''Batavia'' was built at Topsham, England in 1802. At first she traded independently with the East Indies, but then she made three voyages for the British

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

(EIC). Lastly, she made one voyage in 1818

transporting Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, and ...

convicts A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison". Convicts are often also known as "prisoners" or "inmates" or by the slang term "con", while a common label for former convict ...

to Australia. She was broken up in 1819.

Career

''Batavia'' was launched as ''Caroline'', but was renamed shortly after her launch. ''Batavia'' entered ''

Lloyd's Register Lloyd's Register Group Limited (LR) is a technical and professional services organisation and a maritime classification society, wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a UK charity dedicated to research and education in science and ...

'' in 1802 with W. Norval, master, Hayman, owner, and trade London–Batavia.''Lloyd's Register'' (1802), Supple. Seq.№B51.
/ref> ''Lloyd's Register'' for 1810 shows ''Batavia'' with J. Aitkin, master, changing to Mayne, Hayman, owner, and trade London transport.''Lloyd's Register'' (1810), Seq.№B57.
/ref>

Voyages to India

The EIC had ''Batavia'' measured before employing her. She also underwent a thorough repair in 1810. Captain John Mayne acquired a letter of marque on 15 May 1810. He would be ''Batavia''s captain on all three voyages for the EIC. First EIC voyage (1810-1812): Mayne sailed from Portsmouth on 9 June 1810, bound for Ceylon, Bengal, and Batavia. ''Batavia'' reached Madeira on 26 June and Colombo on 21 November. She arrived at

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

on 19 January 1811. She continued her journey, passing

Saugor Sagar is a city, municipal corporation and administrative headquarter in Sagar district of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Situated on a spur of the Vindhya Range, above sea-level. The city is around northeast of state capital ...

on 5 March, reaching Penang on 16 April and Malacca on 11 May. The reason ''Batavia'' was at Malacca was that she served as a transport during the British invasion of Java in 1811. She was part of the second division, which sailed from Malacca on 11 June 1811. ''Batavia'' was at Borneo on 21 July, before arriving at Batavia on 4 August. She returned to Malacca on 30 August and Calcutta on 17 December. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 7 March 1812, reached Mauritius on 19 May and

St Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...

on 24 July. In September , , , ''Batavia'', and were at on their way from

Saint Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...

to England and under escort by HMS ''Loire''. ''Batavia'' arrived at Blackwall on 30 October. Second EIC voyage (1813-1814): Mayne sailed from Portsmouth on 20 April 1813, bound for St Helena and Bengal. ''Batavia'' reached Madeira on 14 May and St Helena on 22 July. She arrived at Calcutta on 14 November. Bound for England, albeit not directly, she was at Saugor on 19 January 1814 and Ceylon on 13 February. She was at

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

on 17 March and Tellicheri on 17 April. She stopped at Mauritius on 23 June and was at the Cape on 27 July. She reached St Helena on 5 September. On 13 October she had a skirmish with an American ship, but reached the Wight on 15 November. She arrived at Long Reach on 20 November. Third EIC voyage (1816-1817): Mayne left the Downs on 15 May 1816, bound for Bengal. ''Batavia'' reached Madeira on 25 May and

Kedgeree Kedgeree (or occasionally ) is a dish consisting of cooked, flaked fish (traditionally smoked haddock), boiled rice, parsley, hard-boiled eggs, curry powder, butter or cream, and occasionally sultanas. The dish can be eaten hot or cold. Other ...

on 24 September, and arrived at Calcutta on 10 October. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 28 December,

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

on 12 January 1817, and St Helena on 5 May. She arrived at Long Reach on 20 July. Supposedly, ''Batavia'' was then seen as unseaworthy and sold for breaking up.

Convict transport

Captain William Lamb and surgeon J. Billing sailed from

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Ro ...

, then

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

on 11 November 1817, bound for Sydney, New South Wales. ''Batavia'' stopped at

Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...

leaving on 1 December, arriving on 5 April 1818. She had embarked some 221 male prisoners and disembarked 218 in Sydney. Detachments of the 34th and

46th Regiment of Foot The 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot to form the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1881, ...

provided the guard detachment. She left Port Jackson on 3 June 1818 bound for

. ''Batavia'' was forced to return to Sydney on 8 July, for repairs.

Fate

On 24 December 1819 ''Batavia''s register was cancelled as demolition was complete.

Citations

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Batavia (1802 ship) 1802 ships Ships built on the River Exe Age of Sail merchant ships of England Ships of the British East India Company Convict ships to New South Wales