Castor & Pollux (1790 ship)

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History
Great Britain
NameCastor & Pollux
Launched1790, Tignmouth (Teignmouth)
Capturedcirca 1801
General characteristics
Tons burthen262,[1] or 269,[1][2] (bm)
Complement
Armament
  • 1794: 12 × 4-pounder guns + 4 swivel guns[1]
  • 1795: 12 × 4-pounder guns + 4 swivel gun[1]
  • 1800: 2 × 4-pounder guns + 8 × 18-pounder carronades

Castor & Pollux was launched at Teignmouth in 1790. Initially she traded with the Mediterranean, and on one voyage suffered a fire at sea. She then became a West Indiaman. In 1799 she commenced a voyage as a whaler. A Spanish privateer captured her in the Pacific circa 1801.

Career[edit]

Castor & Pollux first appeared in the Lloyd's Register (LR) volume for 1791.[2]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1791 R.Codner Captain Exeter–Straits LR

Lloyd's List reported in September 1792 that Castor & Polleux, Codner, master, had been returning from Manfredonia when she caught fire at sea. Her captain and crew ran her onshore at Alicant to extinguish the fire.[3]

War with France broke out early in 1793. Captain William Codner acquired a letter of marque on 30 April 1794.[1]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1794 R.Codner
W.Codner
R.Codner Exeter–Straits
London–San Domingo
LR
1795 W.Codner
G.Godwin
R.Codner
Lee & Co.
London–San Domingo LR

Captain John Godwin acquired a letter of marque on 3 April 1795.[1]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1796 G.Godwin J.Lee & Co. London–Barbados LR
1798 G.Godwin J.Lee & Co.
Latham & Son
London–Barbados LR
1799 Godwin
Anderson
Latham & Son
Lushington
London–South Seas LR; repairs 1799

On 21 March 1799 Castor & Pollux, Anderson, master, was at Deal, waiting to sail for the South Seas. In February 1800 Castor & Pollux called in at Rio de Janeiro in want of refreshments and repairs.[4][5]

Fate[edit]

In May 1801 Lloyd's List reported that a Spanish ship of 24 guns had captured "Britannia, late Mortlock, of London", and Castor & Pollux, Anderson, master, in the Galapagos Islands. The Spaniards then took their prizes into Lima.[6] Their captor was the privateer Atlante, under the command of Dominque de Orué.[7]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Letter of Marque, p.55 – Retrieved 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b LR (1791), Seq.No.C475.
  3. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 2438. 21 September 1792. hdl:2027/hvd.32044105232961.
  4. ^ Clayton (2014), p. 83.
  5. ^ British southern whale fishery database – Voyages: Castor & Pollux.
  6. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4152. 19 May 1801. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735020.
  7. ^ Ortiz Sotelo (2012), p. 258.

References[edit]