Lapwing (1794 ship)

Lapwing was launched at Bristol in 1794, and lengthened in 1797. She was a West Indiaman until in 1801 she became a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. However, on her first enslaving voyage a Spanish privateer captured her. Although the Spanish authorities ordered her restitution to her owners, it is not clear that the order was anything but moot.

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

History
Great Britain
NameLapwing
Owner
  • 1800: G. and J. Fisher
  • 1801: C. Anderson
BuilderBristol[1]
Launched1794[1]
Captured11 December 1801
General characteristics
Tons burthen
  • 1794: 226[2] (bm)
  • 1797: 313[3] (bm; after lengthening)
Complement45[3]
Armament22 × 9&6-pounder guns[3]

Career

Lapwing was first listed in Lloyd's List (LR) in 1794.[2]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1794 D.Brown G.Fisher Bristol–St. Vincent LR
1796 D.Brown
P.Leyson		 G.Fisher Bristol–St. Vincent LR
1797 J.Duncan G.Fisher Bristol–Tobago LR
1801 J.Duncan
R.Curran		 G&J.Fisher
C.Anderson		 Bristol–Tobago LR; lengthened 1797

Enslaving voyage (1801): Captain Robert Curran acquired a letter of marque on 21 March 1801.[3] He sailed from Bristol on 13 April 1801.[4] On 19 May Lapwing, Corran, master, was "all well" at Cape Mount. On 20 October she was at Cape Coast Castle.[5]

On 11 December as Lapwing, of Bristol, Curran, master, was on her way to Demerara from Africa, a Spanish privateer captured her off Demerara and took her into Orinoco.[6] She was carrying 330 captives, 4480 pounds of ivory, 215 ounces of gold, and some trade goods.[7] Lapwing was condemned and sold.[5]

The Spanish Government ordered her returned to her owner, with damages. The privateer had captured Lapwing one day after the end of hostilities.[8] Her value at the time of capture was estimated at £43,800.[5] It is not clear how much her owners recovered, given that she had been sold and payments disbursed.

Anderson had insured Lapwing for £26,500. In 1806 Anderson petitioned the British Government and gave his losses as £57,511 15s 6d, including interest. The wording of his petition is such that it is not clear whether the claim was net of the proceeds of insurance or not.[7]

In 1801, 23 British enslaving ships had been lost. Ten had been lost in the Middle Passage, sailing between Africa and the West Indies.[9] During the period 1793 to 1807, war, rather than maritime hazards or resistance by the captives, was the greatest cause of vessel losses among British enslaving vessels.[10]

Citations
  1. Farr (1950), p. 239.
  2. LR (1794), Seq.NO.389.
  3. "Letter of Marque, p.72 - accessed 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  4. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Lapwing voyage #18245.
  5. Richardson (1996), p. 258.
  6. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4239. 19 March 1802. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735020.
  7. Inikori (2002), pp. 358–359.
  8. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4351. 20 May 1803. hdl:2027/hvd.32044050633072.
  9. Inikori (1996), p. 62.
  10. Inikori (1996), p. 58.

References
  • Farr, Grahame E., ed. (1950). Records of Bristol Ships, 1800-1838 (vessels over 150 tons). Vol. 15. Bristol Record Society. OCLC 602853041.
  • Inikori, Joseph (1996). "Measuring the unmeasured hazards of the Atlantic slave trade: Documents relating to the British trade". Revue française d'histoire d'outre-mer. 83 (312): 53–92.
  • Inikori, Joseph E. (2002). Africans and the Industrial Revolution in England: A Study in International Trade and Economic Development. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521010795.
  • Richardson, David, ed. (1996). Bristol, Africa, and the Eighteenth-Century Slave Trade to America, Vo. 4 The Final Years, 1770-1807. Bristol Record Society, c/o Department of Historical Studies, Univ. of Bristol. ISBN 0-901538-17-5.
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