Sailing, Shipping & Shipwrecks | Page 42

December 1, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Boston Traders Precede Missionaries

In the Islands, as in New France (Canada to Louisiana (1534,)) New Spain (SW and Central North America to Mexico and Central America (1521)) and New England (NE US,) the trader preceded the missionary.

For a generation previous to 1820 New England seamen had found rest, healing and even profit in the Islands.

When US independence closed the colonial trade routes within the British empire, the merchantmen and whalers of New England swarmed around the Horn, in search of new markets and sources of supply.

The opening of the China trade was the first and most spectacular result of this enterprise; the establishment of trading relations with Hawai‘i followed shortly.

Years before the westward land movement gathered momentum, the energies of seafaring New Englanders found their natural outlet, along their traditional pathway, in the Pacific Ocean.

Probably the first American vessel to touch at Hawai‘i was the famous Columbia of Boston, Capt. Robert Gray, on August 24, 1789, in the course of her first voyage around the world. She remained twenty-four days at the Islands, salted down five puncheons of pork, and sailed with one hundred and fifty live hogs on deck.

A young native called Attoo, who shipped there as ordinary seaman, attracted much attention at Boston, on the Columbia’s return, by his gorgeous feather cloak and helmet.

Attoo was the first of several young Hawaiians who, arriving in New England as seamen on merchant vessels, influenced the American Board of Foreign Missions to found the Mission School at Cornwall, Connecticut, which was the origin of the famous mission of 1819-20.

Captain Amasa Delano brought a young Hawaiian boy (whom Delano named ’Bill’,) arriving in Boston on November 2, 1801. (Carr)

“He performed on the Boston stage several times, in the tragedy of Capt. Cook, and was much admired by the audience and the publick in general.” (Delano)

The Boston traders who followed the Columbia to the Northwest Coast and Canton, found ‘The Islands,’ as they called the Hawaiian group, an ideal place to procure fresh provisions, in the course of their three-year voyages.

Capt. Joseph Ingraham stopped there in the Hope, of Boston, in May, 1792. Five months later, Captain Gray, fresh from his discovery of the Columbia River, ‘Made the Isle of Owhyhee, one of the Sandwich Islands,’ writes John Boit, Jr, the 17-year-old fifth mate of this vessel.

(October 30, 1792) “Hove to, for some Canoes, and purchased 11 Hogs from the Natives, and plenty of vegetables, such as Sweet Potatoes, Yams, tarro, etc. These Canoes was very neatly made, but quite narrow. The Outrigger kept them steady, or else, I think, they wou’d too easily upset in the Sea.”

Off Kealakekua Bay: “Some double Canoes came alongside. These was suspended apart by large rafters, well supported. The Masts were rig’d between the canoes, and they carried their mat sails a long time, sailing very fast. The Shore was lined with people. “

(October 31, 1792) “Stood round the Island and hau’d into Toaj yah yah bay, 194 and hove to. Vast many canoes sailing in company with us. The shore made a delightful appearance, and appeared in the highest state of cultivation. Many canoes along side, containing beautiful Women.”

“Plenty of Hogs and fowls, together with most of the Tropical fruits in abundance, great quantities of Water, and Musk, Mellons, Sugar Cane, Bread fruit, and salt was brought for sale. The price of a large Hog was from 5 to 10 spikes — smaller ones in proportion. 6 Dunghill fowls for an Iron Chizzle, and fruit cheaper still.” (Boit)

It did not take long for the Northwest Coast fur traders to discover at Hawai‘i a new medium for the Canton market. That market was, of course, the prime object of our Northwest fur trade.

China took nothing that the US produced; hence Boston traders, in order to obtain the wherewithal to purchase teas and silks at Canton, spent 18-months or more of each China voyage collecting a cargo of sea-otter skins, highly esteemed by the mandarins.

Salem traders, in the same quest for the wealth of the Indies, resorted to various South Sea Islands for edible birds’ nests, and beche de mer or trepang, a variety of sea-cucumber that tickled the mandarin palate.

Captain Kendrick (who originally commanded the Columbia but remained in Pacific waters with the sloop Lady Washington), discovered about the year 1791 that Hawaii produced sandalwood, an article in great demand at Canton.

Captain Vancouver found on the Island of Kauai, in March, 1792, an Englishman, a Welshman and an Irishman whom Kendrick had left there the previous October, to collect pearls and sandalwood against his return.

Practically every vessel that visited the North Pacific in the closing years of the 18th century stopped at Hawai‘i for refreshment and recreation; but it was not until the opening years of the 19th that the sandalwood business became a recognized branch of trade.

