Asia was a merchant barque built at Whitby in 1813. She made one voyage to India for the British East India Company (EIC) in 1820–21, and one voyage to Van Diemen's Land in 1827–28 transporting convicts. Asia then traded to the Mediterranean, but mostly to Quebec. She was last listed in 1850.

History
United Kingdom
NameAsia
Owner
  • 1813:Edward Chapman,[2] or Aaron Chapman[1]
  • 1820:Aaron Campbell (Managing owner)
BuilderFishburn & Brodrick,[1] Whitby
Launched24 April 1813[1]
FateLast listed 1850
General characteristics
TypeBrig
Tons burthen455,[4] or 458[1] (bm)
Length118 ft 8 in (36.2 m)[3]
Beam29 ft 9 in (9.1 m)[3]
PropulsionSail
Armament10 × 18-pounder guns "of the New Construction"

Mention is made of the ship in “Reminiscences of a Canadian Pioneer” by Samuel Thompson:

“...at length engaged passage in the bark Asia, 500 tons, rated A. No. 1, formerly an East Indiaman, and now bound for Quebec, to seek a cargo of white pine lumber for the London market.”

Origins edit

Asia was launched at Whitby in 1813. She then became a transport.[3]

Asia first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1813 with Walker, master, Chapman, owner, and trade London transport.[5]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1815 Walker
Goodwin
Chapman London transport
London–Jamaica
LR
1820 Goodwin
Patterson
Chapman London–Jamaica
London–Lisbon
LR

Lloyd's Register for the years 1820 to 1823 does not show a voyage to India. However, the Register was only as accurate as the information owners chose to feed it. The Register of Shipping for 1821 does show a voyage to India. It has Asia, Patterson, master, Chapman, owner, sailing from London to Bombay, and then London to Quebec.[6]

Lloyd's Register Master Owner Trade
1820 Godwin
Patterson
Chapman London-Jamaica
London-Lisbon
1821 Patterson Chapman London-Lisbon
1822 Patterson Chapman London-Lisbon
London-Quebec
1823 Patterson Chapman London-Quebec

EIC voyage (1820–1821): Captain John Patterson sailed from the Downs on 4 June 1820, bound for Bombay. Asia arrived at Bombay on 26 September. Homeward bound, she was at the Cape of Good Hope on 27 February 1821, reached Saint Helena on 19 March, and arrived back at East India Dock on 31 May.[7]

Lloyd's Register Master Owner Trade
1824 Tindall Chapman London-Quebec
1825 Tindall Chapman London-Quebec
1826 Tindall Chapman London-Quebec
1827 Tindall Chapman London
1828 Tindall Chapman London

In 1825 Asia shifted her registry to London.[3]

Convict transport: A table of convict voyages to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land in 1828 Lloyd's Register, lists Asia, J. Edman, master, A. Chapman, owner, but does not specify the destination. A belated notation in Lloyd's Register for 1829 too advises that J. Edman was master of Asia in 1827.

Under the command of John Edman, Asia sailed from London, England on 1 August 1827, and arrived at Hobart Town on 30 November.[4] She had embarked 158 male convicts, one of whom died on the voyage.[8] Asia left Hobart Town on 19 December bound for Sydney arriving on 24 December.[9] Asia left Sydney on 25 January bound for Isle de France.

Later career edit

Lloyd's Register Master Owner Trade
1829 Tindall Chapman London
1830 J. Edmonds Chapman Cowes-Antwerp
1831 J. Edmonds
R. White
Chapman London
1832 R. White Chapman London-Quebec
1833 R. White Chapman London
1834 R. White London
1835 R. White London
1836 R. White Chapman London-Gibraltar
1837 Wilson Chapman London-Gibraltar
1838 G. Aeir Chapman London
1839 Richardson Chapman London-Bermuda
London-Malta
1840 Richardson Chapman London-Malta
1841 Richardson
Woodward
Chapman London-Malta
London-Quebec
1842 Richardson
Woodward
Chapman London-Malta
London-Quebec
1843 Woodward Chapman London-Quebec
1844 Woodward Chapman London-Quebec
1845 Woodward Chapman London-Quebec
1846 Woodward Chapman London-Quebec
1847 Woodward Chapman London-Quebec
1848 Woodward Chapman London-Quebec
1849 Woodward Chapman London-Quebec
1850 Woodward Chapman London-Quebec

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d Hackman (2001), p. 223.
  2. ^ Weatherill (1908), p. 158.
  3. ^ a b c d Weatherill (1908), p. 124.
  4. ^ a b Bateson (1959), p. 308-309.
  5. ^ LR (1813), Supple.pages "A", Seq.№A91.
  6. ^ Register of Shipping (1821), Seq. №A1165.
  7. ^ British Library: Asia (7).
  8. ^ Bateson (1959), p. 331.
  9. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Friday 28 December 1827, p.2. Retrieved 3 February 2013.

References edit

  • Bateson, Charles (1959). The Convict Ships. Brown, Son & Ferguson. OCLC 3778075.
  • Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-96-7.
  • Weatherill, Richard (1908). The ancient port of Whitby and its shipping. Whitby: Horne and Son.