HMS Howe (1805) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Kingdom of Great Britain |
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| Name | Kaikusroo |
| Builder | Bombay |
| Launched | 1799 |
| Fate | Sold to the Royal Navy in 1805 |
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Howe |
| Acquired | 1805 |
| Renamed | Dromedary, 1806 |
| Fate | Sold out of service 1864 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Storeship or convict ship |
| Tons burthen | 1045, or 104816⁄94(bm) |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 39 ft 9+3⁄4 in (12.1 m) |
| Depth of hold | 16 ft 11+3⁄4 in (5.2 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
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HMS Howe was a British ship with a long and interesting history. It started as a merchant ship named Kaikusroo in India. In 1805, the British Royal Navy bought it. They planned to use it as a powerful 40-gun warship.
However, the ship's role changed quickly. In 1806, it was renamed HMS Dromedary and became a 24-gun storeship. Storeships were important vessels that carried supplies, equipment, and even people for the navy. Dromedary made many voyages, including a famous trip to Australia. Later in its life, it served as a floating prison in Bermuda. Today, the area where it rested is an important underwater archaeological site.
Contents
Early Life as a Merchant Ship
Kaikusroo was built in 1799 in Bombay, India. It was known as a "Bombay country ship." This meant it sailed for trade along the coast of India and to places like the Malacca Straits.
From 1801 to 1802, the ship was rented by the East India Company. It helped the British military transport supplies and soldiers from India to Egypt and the Red Sea. During this time, its owner was a Parsi shipbuilder named Sorabjee Mucherjee. The ship was very valuable, worth about 275,000 Rupees.
In April 1805, Admiral Edward Pellew bought Kaikusroo for £43,000. He wanted it to be a 40-gun frigate. The ship was commissioned as HMS Howe. In May, it sailed from India with Marquis Wellesley, who was the Governor-General of India, on board.
Howe arrived in England in January 1806. Soon after, the Admiralty decided to change its purpose. On February 24, 1806, they ordered it to be converted into a 24-gun storeship.
A New Name: HMS Dromedary
In March 1806, Howe began loading supplies. It sailed from Portsmouth in May, heading for the Cape of Good Hope. While the ship was away, the Admiralty officially renamed it HMS Dromedary on August 6, 1806. This change happened because a new, much larger warship was being built and would be given the name HMS Howe.
Dromedary was ordered to sail to Buenos Aires in South America. There, it joined forces with Sir Home Popham's fleet in September. In February 1807, the ship took part in the Battle of Montevideo. Four of its crew members were slightly injured during the battle.
In August 1807, Dromedary returned to Great Britain. It brought with it a captured ship named Diana. Diana was carrying many valuable goods like hides, copper, and furs. The ship and its cargo were worth about £40,000.
Voyage to New South Wales
In 1809, HMS Dromedary had a very important mission. It carried Lachlan Macquarie and his family to New South Wales, Australia. Macquarie was going to become the new governor. He also brought soldiers from his regiment, the 1st Battalion of the 73rd Regiment of Foot, to help him take over.
When the Macquaries boarded Dromedary in May 1809, they found it very crowded. There were 102 sailors, 15 officers, 451 soldiers, 90 women, and 87 children on board. There wasn't enough space or food for everyone. Governor Macquarie quickly moved some people to another ship, Hindostan, which would travel with Dromedary. He also sent some people ashore to wait for another ship.
Dromedary sailed on May 22. On the way, Hindostan recaptured a Swedish ship named Gustavus. Dromedary arrived at Port Jackson (Sydney) on December 28, 1809. Macquarie officially became governor on New Year's Day, 1810.
In March 1810, a fire broke out on Dromedary but was put out. In May, Dromedary and Hindostan sailed back to Britain. They carried many soldiers and their families who were leaving New South Wales.
Life as a Storeship and Convict Ship
After returning home in 1811, Dromedary continued its role as a storeship. It sailed to the West Indies and other places, delivering important naval supplies.
Transporting People to Australia
In 1819, Dromedary was prepared to carry people who had broken laws to Australia. On September 12, it sailed for Australia with 370 such individuals.
The ship arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) on January 10, 1820. It dropped off 347 people there and another 22 in Sydney. After this, Dromedary went to New Zealand to collect timber for the Navy. It took almost a year to load the wood. The ship then returned to England, unloading its timber in June 1821.
In 1825, Dromedary sailed to Bermuda with 100 more people who had broken laws. These individuals were put to work building the Dockyard there.
Serving as a Prison Ship
In 1826, Dromedary became a prison hulk in Bermuda. A prison hulk was an old ship used as a floating jail. Dromedary could hold up to 400 people. It stayed in one spot near the quarries and construction sites where the people worked.
By 1851, many of the people had moved from the hulks to new barracks on an island. For the next 12 years, Dromedary served as a kitchen for the working individuals and their guards.
The End of Dromedary
Dromedary was sold in August 1864 to be taken apart.
What Was Found Later
Dromedary stayed in the same spot for many years. This meant that the area around it became a "midden," a place where a lot of old things were left behind. In 1982, divers were allowed to explore the underwater site where Dromedary had rested.
The divers found thousands of items from the 1800s. These included lamps, mugs, spoons, pipes, bottles, buttons, coins, and even gaming pieces. By mapping where each item was found, archaeologists could tell if it belonged to the guards or the people held on the ship. They discovered that the people on the hulks made things from bone, shell, metal, and stone. They would sell these items to guards or visiting sailors for things like tobacco or money.
In Popular Culture
HMS Dromedary is mentioned in the 1983 naval adventure novel Treason's Harbour by Patrick O'Brian.
Images for kids
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1848 Woodcut of HMD Bermuda, Ireland Island, Bermuda showing prison ships.