The imports at Canton of that fragrant commodity in American vessels rose from 900 piculs (of 133 1/3 pounds each) in 1804-05 to 19,036 piculs in 1811-12.

Sandalwood, geography and fresh provisions made the Islands a vital link in a closely articulated trade route between Boston, the Northwest Coast, and Canton.

Nathan Winship, Wm. Heath Davis, and Jonathan Winship, Jr made a deal with Kamehameha for sandalwood and cotton in 1812. One of the Winships was residing at Honolulu when the missionaries landed, on April 19, 1820, and placed his house at their disposal.

“We were sheltered in three native-built houses, kindly off’red us by Messrs Winship, Lewis and Navarro, somewhat scattered in the midst of an irregular village or town of thatched huts, of 3000 or 4000 inhabitants.”

“After the fatigue of removing from the brig to the shore, Captain Pigot of New York considerately and kindly gave us, at evening, a hospitable cup of tea, truly acceptable to poor pilgrims in our circumstances, so far from the sympathies of home.”

“As soon as the bustle of debarking was over, and our grass-thatched cottages made habitable, we erected an altar unto the Omnipresent God, and in unison with the first detachment of the mission, presented him our offerings of thanksgiving and praise”. (Hiram Bingham) (This was the first communion service on Hawaiian soil.) (Morison)

A new era opened in 1820 with the arrival of the first missionaries, the first whalers and the opening of a new reign. It was the missionaries who brought Hawai‘i in touch with a better side of New England civilization than that represented by the trading vessels and their crews.

But without the trader, the missionary would not have come. The commercial relations between Massachusetts and Hawai‘i form the solid background of American expansion in the Pacific.

At the same time, the Hawaiian market for American goods was rapidly increasing, owing to the improved standards of living.

As early as 1823 there were four mercantile houses in the Islands: Hunnewell’s, Jones’s, ‘Nor’west John DeWolf’s (from Bristol, Rhode Island) and another from New York (possibly that of John Jacob Astor & Son, represented by John Ebbets (Kuykendall.)) (Morison)

“Their storehouses are abundantly furnished with goods in demand by the islanders; and at them, most articles contained in common retail shops and groceries in America, may be purchased.”

“The whole trade of the four probably amounts to one hundred thousand dollars a year – sandal wood principally, and specie, being the returns for imported manufactures.”

“Each of these trading houses usually has a ship or brig in the harbor, or at some one of the islands; besides others that touch to make repairs and obtain refreshments, in their voyages between the north-west, Mexican and South American coasts, and China.”

“The agents and clerks of these establishments, and the supercargoes and officers of the vessels attached to them, with transient visiters in ships holding similar situations, form the most respectable class of foreigners with whom we are called to have intercourse.” (Stewart)

The New England whalers, so much complained of by the China traders, brought them new business by creating a local market for ships’ stores, chandlery, etc.; and by giving them return freights of oil and whalebone.

About 1829 the Islands were visited annually by nineteen American vessels engaged in the Northwest fur, South American, China and Manila trades, and by one hundred whalers.

The little community of respectable traders and missionaries, with a disreputable fringe of deserters from merchantment and whalers, was so predominantly Bostonian that ‘Boston’ acquired the same connotation in Hawaii as along the Northwest Coast. It stood for the whole United States.

Hawaii had, in fact, become an outpost of New England. The foreign settlement at Honolulu, with its frame houses shipped around the Horn, haircloth furniture, orthodox meeting house built of coral blocks, and New England Sabbath, was as Yankee as a suburb of Boston.

(The bulk of this post is from the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society; Samuel Eliot Morison presented the paper to the October, 1920 meeting of the Society.)

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November 4, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Growing US Influence

“It was the Napoleonic Wars more than anything else which allowed Hawai‘i to begin to shift from the British to the American sphere of influence.”

“In 1792, in 1793, and again in 1794 – while the French Revolution was spilling only French blood and the future Admiral Lord Nelson had no cause to marshal His Majesty’s ships at home – Capt. George Vancouver visited the budding conqueror Kamehameha and accepted his offer on behalf of George III of a pseudo-protectorate over Hawai‘i.” (Stauffer)

“Kamehameha’s chief foreign advisors, the British subjects Isaac Davis and John Young, continued their efforts to maintain close relations with their homeland by building on the great initial relations and understanding between the two nations …”

“… and as late as the 1810s Western naval officers recognized a special relationship, a de facto protectorate or alliance as some wrote, existing between Great Britain and Hawai‘i.”

