Parnassus (1769 ship)

Parnassus was launched on the Thames in 1769. She first sailed as a West Indiaman. She twice encountered enemy privateers; the first time she repelled them, but the second time she was captured. A British privateer recaptured her. Parnassus became a whaler in the British Northern Fishery. She was last listed in 1796. The transport Parnassus was lost at Corsica in late 1796.

History
Great Britain
Name: Parnassus
Namesake: Mount Parnassus
Builder: Thames
Launched: 1769[1]
Fate: Lost at Corsica in late 1796
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 340,[2] or 348, or 400[1] (bm)
Propulsion: Sail
Complement: 50[2]
Armament:
  • 1778:16 × 6-pounder guns[1]
  • 1793:14 × 12&4-pounder guns[2]

Career

A gale on 25 October 1776 caused Captain Carr and Parnassus to separate from their escort, HMS Pallas, which was escorting their convoy from Jamaica. On 28 and 29 October Parnassus encountered three American privateers, each of ten guns. After an engagement of two and a half hours, the privateers sailed off.[3]

Missing issues and missing pages in extant issues mean that Parnassus first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1778. That issue showed her with Carr, master, Long & Co., owners, and trade London–Jamaica.[1]

In 1782 Parnassus and Carr were less fortunate than in 1776. A French privateer captured Parnassus as she was returning to England from Jamaica.[4] Viper, of Liverpool, recaptured Parnassus and sent her into Liverpool.[5] Viper, of 14 guns, was part of the Newfoundland squadron.[6] She was also described as being of 160 tons (bm), 18 guns, and 80 men.[7] On 30 October a French cartel from Saint-Malo arrived at Plymouth with Carr and several other captains of captured British ships.[6]

Parnassus was still listed in the 1784 LR with Carr, master, and trade London–Jamaica. Parnassus, in the Jamaica trade, Captain Dawson Carr, was offered for sale by the candle in October 1784. She had been copper sheathed in November 1784.[8]

LR was not published in 1785. "Parnassus" reappeared in the 1787 edition (published in 1786), with H. Clow, master, London ownership, and trade London–Greenland.[9]

On 11 July 1786 LL reported that Parnassus, Clow, master, was at Greenland and so far had taken three whales and 300 seals.[10]

On 10 July 1787 Parnassus was reported as having so far taken two whales.[11]

Captain Henry Clow acquired a letter of marque on 28 February 1793.[2]

Fate

Parnassus was last listed in LR in 1796 with H. Clow, master, Edwards, owner, and trade London–Davis Strait.[12]

However, this was probably stale data as there is no record that she was still whaling after 1793. Instead, Parnassus may have become a government transport. The transport Parnassus was lost at Corsica in late 1796.[13]

Citations and references

Citations

  1. LR (1778), Seq.№P19.
  2. "Letter of Marque, p.80 - accessed 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  3. Morgan (1976), p. 735.
  4. Lloyd's List (LL), №1402.
  5. LL №1405.
  6. LL №1410.
  7. Williams (1897), p. 236.
  8. "Sales by Candle". The Times (London, England), 12 October 1785; pg. 4; Issue 249.
  9. LR (1787), Seq.№P476.
  10. LL №1793.
  11. LL №1897.
  12. LR (1796), Seq.№26.
  13. "News". Oracle and Public Advertiser (London, England), 23 November 1796; Issue 19 486.

References

  • Morgan, William James, ed. (1976). Naval Documents of the American Revolution. 7, Part 5 of 9. Washington, DC: Naval History Deivision, Department of the Navy.
  • Williams, Gomer (1897). History of the Liverpool Privateers and Letters of Marque: With an Account of the Liverpool Slave Trade. W. Heinemann.
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