Dispatch Packet (1808 ship)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Builder | France[1] |
| Launched | 1807[1] |
| Acquired | 1808 |
| Fate | Wrecked 14 April 1812 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 180[1] (bm) |
| Armament | 10 × 6-pounder guns[1] |
Dispatch Packet (or Dispatch) was launched in France in 1807, probably under another name. She was taken in prize and from 1808 sailed from Falmouth, Cornwall, as a packet for the Post Office Packet Service. She sailed primarily to the Iberian peninsula, but also made voyages to North America, Suriname, and the Mediterranean. She was wrecked on 14 April 1812 while returning to Falmouth from Malta.
The following information is from Howat.[2]
| Captain | Date of appointment |
|---|---|
| John Harris | 18 August 1808 |
| Edward Vinscombe | 10 January 1810 |
| John Parsons | 30 July 1810 |
| William Kirkness | November 1810 |
Fate[edit]
Dispatch was wrecked on a shoal between Malta and Mazara del Vallo, Trapani.[2] All on board and the mails were rescued.[3][2]
Captain Kirkness returned to England aboard the store ship HMS Abundance.
Citations[edit]
- ^ a b c d Register of shipping (1812), Seq.No.269.
- ^ a b c Howat (1984), p. 24.
- ^ "Marine List". Lloyd's List (4672). 9 June 1812. hdl:2027/hvd.32044105232920.
References[edit]
- Howat, J.N.T. (1984). South American packets: the British packet service to Brazil, the River Plate, the West Coast (via the Straits of Magellan), and the Falkland Islands, 1808-80. York, England: Postal History Society in Association with William Sessions. ISBN 0900657952.