“Into the breach created by the withdrawal of the British came the spirited American merchants, dissuaded from American-European trade by Jefferson’s embargo on Napoleonic combatants.”

“Although delayed slightly by the American-British War of 1812, American merchants experienced an economic boom through the sandalwood trade at the war’s close.”

“By 1820, the year of the establishment of the American-dominated whaling industry centered in Hawai’i as well as the landing of the first American missionaries there, Americans associated with Hawai’i played a key role in the political economy of the northern Pacific.”

“From the wild fur-trading camps of Astoria and Portland to the rollicking ports of Lahaina and Honolulu to the Chinese markets at Canton, business came increasingly under the domination of American traders.”

“Like the British during the previous hundred years, the Americans spread their political relations behind the advance formations of their merchants.”

“Only after decades of American commerce being established in the Pacific did the United States Navy follow.”

“In 1825 a Pacific Squadron made up of the single frigate United States and the small schooners Dolphin and Peacock was mobilized and sent to Peru to guard the routes of American shipping around the Cape.”

“And, as commerce had brought the Navy that far, it was not surprising when, one year later, commerce brought first one and then the other of those schooners to Hawai‘i to address the concerns of American whalers and traders.” (Stauffer)

“Thomas ap Catesby Jones was “Ordered to the Pacific Squadron in 1826, Jones, with the rank of Master Commandant (i.e., Commander) was in command of the sloop Peacock when he was sent to the South Seas and Hawai‘i later that year.”

“Jones’ sloop-of-war Peacock made good time from the Society Islands, arriving at Honolulu after a trip of just 22 days. Spying the whaler Foster out from Nantucket anchored off the mouth of Honolulu harbor, Jones boarded her at four o’clock in the afternoon of October 10, 1826, to gain a background report on the Islands.”

“By 3:30 p.m. the next day the Peacock had been brought into the harbor and was at anchor.”

“Lord Byron had put into port a year earlier and, while not bringing a cession treaty from London, he had reaffirmed the special interest and feelings existing between Great Britain and Hawai‘i.”

“In contrast, the American Navy had not been well represented in the Islands. In the War of 1812 an American privateer holding authentic Letters of Marque and Reprisal had sailed into Honolulu harbor only to be captured, together with several merchant ships, by the British warship Cherub.”

“The next American military ship to enter Honolulu was the sloop Dolphin, commanded by Lieutenant John ‘Mad Jack’ Percival, dispatched by Commodore Hull specifically to look into the matter of the alleged ‘debts,’ and received at port on January 26, 1826.”

“The object of my visit to the Sandwich Islands was of high national importance, of multifarious character, and left entirely to my judgment as to the mode of executing it, with no other guide than a laconic order, which the Government designed one of the oldest and most experienced commanders in the navy should execute”. (Jones, Report of Minister of Foreign Affairs)

“Under so great a responsibility, it was necessary for me to proceed with the greatest caution, and to measure well every step before it was taken; consequently the first ten or fifteen days were devoted to the study and examination of the character and natural disposition of a people who are so little known to the civilized world, and with whom I had important business to transact.”

“The Sandwich Islanders as legislators are a cautious, grave, deliberate people, extremely jealous of their rights as a nation, and are slow to enter into any treaty or compact with foreigners, by which the latter can gain any foot-hold or claim to their soil.”

“Aware of these traits in the character of the Islanders with whom I had to negotiate, I determined to conduct my correspondence with them in such a manner as at once to remove all grounds of suspicion as to the object and views of the American Government, and to guard against misrepresentation and undue influence”.

“(I also wanted to) give the Chiefs and others in authority, the means of understanding perfectly the nature of my propositions, I took the precaution to have all official communications translated into the Oahuan language, which translation always accompanied the original in English”.

“(B)y giving them their own time to canvass and consult together, I found no difficulty in carrying every measure I proposed, and could I have been fully acqainted with the views of my government, or been authorized to make treaties, I do not doubt but my success would have been complete in any undertaking of that character.” (Jones Report to Navy Department, 1827)

Jones’s first order of business was the matter of the deserters; after initial discussions with local Hawaiian officials about a comprehensive treaty, Jones proposed on October 31, 1826, that a ‘rule’ be established, “which ought never to be departed from”’ regarding foreigners in Hawai’i.

Under the proposed ‘rule,’ all American sailors who had deserted their ships would be immediately removed from the Islands no matter under what circumstances or how far back in the past the desertion had occurred. Secondly, any American otherwise living in Hawai’i who had no “visible means of making an honest livelihood” would be removed. Finally, Jones proposed that “all other foreigners who did not support a good character” should likewise be banished.

