals that were bought there. These animals were needed to help start the new colony in Australia.
The Friendship finally arrived at Port Jackson, near Sydney, Australia, on January 26, 1788. This was a very long and difficult journey. Sadly, two of the female prisoners who had been on the Friendship died during the trip. One died before the ship reached Rio, and another died after being moved to the ship Lady Penrhyn.
A Special Coin
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich has a special coin that celebrates the Friendship. This coin shows an image of the ship. It also has the words "Success to the Friendship. 1787." On the other side of the coin, you can see "F.W.", which stands for Francis Walton, the ship's captain.
The Ship's End
The Friendship left Port Jackson on July 14, 1788. It sailed with another ship called the Alexander. Both ships were heading to Canton (now Guangzhou) in China. Their goal was to pick up a cargo of tea for the British East India Company.
A Difficult Journey
During this journey, many sailors on both ships became very sick with scurvy. Scurvy is a serious illness caused by not getting enough vitamin C. It made the crews too weak to work the ships properly.
By the time the ships were near the coast of Borneo, there were not enough healthy sailors left to operate both vessels. Because of this, the crew had to make a tough decision. They decided to sink the Friendship on purpose. This happened in the Straits of Makassar (2°S 118°E / 2°S 118°E) on October 28, 1788.
Remembering the Friendship
In 1986, a new ferry in Sydney was named Friendship. This ferry is part of the Urban Transit Authority's First Fleet ferry group. Naming the ferry after the original ship helps to remember its important role in Australia's history.
