''Dart'' was launched in South America under a different name. She was taken in
prize
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people (such as sporting teams and organizations) to recognize and reward their actions and achievements. circa 1806. Once under British ownership she performed one voyage as a
whaler
A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales.
Terminology
The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Japa ...
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
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 ...
'' (''LR'') in 1807 with R. Smith, master
Master or masters may refer to:
Ranks or titles
* Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans
*Grandmaster (chess), National 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
The history of slavery spans many cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times to the present day. Likewise, its victims have come from many different ethnicities and religious groups. The social, economic, and legal positions of en ...
vessels, all of which she sent into Freetown where the Vice admiralty court
Vice Admiralty Courts were juryless courts located in British colonies that were granted jurisdiction over local legal matters related to maritime activities, such as disputes between merchants and seamen.
American Colonies
American maritime ac ...
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
''Lloyd's List'' is one of the world's oldest continuously running journals, having provided weekly shipping news in London as early as 1734. It was published daily until 2013 (when the final print issue, number 60,850, was published), and is ...
'' 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