Governor Boki, as well as both the American and British representatives were in favor of the proposal. He then approached the issue of ’debts’ (on November 4, 1826) – these primarily dealt with the ‘payment’ of sandalwood that was promised to traders for goods given. The chiefs agreed to pay off all the ‘debts’ in full. (Staffer)

Then on November 13, “The communication … which accompanied some regulations of general interest to our commerce in the Pacific was not less successful”. (Jones Report to Navy Department, 1827)

On December 23, 1826, the US signed a treaty (Articles of Arrangement) with the Kingdom of Hawaii thus indirectly recognizing Hawaiian independence. (State Department Historian) It is generally referred to as the Treaty of 1826 and was Hawaiʻi’s first treaty with the US.

It “received the signatures of the Ruling Princes and Chiefs, in testimony of their approbation of them, and as a pledge of their sincere friendship and confidence in the American Nation, and their earnest desire to remain neutral and take no part in any foreign wars.” (Jones Report to Navy Department, 1827)

The meeting considered the ‘Articles of Arrangement,’ a trade agreement between the US and the Hawaiian Kingdom, which was accepted and signed by Thomas ap Catesby Jones, and Kaʻahumanu as Queen Regent, Kalanimōku as Prime Minister, and the principal chiefs Boki, Hoapili, and Nāmāhāna. (Gapp)

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November 3, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Trade Winds

The spice trade began in the Middle East over 4,000 years ago. Initially, the spice trade was conducted mostly by camel caravans over land routes. The Silk Road was an important route connecting Asia with the Mediterranean world, including North Africa and Europe.

Trade on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the great civilizations of China, India, Egypt, Persia, Arabia, and Rome.

In the 15th century, the spice trade was transformed by the European Age of Discovery. By this time, navigational equipment was better and long-haul sailing became possible.

Rich entrepreneurs began outfitting explorers in hopes of circumventing Venice by discovering new ways to reach the areas where spices were grown. There were many voyages that missed their targets, but several of them ended up discovering new lands and new treasures.

When Christopher Columbus set out in search of India, he found America instead, and brought back to Spain the fruits and vegetables he found, including chiles (he called them ‘peppers’, and the term ‘chile pepper’ persists to this day). (Spice Road)

It was not until 1487 that Bartholomew Diaz set off on the voyage that finally reached the southern tip of Africa. By rounding the Cape of Good Hope, Diaz proved that the Atlantic and Indian Oceans were not landlocked, as many European geographers of the time thought, and rekindled the idea that a sea route to India might indeed be feasible.

In 1497 King John’s successor, Manuel I, appointed Vasco da Gama to lead a pioneering voyage to India. The fleet consisted of four ships, two of which had been specially constructed. These were square-rigged ships of shallow draught weighing about 200 tons.

The flagship, St Gabriel, was captained by Vasco da Gama, and the St Raphael was under the command of his brother Paolo da Gama. Berrio Nicolau Coelho commanded a lanteen-rigged caravel of about 100 tons, and the fourth ship was a store ship. they rounded the Cape of Good Hope. (Winser; BBC)

On Christmas Day 1497 the three remaining ships were sailing northwards along the east coast of what is now South Africa and called the country ‘Natal’. By January 11, 1498 they were exploring the mouth of Copper River (‘Rio Cobre’), named after the copper ornaments worn by the local population. (Winser; BBC)

As spices became more common, their value began to fall. The trade routes were wide open, people had figured out how to transplant spice plants to other parts of the world, and the wealthy monopolies began to crumble. (Spice Road)

The development of ocean travel in the 16th century brought with it an increasing knowledge of wind patterns. The phrase ‘trade wind’ is ancient. Deriving from an old use of ‘trade’ to mean a fixed track.

It is applied to any wind which follows a predictable course. Since such winds can be of great value to merchant ships making long ocean voyages, the term becomes understood in the 18th century to mean winds which support trade. (World Heritage Encyclopedia)

Then, the captain of a sailing ship seeks a course along which the winds can be expected to blow in the direction of travel. During the Age of Sail the pattern of prevailing winds made various points of the globe easy or difficult to access. Back then, some ships could only sail downwind. (Silk Road)

The Portuguese recognized the importance of the trade winds in navigation in the Atlantic Ocean as early as the 15th century. They learned, in order to reach South Africa, they needed to go far out in the ocean, head for Brazil and around 30°S go east again.

