Diamond (1798 Ship)

''Diamond'' was launched in 1798 at Quebec. French privateers captured her three times, the third time retaining her. In between she sailed as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Her third capture occurred while she was on a whaling voyage. Her last voyage took her from Île de France to Bordeaux where she was decommissioned in January 1809.

British career

''Diamond'' was the first 500-ton (bm) vessel built at Quebec since the British occupation.

''Diamond'' entered ''Lloyd's Register'' in 1800 with Anderson, master, Beatson, owner, and trade London-Halifax.''Lloyd's Register'' (1800), Seq. №276.
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The French privateer ''Grand Décidé'' captured "The Diamond Transport, from Halifax to Portsmouth" around end-October 1800.''Lloyd's List'
7 November 1800, №4100.
/ref> On 1 November the Royal Navy Cutter ''Viper'' recaptured ''Diamond''. ''Viper'' sent ''Diamond'' into Falmouth, where she arrived on 3 November.

In 1801 ''Diamond''s ownership changed. The entry in the online copy of ''Lloyd's Register'' is illegible, but the entry in the 1802 issue shows her master as Clark, her owner as Parry & Co., and her trade as London-Africa.''Lloyd's Register'' (1802), Seq. №98.
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On 24 August 1801 Captain James Clark received a letter of marque.Letter of Marqu

- accessed 14 May 2011. ''Diamond'' then made two under Clarks command transporting enslaved people.

1st voyage transporting enslaved people (1801–1802): ''Diamond'' left London on 31 August 1801. In 1801, 147 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for Africa to acquire and transport enslaved people; 23 of these vessels sailed from London.

''Diamond'' then delivered 391 captives to Trinidad, where she arrived on 1 March 1802. She returned to London on 13 June.Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – ''Diamond'' voyage #80989.
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2nd voyage transporting enslaved people (1802–1803): ''Diamond'' left London on 13 September 1802. In 1802, 155 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for Africa to acquire and transport enslaved people; 30 of these vessels sailed from London.

''Diamond'' arrived at Havana, Cuba, on 1 April 1803. There she landed 389 captives.Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – ''Diamond'' voyage #80990.
/ref> As ''Diamond'' was returning from Havana on 9 August she encountered the French privateer , which took her captive. However, recaptured ''Diamond'' on the 12th and sent her into The Downs (ship anchorage), The Downs. A few days later ''Diamond'' ran on shore a few miles below Gravesend and bilged. ''Diamond'' arrived back in London on 31 August.

Next, ''Diamond'' became a whaling ship for J. Hill & Co., with destination the South Seas.''Lloyd's Register'' (1805), Seq. №113.
/ref> Captain Mark Munro (or Monro) received a letter of marque on 31 August 1804, and sailed her from Britain on 17 September 1804 with destination Isle of Desolation. She was at Desolation on 25 February 1805.British Southern Whale Fishery Database – voyages: ''Diamond''.
/ref> She was also reported to have been "all well" there on 5 May.

On 10 November, the French privateer ''Napoléon'' captured ''Diamond'' in the Mozambique Channel, after a three-day chase. Then on 10 December ''Napoléon'' captured . The capture occurred off Cape Agulhas as ''Hercules'' was returning to England from Bombay, and ''Napoléon'' sent her into Port Louis. At her capture, ''Hercules'' was carrying a cargo of cotton. In November 1805, ''Napoléon'' brought the prisoners from ''Hercules'' and from ''Diamond'' into the Cape Colony, then in Dutch hands. There Alex Tennant, resident in the Cape, arranged at his own expense for the prisoners to be sent to St Helena.''Records of the Cape Colony from February 1793'' (1901), Government of the Cape Colony; pp.404-12. The Danish ship ''Beshriermerin'' arrived at St Helena on 6 January 1806 with the British crews.''Lloyd's List'' 4 March 1806, №4302.
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French career

The French renamed ''Diamond'' ''Diamant''. An ambiguous report has "The ''Napoleon'', prize of the ''Diamant'', consignees of the Lenouvelle brothers, three masted vessel, of about 400 tons, copper-lined, to be sold 5 April 806by notary Guérin."

At Île de France the French commissioned ''Diamant'' in September 1808 under the command of Captain Joseph Potier "''en guerre et en marchandises''", that is an armed merchantman that was also authorised to take prizes should the opportunity arise. In mid-October, ''Diamant'' left Mauritius, bound for Lorient. She arrived in Quiberon Bay in the evening of 21 January 1809 and ran into the British blockade; a frigate gave chase, but Potier managed to escape by throwing his artillery overboard. ''Diamant'' arrived off Bordeaux on the 23rd, where a storm forced Potier to cut down her masts to save the ship; he finally arrived in Bordeaux harbour on the 25th. She was decommissioned after her arrival at Bordeaux in January 1809.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Diamond (1798 ship)
1798 ships
Age of Sail merchant ships
Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
London slave ships
Whaling ships
Captured ships
Merchant ships of France