Brunswick
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Brunswick

ship; East Indiaman for the British East India Company


Inception
1792
Vessel Type
East Indiaman

* This information from Wikidata is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

Brunswick was an East Indiaman launched in 1792 for the British East India Company (EIC), designed for long voyages between Britain, India, and China. She was a sizable vessel of approximately 1,100 tons (bm), constructed with the capacity to carry passengers, crew, and cargo over extended routes. Her dimensions and specific construction details are not provided in the source, but as an East Indiaman, she would have been built for durability and cargo capacity, with multiple decks and reinforced hulls to withstand the rigors of sea travel and potential engagement with enemy ships. Throughout her service, Brunswick completed five full voyages for the EIC, engaging in trade and military-support activities amid the geopolitical conflicts of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Her voyages took her to key locations such as Bombay, China (Whampoa), Malacca, and Ceylon. Her early voyages included stops at Bombay, Malacca, and Whampoa, with her homeward passages passing through St. Helena and returning to Long Reach. Notably, during her service, she acquired letters of marque, allowing her to act as a privateer, indicating her dual role as a merchant and a potential combatant. During her career, Brunswick participated in military support operations, including transporting troops and engaging in convoy actions. In 1804, she was part of a convoy under her captain, James Ludovic Grant, and captured a French brig, Charlotte, after a prolonged chase in the Mozambique Channel. Her voyages often involved navigation through challenging waters, including grounding at the Second Bar near Whampoa in 1804, from which she was successfully refloated. Her maritime significance lies in her role as a representative of the East India Company's commercial and military efforts during a tumultuous period. Her capture by the French in 1805 at the Cape of Good Hope marked the end of her service, with the French vessel Marengo capturing her after a brief engagement. Brunswick's wreck at Simon's Bay and her subsequent sale underscore the perilous nature of maritime operations during this era, especially amid the ongoing conflicts between Britain and France.

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

Ships

1 ship citation (1 free) in 1 resources

Brunswick (1792)
Book Merchant Sailing Ships, 1775-1815: Sovereignty of Sail
Author David R. MacGregor
Published Conway Maritime, London,
ISBN 0870214187, 9780870214189
Page 210