Dart (1806 ship)

''Dart'' was launched in South America under a different name. She was taken in prize circa 1806. Once under British ownership she performed one voyage as a whaler in the southern whale fishery. She then traded as a merchantman before in 1810 receiving a letter of marque. As a privateer she did something quite unusual: she made a voyage to Africa where she captured five slave ships. After this ''Dart'' returned to normal trading, this time with South America. In 1813 as she was returning to London from Buenos Aires she stopped at Pernambuco, where she was condemned as unseaworthy.

British career

''Dart'' left Britain on 6 November 1806 under the command of Captain Richard Smith, with destination the South Seas. ''Dart'' entered ''Lloyd's Register'' (''LR'') in 1807 with R. Smith, master, Howlett, owner, and trade London-South Seas.''Lloyd's Register'' (1807): Seq. №D45
She returned on 13 September 1808,British Southern Whale Fishery Database – voyages: ''Dart''.
/ref> after having engaged in whaling and sealing off Australia.

''Lloyd's Register'' for 1809 shows ''Dart''s trade changing to London-New Orleans.

Captain James Wilkins received a letter of marque on 4 April 1810.
''LR'' for 1810 showed J. Wilkins replacing R. Smith as master, and ''Dart''s trade or voyage changing from London-New Orleans to "Africa".''LR'' (1810): Seq. №D41

During her time off Sierra Leone ''Dart'' detained five slave trading vessels, all of which she sent into Freetown where the Vice admiralty court condemned them.

All ''Dart''s captures were anomalous. The court at Freetown condemned ''Cirilla'' because the slavers exhibited contempt of court and "contumaciousness". ''Hermosa Rita'' was a case of a British vessel flying a false flag (see the ''Donna Marianna'' case). However, within a day of her capture, ''Hermosa Rita''s crew had recaptured her and were back on their way to Cuba. It took four days before the prize crew ''Dart'' had put on board was able to reassert their control. Although ''Mariana'', ''Santo Antonio Almos'', and ''Flor Deoclerim'' were Portuguese vessels, on 19 February 1810, under diplomatic pressure, Portugal signed a treaty of friendship and alliance that allowed British ships to police Portuguese shipping, meaning Portugal could only trade in slaves from its own African possessions. The treaty gave the court jurisdiction and the three Portuguese vessels became the first vessels it adjudicated and condemned under the treaty. Of ''Dart''s five prizes, the court condemned all except ''Cirilla'' to the King. ''Dart'' sailed for England in May 1811 and never returned to pursuing slavers.

In 1811 Thevetts replaced Howlett as owner of ''Dart''.''Lloyd's Register'' (1811): Seq. №D49
/ref> The next year Crossett became master, and her trade become London–Buenos Aires.

Fate

''Lloyd's Register'' for 1813 showed ''Dart'' with a new owner, Boyce & Co., and R. Crosset, master. However, in April 1813, ''Lloyd's List'' reported that "The Dart, Crossett, from Buenos Ayres to London", had been condemned at Pernambuco as unseaworthy.''Lloyd's List'' №4759.
/ref>

Citations and references

Citations

References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dart (1806 ship)
1797 ships
Whaling ships
Privateer ships of the United Kingdom
African slave trade
Maritime incidents in 1813
Age of Sail merchant ships
Merchant ships of the United Kingdom