''Young William'' was a ship launched in 1794 at Whitby,

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

, England. She made a voyage to

Botany Bay Botany Bay (Dharawal: ''Kamay''), an open oceanic embayment, is located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, south of the Sydney central business district. Its source is the confluence of the Georges River at Taren Point and the Cook ...

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 South ...

(EIC), and then on her way to China discovered or rediscovered several Pacific Islands. Later, she made two voyages as a

slave ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea coast ...

. She was wrecked in September 1802.

Career

EIC voyage

On 11 September 1794 ''Young William'', with James Mortlock, master, started taking on stores at Deptford on the account of the Government of New South Wales. She then waited at Portsmouth and Plymouth for a convoy to Australia. Captain Mortlock sailed from Portsmouth on 25 May 1795, bound for China via

Port Jackson Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea ...

. ''Young William'' reached Rio de Janeiro on 11 July. There she revictualed and stayed until 22 July. On 19 August she passed the Cape of Good Hope. She finally arrived at Port Jackson on 4 October. She unloaded her stores and then on 29 October left for China. Mortlock sailed for China via New Guinea. On 14 November a flotilla of war canoe approached ''Young William'', clearly intending to board. Mortlock fired a warning shot from one of his cannon, which sufficed to deter them. On his way, Mortlock rediscovered two sets of islands. At noon on 20 November Mortlock gave his position as . This is about 10 miles from the

Takuu Atoll Takuu, formerly known as Tauu and also known as Takuu Mortlock or Marqueen Islands, is a small, isolated atoll off the east coast of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea. Geography Takuu lies about 250 km to the northeast of Kieta, capital of ...

, a Polynesian outlier atoll northeast of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. On 28 November Mortlock identified another atoll, this one at . This is Satawan, which is part of the Nomoi or Mortlock Islands in the Carolines and administratively part of Chuuk State in the

Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM) is an island country in Oceania. It consists of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise a ...

. Both sets are in the

: the

Nomoi Islands The Nomoi Islands, also known as the Mortlock Islands, are a group of three atolls in the state of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. They are located about southeast of Chuuk Lagoon. Islands The Mortlock Islands are Ettal, Namoluk, Ta, N ...

and the

Upper Mortlock Islands The Nomoi Islands, also known as the Mortlock Islands, are a group of three atolls in the state of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. They are located about southeast of Chuuk Lagoon. Islands The Mortlock Islands are Ettal, Namoluk, Ta, N ...

. ''Young William'' reached Macao on 13 December, and then arrived at

Whampoa Anchorage Pazhou is a subdistrict of Haizhu in southeastern Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, in China. , formerly Whampoa Island, has a total area of and is the site of Pazhou Pagoda. Its eastern bay was formerly the chief anchorage for ships parti ...

on 22 December. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 9 February 1796, reached St Helena on 6 May, and arrived at The Downs on 3 August.British Library: ''Young William''.
/ref> On 2 August the British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

intercepted her at St. Catherine's Point and pressed most of her crew.

Transport

''Young William'' 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 1797 with W. Walker, master, W. Leighton, owner and trade London transport. That entry continued unchanged in 1798.

Slaver

In 1799, the entry continued, but indicated a change of master to J. Carshaw, a change of owner to Tobin, an increase in armament, and a change in trade to Liverpool-Africa.''LR'' (1799), Seq.No.Y27.
/ref> 1st slave voyage (1799–1800): On 1 July 1799 ''Young William'', Joseph Carshore (or Carshaw), master, sailed to the Bight of Biafra and Gulf of Guinea islands to gather slaves. She embarked her slaves at Bonny and carried them to Montego Bay, Jamaica. ''Young William'' arrived at Jamaica on 22 April 1800. She disembarked 589 slaves. She arrived at London on 24 December. At some point in the voyage her master had changed to John Smith. She had left Liverpool with a crew of 50 men; 11 men died during the voyage. 2nd slave voyage (1801): In 1801, her master changed first to Robert Bennett and then to W. Williams. She underwent repairs in 1801. Robert Bennett, master, sailed ''Young William'' from Liverpool on 31 November 1801 to the Bight of Biafra and Gulf of Guinea islands. She left Africa on 5 May 1802, and arrived at Kingston, Jamaica, on 21 June, where she disembarked 346 slaves. At some point James Pierce Carroll replaced Bennett as master. She left Jamaica on 28 July 1802.Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Voyage: ''Young William'' voyage #84103.
/ref>

Fate

One report from late September 1802, stated that ''Young William'', Carrol, master, from Jamaica to Liverpool, was on shore at Holyhead. The expectation was that part of the cargo would be saved. Another report had her running aground at Crigyll,

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

, and being wrecked. Her crew were rescued."Shipping and Commercial List". ''Caledonian Mercury'' (12646), 30 September 1802. Of her crew of 43, 13 had died on the voyage.

Notes

Citations

References

* * {{1802 shipwrecks 1794 ships Ships built in England Ships of the British East India Company Age of Sail merchant ships Merchant ships of the United Kingdom Liverpool slave ships Maritime incidents in 1802 Shipwrecks of Wales