Iris(1803 ship)
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Launched | 1794[1] |
| Fate | Transferred to British ownership in 1803 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Iris |
| Owner | Hurry & Co.[2][1] |
| Acquired | 1803 (by purchase?) |
| Fate | Condemned 1805 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 357,[3]or 395[2](bm) |
| Complement | 30[3] |
| Armament | 10 × 6-pounder guns + 6swivel guns[3] |
Iriswas launched in France in 1794 and came into British hands in 1803, probably by purchase. She became awhalerin the British southern whale fishery. In 1805 she made an unsuccessful attack on a Batavian vessel.Iriswas condemned as unseaworthy in late 1805 on her way home after her first voyage as a whaler.
Career[edit]
Captain William Clark received aletter of marqueon 23 May 1803.[3]Irisappears in theRegister of Shippingfor 1804 with W. Clark, master, Hurry & Co. owner, and trade Plymouth–Southern Fishery. She also underwritten a good repair in 1803.
Captain Clark (or Clarke) sailed from England in July, bound for Timor.[4]Between 10 and 15 August 1804 she was among a number of whalers from London that were well at Timor, includingPerseverance,Elliott,Eliza,and others.[5]
In February 1805 Captain Clarke found out fromPolicy,and another vessel, nowSophia,that was a prize toPolicy,that a valuable Batavian vessel was coming from Batavia on her way to Banda.Irisintercepted the Batavian nearOmba Islandand gave chase, though her quarry had more guns and a larger crew.Irisattempted to board the Batavian, but she had too few crew men to prevail. After Clarke was badly woundedIris's chief office broke off the engagement; the Batavian maintained her cannon fire untilIriswas out of range, but chose not to pursue.[6]
Fate[edit]
Iriswas homeward bound from the southern fishery when she stopped atSaint Helena.There she was condemned in 1805 as unseaworthy. TheEast IndiamanUniontookIris's cargo of oil home.[7]
Citations[edit]
- ^abClayton (2014),p. 146.
- ^abRegister of Shipping(1804), Seq.№IJ963.
- ^abcd"Letter of Marque, p.69 - accessed 25 July 2017"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 20 October 2016.Retrieved22 April2018.
- ^British Southern Whale Fishery Voyage database:Iris.
- ^Lloyd's List№4253.
- ^"Ship News",Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser13 October 1805, p.2.
- ^Lloyd's List№4294.
References[edit]
- Clayton, Jane M (2014).Ships employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery from Britain: 1775–1815: An alphabetical list of ships.Berforts Group.ISBN9781908616524.