Following the African coast southbound means upwind in the Southern hemisphere. In the Pacific Ocean, the full wind circulation, which included both the trade wind easterlies and higher-latitude Westerlies, was unknown (to Europeans) until Andres de Urdaneta’s voyage in 1565.

By the 18th century the importance of the trade winds to England’s merchant fleet for crossing the Atlantic Ocean had led both the general public and etymologists to identify the name with a later meaning of ‘trade’, ‘(foreign) commerce’. (World Heritage Encyclopedia)

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WindPatterns

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Principal Voyages of Exploration-Duiker

October 8, 2017 by Peter T Young 3 Comments

Ships to Hawaii Before 1819

The following is a chronological listing of voyages to Hawai‘i. The information is from a summary from Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society (HMCS) and is limited to material in the library of the Mission Houses’ library, one of the largest of Hawaiiana in existence.)

While a complete list is desirable, to accomplish this, it would be necessary to examine carefully all the known ships’ logs, private journals, newspapers and other old documents. While it may not be a complete listing, it notes the bulk of voyages to the Islands. (Judd, HMCS)

1778
Resolution – Captain James Cook, arrived January 18, 1778, departed Feb. 2, 1778; Discovery – Captain Charles Clerke
Second visit – arrived Nov. 26, 1778, departed Feb. 4, 1779; but a broken mast on the Resolution forced both vessels to return Feb. 11, 1779. Captain Cook was killed Feb 14. Vessels finally left islands March 13, 1779.
“For several years after this melancholy event no ship visited the islands after Captain Cook.” (Dibble)

1786
King George – British registry, Capt Nathaniel Portlock, arrived May 24, 1786, departed Jun 13, 1786 – came a second time in Nov 1786 and a third in Sept. 1787. Accompanied by Queen Charlotte.
Queen Charlotte – British registry, Capt. George Dixon, with Portlock’s expedition, arrived May 26, 1786, departed June 13, 1786
Boussole – French naval frigate, La Pérouse in command; arrived May 29, 1786, departed May 30, 1786. He landed at Maui only. Accompanied by Astrolabe.
Astrolabe – French naval frigate, de Langle in command, with La Pérouse’s expedition; arrived May 29, 1786, departed May 30, 1786.

1787
Nootka – British registry; John Meares, master; arrived Aug. 2, 1787, departed Sept. 2, 1787.
Queen Charlotte – British registry; Capt George Dixon; with Portlock’s expedition; arrived Sept. 5, 1787, departed Sept. 18, 1787
King George – British registry; Capt. Nathaniel Portlock; arrived Sept. 27, 1787, departed Oct. 8, 1787
Imperial Eagle or Loudoun – Charles William Barkley, master
Prince of Wales – British registry; James Colnett, master; spent winter of 1787-88 at Hawaii; accompanied by Princess Royal
Princess Royal – British registry, merchant vessel; Charles Duncan, master; spent winter of 1787-88 at Hawaii with Prince of Wales

1788
Felice – Britsh registry; John Meares, master; arrived Oct. 18, 1788, departed Oct. 26, 1788
Iphigenia – British registry, ship; William Douglas, master; arrived Dec. 6, 1788, departed Mar. 16, 1789; accompanied by North West America
North West America – British registry, schooner; Robert Funter, master; arrived Dec. 6, 1799, departed March 15, 1789; accompanied by North West America

1789
Iphigenia – British registry; William Douglas, master; arrived July 20, 1789, departed Aug. 20, 1789
Columbia – Boston registry, ship; Robert Gray, master; arrived in August 1789
Mercury – British registry, brig; Capt. John Henry Cox, master; arrived Sept. 23, 1789, departed Sept. 25, 1789; George Mortimer on board

1790
Eleanora – American registry, brig; Simon Metcalf, master; by ordering the Olowalu Massacre, Simon Metcalf provoked the natives to retaliation. This the Hawaiians accomplished by capturing the Fair American and murdering all the crew except Isaac Davis. When John Young, the boatswain, was sent ashore from the Eleanora a few days later, he was held by natives for fear he would tell Metcalf of the fate of the crew of the Fair American. Young and Davis became two of Kamehameha I’s chief advisors.
Fair American – American registry; Thomas Metcalf, master

1791
Princess Royal – Formerly British registry, now under Spanish colors; Manuel Quimper, master; arrived Apr. 1791
Argonaut – British registry, merchant vessel; James Colnett, master; arrived Apr. 1791; credited with bringing first sheep to Kauai
Hope – American registry, brigantine, trader; Joseph Ingraham, master; arrived Oct. 6, 1791, departed Oct. 12, 1791
Lady Washington – American registry, sloop; Capt. John Kendrick, master
Hancock – American registry, brig; Capt. Crowell, master

