Hercules (1814 ship) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids History
United Kingdom
Name	Hercules
Builder	Gilmore & Co., Calcutta
Launched	27 December 1814
Fate	Sold 1839
General characteristics
Tons burthen	400, or 402, or 416, or 424, or 4241⁄32 (bm)
Length	104 ft 5 in (31.8 m)
Beam	20 ft 3 in (6.2 m)

Hercules was a sailing ship built in Calcutta, India, in 1814. She was a British ship that sailed between Britain and India. Later, she became known for trading opium between India and China. Hercules even became a special "receiving ship" for a company called Jardine Matheson, holding opium. In 1839, her cargo of opium was part of a big event. Chinese officials ordered this opium to be burned, which helped start the First Opium War (1839–1842). After this, Hercules was sold to American owners.

The Ship's Journey: Hercules'

Hercules was built in 1814 and cost 125,000 sicca rupees (an old Indian currency). At this time, the British East India Company (EIC) no longer had a complete control over trade between India and Britain. This meant other ships, like Hercules, could also trade.

Early Years and Owners

In 1816, Hercules was listed in important shipping books like Lloyd's Register. These books showed who owned the ship and where it sailed. At first, she traded between London and India. Later, she was registered in Calcutta, India, with different owners and captains. By 1832, her captain and owner was D. Wilson, and she had permission to trade with China.

Opium Trade and Jardine Matheson

Around 1833, Hercules became owned by Jardine Matheson, a major trading company. She started working as a "receiving ship" for opium near Lintin in China. A receiving ship was like a floating warehouse where opium was stored before being sold.

However, in 1833, the Governor General of India took away Hercules's license to be a receiving ship. This was a big deal because it affected the opium trade.

Opium Cargo on Hercules

In July 1833, Hercules held a very large amount of opium. Here's what was on board:

In total, Hercules carried 1,639 chests of opium, worth over one million Spanish dollars. She also carried gold, silver, rice, and other goods. The total value of everything on board was more than $1.5 million.

The Samarang Incident

In August 1833, Captain Grant, who worked for Jardine Matheson, was involved in an event with another ship called Samarang. When Samarang was being taken apart for salvage, some villagers tried to take materials from it. This led to disagreements. Later, a worker from Hercules went missing. Captain Grant and others from the opium ships went to the village. After some conflict, the situation was eventually calmed down with help from officials.

Selling Supplies

In 1835, an advertisement showed that Captain Parry of Hercules was selling ship supplies. These included chains, anchors, nails, ropes, and other items needed for ships. He sold these at Lintin, where the opium receiving ships were located.

The Opium Destruction at Humen

Hercules was one of the ships involved in a major historical event in 1839. The Chinese government, led by Commissioner Lin Zexu, wanted to stop the illegal opium trade. They ordered British traders to surrender their opium.

Hercules gave up its opium, which was then destroyed. This destruction began on June 3, 1839, at Humen Town near the Pearl River in China. About 1,000 tons of opium were burned. This event was a key reason why Great Britain declared war on China. This war is known as the First Opium War. It led to China opening up more to foreign trade through a series of agreements.

What Happened to Hercules?

In 1839, after the Chinese government blocked opium imports, many opium receiving ships left the area. Some were sold, and others were taken apart. Hercules was reportedly sold to American owners that same year.