Star (1812 ship)

Star was launched in New York in 1812. She was captured in 1813 and first appears in the Register of Shipping (RS) in 1814.[2][Note 1] In 1815 she sailed to Batavia under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). On her way back a privateer from the United States captured her in a notable single-ship action and then sent her into New York.

History
United States of America
Name: Star
Builder: New York
Launched: 1812
Captured: 9 February 1813
United Kingdom
Name: Star
Acquired: 1814 by purchase of a prize
Captured: 1815
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 350,[1] or 392[2][3] (bm)
Complement: 35[1]
Armament:

Career

On 13 February 1813 Star, which had been sailing from New York to Bordeaux, arrived at Bideford. She was a prize to HMS Superb.[4] Superbe had captured her on 9 February near Belleisle. Captain Charles Paget, of Superb, described the prize as "the fine American brig Star, of three hundred and fifty tons, six guns, and thirty-five men."[1] Star was sold to Christie & Co., who retained her name.[3]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1815 (stale data) Williams Gilpin London–Baltic LR
1814 F.Gilpin Gilpin London–CGH RS

In 1813 the EIC lost its monopoly on the trade between India and Britain. British ships were then free to sail to India or the Indian Ocean under a license from the EIC.[5] Star sailed for Batavia on 10 May 1814 under a license from the EIC.[6]

The Baltimore privateer Surprise captured Star on 28 January 1815, after a single-ship action that lasted an hour. Star had a crew of 26 men and was armed with eight guns; she had one man killed and one wounded before she struck. Surprise had no casualties.[7][Note 2] Lloyd's List reported that Star, Thompson, master, had been sailing from Batavia to London.[8]

Surprise sent Star into New York, where she arrived on 1 March.[Note 3]

A newspaper account of her arrival in New York notes that she had been built there. It describes her as of 400 tons and eight guns. Her cargo consisted of 2012 bags of coffee, 1186 bags of sugar, 83 cases of cinnamon, 45 tubs of camphor, five cases of tortoise shell, 297 bags of sago, 22 bales of nankeens, 224 piculs of sappan wood, 90 sheets of heavy copper, 83 bales of woolen trousers, etc. The value of the prize was estimated at $250,000.[10]

Notes, Citations, and references

Notes

  1. She probably appeared in 1814 in Lloyd's Register's supplemental pages, but the pages are missing from the on-line copy.
  2. Emmons reports that Barnes was captain of Surprise, but by this time Barstow had replaced Barnes.[7]
  3. Hackman mis-attributes this Star's fate to that of Star.[9]

Citations

  1. "No. 16705". The London Gazette. 20 February 1813. p. 377.
  2. RS (1814), "S" supple. pages.
  3. Hackman (2001), p. 314.
  4. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (4747). 16 February 1813. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  5. Hackman (2001), p. 247.
  6. LR (1815), "Licensed and Country Ships".
  7. Emmons (1853), p. 204.
  8. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (4959). 31 March 1815. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  9. Hackman (2001), p. 243.
  10. "Ship News". Providence Patriot, Columbian Phenix (Providence, Rhode Island), 11 March 1815; Issue 9.

References

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