1792
Discovery – Capt. George Vancouver; accompanied by Chatham; arrived Mar. 2, 1792, departed Mar. 16, 1792
Chatham – Lieut. William Robert Broughton; accompanied Discover; arrived Mar 2, 1792, departed Mar. 16, 1792
Daedalus – British naval store ship; lieut. Hergest; arrived May 7, 1792, departed May 12, 1792
Columbia – Boston registry, ship; Robert Gray, master; arrived Oct 29, 1792, departed Nov. 3, 1792
Halcyon – Charles William Barkley, master; arrived Nov. 8, 1792, departed Nov. 15, 1792
Margaret – American registry, ship; Capt. Magee, master
Jenny – England; Capt. Baker, master

1793
Discovery – Capt. George Vancouver; accompanied by Chatham; arrived Feb. 12, 1793, departed Mar. 30, 1793
Chatham – Lieut. Peter Puget; accompanied Discovery; arrived Feb. 12, 1793
Jefferson – American registry, trader; Capt. Roberts, master; arrived Mar 1793
Butterworth – English registry, trader; William Brown, master

1794
Discovery – Capt. George Vancouver; accompanied by Chatham; arrived Jan. 9, 1794, departed Mar. 14, 1794
Chatham – Lieut. Peter Puget; accompanied Discovery; arrived January 9, 1794, departed Mar. 14, 1794
Britannia – first vessel built in Hawaii; constructed under Vancouver’s supervision in Feb, 1794
Jefferson – American registry; Capt. Roberts, master; arrived Oct 1794
Phoenix – Capt. Moore, master
Jackal – English registry, schooner, trader; William Brown, master
Prince Lee Boo – English registry, Capt. Gordon, master
Lady Washington – American registry; Capt. John Kendrick, master

1795
Union – Boston registry; John Boit, jr., master; arrived Oct. 13, 1795, departed Oct. 16, 1795
Jane – arrived Oct. 13, 1795, departed Nov. 12, 1795
Ruby – Charles Bishop, master
Mercury – Capt. Barnett, master

1796
Providence – Capt. William Robert Broughton; arrived Jan. 1, 1796, departed Feb. 20, 1796
Arthur – Henry Barber, master
Otter – Boston registry; Ebenezer Dorr, master; sighted Hawaii Dec. 2, 1796, left Kauai Jan. 1, 1797

1798
Neptune – American registry; Daniel Greene, master; arrived Aug. 12, 1798, departed Aug. 31, 1798

1799
Caroline or Dragon – American registry, Richard J. Cleveland, master; arrived July 19, 1799, departed July 21, 1799

1800
Betsy – British registry; arrived Oct. 21, 1800, departed Oct. 28, 1800

1801
Perseverance – American registry; Masa Delano, master; arrived December 10, 1801, departed December 20, 1801

1802
Atahualpa – Boston registry; Capt. Wildes, master; arrived Aug. 5, 1802, departed Nov. 4, 1802
Margaret – British registry; Johy Buyers, master; arrived Dec 17, 1802, departed Jan. 21, 1803
Ann – American registry; arrived Dec. 25, 1802, departed Dec. 28, 1802

1803
Lelia Byrd – American registry; William Shaler, master; arrived June 21, 1803, departed July 7, 1803; brought first horse to Hawaii

1804
Nadeshda -Russian; Capt. Lieut. Adam John von Krusenstern in command; arrived June 7, 1804, departed June 10, 1804
Neva – Russian; Capt. Lieut. Urey Lisiansky in command under von Krusenstern; arrived Jun 8, 1804, departed Jun 20, 1804

1805
Lelia Byrd – American registry; William Shaler, master; arrived Aug. 22, 1805
Tamana – John Hudson, master; built in Hawaii 1805
Atahualpa – Boston; Capt. Adams, master; arrived Aug. 1805, departed Oct. 6, 1805
Yarmouth – arrived Dec. 8, 1805; Samuel Patterson; departed Dec. 22, 1805

1806
Hamilton – Boston; Capt. Porter
Perseverance – American; Amasa Delano, master; arrived Sept. 8, departed Sept. 30.
Port au Prince – London; Mr Brown, master; arrived Sept. 29, 1806, departed Oct. 26, 1806
Pearl – Boston; Capt. Ebetts, master
O’Cain – Boston; Jonathan Winship, master
Tamana – John Hudson, master

