HMS Camel, originally launched as Severn in 1812 at Calcutta, was a vessel with a notable service history spanning both military and commercial uses. She was built in Calcutta and initially registered there before being purchased by the British Admiralty in 1813. The navy acquired her for £17,000, along with her fellow vessel Hindostan, which was commissioned as HMS Buffalo. Upon purchase, Severn was renamed HMS Camel and was commissioned on 23 November 1811 under Master James Keith, with her early service including deployment as a store-ship at the Cape of Good Hope by June 1819. In 1823, she transitioned to serve as a convict hulk, reflecting her versatility within naval logistics. In 1831, the navy sold Camel for £2,800, and she resumed her original name, Severn. Her commercial career was marked by her entry into Lloyd’s Register and her role in trade between London and Calcutta, with small repairs undertaken that same year. Notably, she made a significant voyage for the British East India Company, chartered in 1833 for a voyage to Bengal. Under Captain George Mott Braithwaite, she left Portsmouth in July 1833, reaching Calcutta in December, and returning via Saint Helena, arriving back in The Downs in August 1834. By the late 1830s, Severn was trading between London and Bombay, with her master and owner changing to H. Wake and Gladstanes, respectively. In October 1837, she transported missionaries to Travancore but sustained damages en route, requiring a stop at Portsmouth. Lloyd’s Register of 1842 lists her with H. Wake as master and Goldstanes as owner, with her trade route still between London and Calcutta. However, she disappeared circa 1841 after departing Calcutta in December 1840 bound for China, and by August 1841, she was reported missing, marking the end of her maritime service.

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