The Cornwallis was a snow built in 1787 at Bombay Dockyard specifically for the Bengal Pilot Service under the auspices of the Honourable East India Company (EIC). As a snow, her design featured a two-masted vessel with a square-rigged foremast and a mainmast, optimized for navigation and pilotage duties in the Indian Ocean region. Details about her exact dimensions are not specified in the available records, but her construction at Bombay Dockyard indicates typical craftsmanship of the period, tailored for the operational needs of EIC maritime activities. Initially, Cornwallis played a significant role in supporting British colonial expansion in the Bay of Bengal and surrounding regions. On 12 November 1792, she departed Calcutta alongside other EIC vessels—Juno, Union, and Seahorse—under Captain Archibald Blair’s command, with the mission to establish a settlement on North Andaman Island. Despite a gale dispersing the fleet, she arrived last on 14 December, contributing to the British efforts to establish a presence in the Andaman Islands. During this period, she was commanded by Captain C. Crawley, who documented mutinous sentiments among the European crew members, leading to his replacement in late December by Lieutenant Wales of the Bombay Marine, after which Cornwallis was transferred from her pilot service role to the Andaman Station. In early 1793, Cornwallis continued her service by supporting colonial administration, arriving at Port Cornwallis with sepoys and being dispatched to Sumatra’s coasts for resource procurement, including rice, livestock, and coconuts. Her operational activities demonstrated her versatility in supporting British colonial and military logistics in the region. Her service was interrupted when she was captured by a French privateer, Esperse, at Balasore Roads on 10 or 19 December 1796. Under the command of Mr. Atkins at the time, Cornwallis was taken to Mauritius, arriving on 25 January 1797, and was recorded as a prize taken by the French vessel Enterprise, captained by Leblond. This capture marked the end of Cornwallis’s service history, reflecting the ongoing maritime conflicts of the period between Britain and France. Her story underscores her role in colonial expansion and her eventual loss amid the broader context of the late 18th-century naval conflicts.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.