1807
Maryland – New York; Jonathan Perry, jr., master; arrived May 19, 1807, departed July 19, 1807

1809
Neva – Russian; Capt. Hargemeister; arrived Jan. 27, 1809
Dromo – American; arrived Feb. 24, 1809, departed Mar. 15, 1809

1810
Duke of Portland – Capt. Spence, master; arrived Feb., departed Mar. 4
Albatross – American

1811
Tonquin – American; Capt. Jonathan Thorn, master; arrived Feb. 13, 1811, departed Feb. 28

1812
Beaver – American; Capt. Cornelius Sowles, master; arrived Mar 26, 1812, departed Apr. 6, 1812

1813
Lark – American; Capt. Northcop, master

1814
Sir Andrew Hammond – U.S. ship of war; commanded by Lieut. John Gamble of Marine Corps; arrived May 23, 1814, departed June 11, 1814
Cherub – British ship of war; Capt. Tucker; arrived Jun 22, departed July 15
Atahualpa – Boston; sold to Russians, renamed to Bering; wrecked off Kauai during attempted occupation by Russians
Isabella, Othrytie, Kodiak, Ilmen and Bering – Russian vessels

1815
Columbia – British; Anthony Robson, master; arrived Jan 16, 1815, departed Jan 18, 1815
Millwood – New York; Samuel G. Bailey, master; arrived Dec. 7, departed Feb. 16
Columbia – British; Capt. Jennings; arrived Dec. 10, departed Jan 4, 1816

1816
Rurick – Russian; Lieut. Otto von Kotzenbue; arrived Nov 21, departed Dec 14

1817
Columbia – British; Capt. Jennings; arrived January 27, departed Apr. 16
Bordeaux Packet – American; Andrew Blanchard, master; arrived Aug 12; sold to Kalaimoku in Dec.
Rurick – Russian; Lieut. Otto von Kotzebue; arrived Sept 27, departed Oct. 14, 1817
Columbia – British; Capt. Jennings, master; arrived December 6; sold to Kamehameha I, May 2, 1818.

1818
Santa Rosa – A pirate ship under Capt. Turner; arrived May, departed Oct. 20
Osprey – arrived Aug 28, 1818, departed Sept. 20, 1818
Argentina – belonged to independents of South America; Capt. Hippolyte Bouchard; arrived Sept, departed Oct. 20
Kamschatka – Russian; Capt. Golovnin; arrived Oct. 20, 1818

(All information is from Voyages to Hawaii Before 1860, HMCS, 1929.)

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August 25, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Butterworth Squadron

In 1791, there was active debate for opening the trade opportunities to Pacific Ocean trade held by the South Sea Company and the East India Company, particularly considering the recent Nootka Convention with Spain which opened the Pacific Northwest Coast to British traders.

The Butterworth Squadron was a British commercial fleet of three vessels, the Butterworth, the Jackal and the Prince Lee Boo, that sailed for the Pacific Ocean from London via Cape Horn in late-1791.

The Butterworth was a whaling ship with a typical crew of forty-eight men. She is said to have originally been a French frigate of 30 guns, captured by the British.

Her master was Captain William Brown, “an able and expert seaman, regularly brought up in the whale fishery.” Before entering the Pacific, Brown and his ship Butterworth were Greenland whalers.

The Jackal (sometimes spelled “Jackall” or “Jack Hall”) was a small sloop that served as a tender to Butterworth. She “showed a tier of ports fore and aft. The greatest part of them were false or only painted, yet they made such a good appearance that for some time we concluded she was a King’s cutter or a tender to some man-of-war”.

The Prince Lee Boo was a small sloop; by several accounts somewhat lesser than the Jackal. The vessel was named for Prince Lee Boo, a young Palau Islander who traveled to London in 1784.

Prince Lee Boo and Jackal together are said to have carried a total of 9 boat guns ranging in size from 2 pounds to 6 pounds.

Prince Lee Boo was often used to take soundings ahead of the larger ship. She was loaned to Captain George Vancouver for this purpose in Queen Charlotte Sound in 1793.

The principals financing the expedition were Alderman William Curtis, London ship-owner Theophilus Pritzler and probably John Perry, a Blackwall shipbuilder.

The leader of the expedition was Captain William Brown. Sigismund Bacstrom, a naturalist who had previously sailed as a secretary to Sir Joseph Banks, was the surgeon for the expedition.

The Butterworth squadron first wintered at the Hawaiian Islands in February 1793, when control of the Islands was divided between Kamehameha who controlled Hawai’i and much of Maui, and Kahekili who controlled the islands west of Maui including Oahu and Kauai.

