Neptune (1805 ship)

Neptune, was launched in 1805 as a West Indiaman. A French privateer captured her in 1809 but passengers and some disaffected members of the prize crew recaptured her. She returned to the West Indies trade and foundered on 4 February 1825 while returning to Liverpool from New Orleans.

For other ships with the same name, see Neptune (ship).

History
United Kingdom
Name:	Neptune
Builder:	Lancaster
Launched:	1805
Fate:	Foundered 4 February 1825
General characteristics
Tons burthen:	300[1] (bm)
Armament:	4 × 12 + 2 × 24-pounder carronades

Career

Neptune first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1805.[1]

Year	Master	Owner	Trade	Source
1805	T.Wilson	Mason & Co.	Lancaster–Tortola	LR
1809	T.Wilson Johnson	Mason & Co.	Lancaster–Tortola	LR

Capture and recapture

The French corvette Mouche, of 16 guns and 145–150 men, left Corunna on 11 April. She then cruised some 100 miles from Scilly in company with a cutter of 10 guns.[2]

According to the report in Lloyd's List, prior to 17 May Mouche captured:

• the Spanish ship Neptune,
• Neptune, Wilson, master, sailing from Liverpool to the West Indies,
• Success, of and for Jersey, from St Michaels,
• Betsey, of Bridport, from the Canaries,
• a Swedish brig, and
• a Portuguese brig.

Mouche put the captured crews aboard Betsey and let them leave.[3]

Mouche appears to have captured two vessels named Neptune, both with Wilson, master. The second Neptune, Thomas Wilson, master, had been sailing from Lancaster to St Thomas when Mouche captured her on 22 April after an action of 45 minutes during which Neptune ha several men wounded.[2] After Neptune struck, the French took Captain Thomas Wilson and his crew onto Mouche. They left on board Neptune four British passengers and two boys. The captors put on board a French prize master and 16 Spaniards. Between 22 and 26 April the French plundered Neptune of everything they could, including watches and other personal property belonging to the passengers. On 27 April captor and captive sailed for Corruna, but separated that night in a gale. One of the passengers, Mr. Barrows, understood French and Spanish and realized that several of the Spanish prize crew were disaffected with the French prize master. The British and the dissafected Spaniards took control of Neptune on 1 May. Captain Walters, another of the passengers, took command. Neptune arrived at Madeira on 5 May. There Captain Sager of HMS Raleigh provided assistance. It was expected that Neptune would resume her voyage i a few days.[4]

West Indiaman

Year	Master	Owner	Trade	Source & notes
1810	J. Johnson	Mason & Co.	London–St Croix	LR
1813	J.Johnson J.Burney	Mason & Co.	London–St Croix	LR; repairs 1813
1816	J.Burney Dawson	Mason & Co.	Liverpool–St Thomas	LR; repairs 1813
1818	H.Dawson	Barrows & Co.	London–Tortola	LR; repairs 1813
1822	T.Dawson J.Dickson	Burrow & Co.	Liverpool–Tortola Liverpool–New Orleans	LR; repairs 1813
1825	J.Dickson	Capt. & Co.	Liverpool	LR; good repair 1824

Fate

Neptune foundered on 4 February 1825 in Cardigan Bay off Barmouth. She was returning from New Orleans, Louisiana to Liverpool.[5]

Citations and references

Citations

1. LR (1805), Supple. pages "N", Seq.No.N13.
2. "SHIP NEWS". Lancaster Gazette and General Advertiser, for Lancashire, Westmorland, &c. (Lancaster, England), 27 May 1809; Issue 415.
3. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (4355). 23 May 1809. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
4. "SHIP NEWS". Lancaster Gazette and General Advertiser, for Lancashire, Westmorland, &c. (Lancaster, England), 3 June 1809; Issue 416.
5. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (5984). 8 February 1825. Retrieved 22 June 2020.

References

• Wallace, Frederick William (1929). Record of Canadian shipping: a list of square-rigged vessels, mainly 500 tons and over, built in the eastern provinces of British North America from the year 1786 to 1920.