Ocean (1788 EIC ship) facts for kids
Ocean was a large sailing ship, known as an East Indiaman, built in 1788. These ships were like big cargo vessels of their time, used by the British Honourable East India Company to carry valuable goods between Britain and places like India and China. Ocean made four important trips for the Company between 1789 and 1797. Sadly, her last journey ended when she was wrecked near the island of Kalatea in the East Indies.
Quick facts for kids History |
|
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} British East India Company |
|
| Name | Ocean |
| Owner | William Fraser (principal managing owner) |
| Builder | Wells, Deptford |
| Launched | 30 October 1788 |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 1189, or 1,18951⁄94(bm) |
| Length | 136 ft 4 in (41.6 m) (overall), 132 ft 2+3⁄4 in (40.3 m) (keel) |
| Beam | 41 ft 1+1⁄2 in (12.5 m) |
| Depth of hold | 17 ft 0 in (5.2 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 125 men |
| Armament | 26 × 6-pounder guns |
Contents
Voyages of the Ocean
East Indiamen like Ocean usually traveled in groups called convoys. This was for safety. Ships from the British Royal Navy often sailed with them to protect them from pirates or enemy ships. Even so, the Indiamen were well-armed with cannons to defend themselves.
First Journey (1789–1790)
For her first voyage, Ocean sailed to Madras (in India) and then to China. Captain James Tod was in command.
- She left Torbay, England, on 26 February 1789.
- She arrived in Madras on 24 June.
- Then she reached Whampoa, China, on 26 September.
- After loading goods, she began her return trip, reaching Saint Helena on 15 April 1790.
- Ocean arrived back in England on 6 June 1790.
Second Journey (1791–1793)
Captain Andrew Patton took command of Ocean for her second voyage. He would be her captain for all her remaining trips. This journey took her to St Helena, Madras, and China.
- She left England on 17 December 1791.
- She reached St Helena on 27 February 1792.
- After stopping in Madras, she arrived in Whampoa, China, on 16 August.
- On her way back, she reached St Helena by 12 February 1793.
- Ocean returned to England on 17 April 1793.
The East India Company checked their ships carefully. Captain Patton and other captains were later fined because their cargo was not packed exactly as the Company wanted.
Third Journey (1794–1795)
Before Ocean could start her third voyage, the British government held her and other ships at Portsmouth. They planned to use them to transport soldiers for an attack on Île de France (now Mauritius). However, the plan was cancelled, and the ships were released in May 1794. The government paid the Company for the delay.
Captain Patton left Portsmouth on 2 May 1794, heading for China.
- Ocean arrived in Whampoa on 27 September.
- She started her journey home on 3 December.
- She reached St Helena on 13 April 1795.
- Ocean arrived back in England on 23 July 1795.
Because this voyage happened during the French Revolutionary Wars, Captain Patton had a special document called a letter of marque. This allowed his ship to capture enemy vessels if they had the chance.
Fourth Journey and Loss (1796–1797)
Ocean's fourth voyage was again to Madras and China. Captain Patton left Portsmouth on 17 May 1796.
- She reached the Cape of Good Hope on 2 August.
- From there, she sailed to Madras, arriving in November.
- She then arrived at Colombo (in Sri Lanka) on 7 December.
From Colombo, Ocean sailed towards China with five other East Indiamen. The senior captain, James Farquharson, was in charge of this group of ships.
The Bali Strait Incident
On 28 January 1797, the group of East Indiamen was sailing through the Bali Strait, near Java. They suddenly came across a French squadron of warships led by Admiral de Sercey.
Captain Farquharson knew his slower cargo ships could not outrun the faster French warships. So, he decided to try a clever trick! He raised the flag of a very important British commander, Admiral Rainier. He also made his other ships raise flags to look like a large British naval fleet. Farquharson then sent two of his ships to pretend to chase the French.
When the French saw this, they thought they were facing a much stronger British navy force. Admiral de Sercey, who had orders to avoid big battles, decided to retreat. This clever bluff saved the East Indiamen and made Captain Farquharson famous!
Shipwreck of Ocean
Just a few days later, on 1 February, a big storm hit. Ocean struck a hidden reef near Kalatea island (7°9′S 121°0′E / 7.150°S 121.000°E). Captain Patton sent a small boat to try and get help from the local people.
The crew decided to sink Ocean on 5 February to prevent it from breaking apart on the reef. During the evacuation, most of the ship's boats were lost, and two crew members drowned. The remaining crew camped on the shore.
On 15 February, local people attacked the survivors, killing seven and injuring four. On 18 February, Captain Patton and his remaining crew left the island in the ship's longboat and three hired local boats called proas. They sailed about 500 miles and safely reached Amboina (now Ambon Island) on 28 February.
Later, another East Indiaman, Taunton Castle, which had also been damaged in the storm, stopped at Ambonya. She picked up the survivors from Ocean and brought them back to England. The East India Company estimated that the cargo lost on Ocean was worth a lot of money.