Brown traded in weapons with both Kamehameha and Kahekili, but strongly favored the latter. In particular, he entered into a contract with Kahekili giving Brown the title to the island of O‘ahu together with four islands to windward in return for weapons and military assistance suppressing a revolt on Kauai.

It was during this time that the Butterworth squadron became the first European vessels to enter the inner Honolulu Harbor.

At the death of Kahekili in 1793, Kaʻeo became ruling chief of Maui, Molokai and Lānaʻi. Kalanikūpule was ruler of Oʻahu. Homesick for his friends, Kaʻeo set out to return to Kauai by way of Waialua and then to Waimea; he learned of a conspiracy to kill him. (Kamakau)

Then, Kaʻeo invaded O‘ahu. This war became known as Kuki‘iahu and was fought from November 16 until December 12, 1794.

The Jackal and Prince Lee Boo returned to Oahu on November 21, 1794 to find a very different situation from the one they had left.

When Jackal and Prince Lee Boo arrived at Honolulu, Kalanikūpule requested their assistance in the battle. Eight men under the command of George Lamport, mate of the Jackal, joined Kalanikūpule’s forces in a series battles ashore while Captain Brown and the remaining crew defended the shoreline from the Jackal and Prince Lee Boo.

As war was waging, on December 3, 1794, Captain John Kendrick arrived in Fair Haven (Honolulu) aboard the Lady Washington.

While Kaʻeo was successful after some initial skirmishes. A great battle was fought in the area between Kalauao and ‘Aiea in ‘Ewa. Kalanikūpule’s forces surrounded Kaʻeo. (Cultural Surveys) The ship’s men successfully aided in the defense and Kaʻeo was defeated.

To celebrate the victory, on December 12, 1794, Kendrick’s brig fired a thirteen-gun salute in celebration the British ship of Captain Brown.

The tradition of rendering a salute by cannon originated in the 14th century as firearms and cannons came into use. Since these early devices contained only one projectile, discharging them rendered them harmless.

Initially, the tradition began as a custom among ships, whose captains had volleys fired upon entering a friendly port to release its arsenal, which demonstrated their peaceful intentions (by placing their weapons in a position that rendered them ineffective.)

Following Kendrick’s salute, Brown answered with a round of fire. Unfortunately, through an oversight, one of the saluting guns on the Jackal was loaded with round and grape shot, and this shot passed through the side of the Lady Washington, killing Captain Kendrick and several of his crew. (Kuykendall)

Soon after, a dispute arose between Capt. Brown and Kalanikūpule, however the exact nature of it is not clear. It may have related to Brown’s claims to O‘ahu, but it has been suggested that Kalanikūpule may have requested that Brown and his men assist Kalanikūpule in an attack against Kamehameha on Hawai’i, and Brown may have refused.

Kalanikūpule then decided to kill Captain Brown and capture the Jackal and Prince Lee Boo. At his chief’s advice, he agreed to pay the 400 hogs. On January 1, 1795, the hogs were herded down to the beach to be slaughtered and salted down in barrels.

“When the greatest part of the crew of the Jackall being on shore salting pork and the remainder part away with their boat collecting salt, except and one man, and part of the crew of the Prince Le Boo likewise on shore on duty …”

“… that the natives of the said island about ten am on the 1st of January attacked the said vessel with several canoes, killed the commander William Brown and Robert Gordon and wounded several others and got possession of the vessel.” (Bloxam; Payne)

Kalanikūpule and his chiefs then determined to attack Kamehameha’s forces on Hawai’i. On January 3, the captured crew was put to work preparing the vessels for sea, and on January 11 they were ready to sail for Hawai’i.

Kalanikūpule ordered all the arms and ammunition to be loaded into the two captured vessels, along with all the captured crew, although he was advised by his chiefs to divide them among the canoes.

On “the 12th of January … about three pm the chiefs ordered the vessels out of the harbor to go to the bay of Waikiki where about 4 pm, (some of the Jackal and Prince Lee Boo crew) brought up and lay till ten pm, and having all the people on board we both attacked the natives, wounded and drove them overboard and got possession of both vessels”. (Bloxam; Payne)

They released Kalanikūpule, his wife and one attendant in a canoe as they passed Diamond Head, then headed to Hawai‘i where they informed John Young and Kamehameha of Kalanikūpule’s invasion plans.

The Jackal and Prince Lee Boo sailed to China where the vessels were sold. Butterworth successfully returned to England at around 1794. (Lots of information here is from Payne)

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