# List of vessels of the Bengal Pilot Service to 1834

The Bengal Pilot Service (BPS) was an arm of the British East India Company (EIC). Its pilot boats were responsible for guiding East Indiamen, and other vessels, up and down the Hooghly River between Calcutta and the sea. The BPS vessels and their role were transferred to the Indian Navy in 1834.
The information in the tables below comes primarily from Phipps (designated with a "†"), or Hackman (designated with a "‡"). The vessels listed are those one source or the other identified as serving the Bengal Pilot Service. Where the two sources disagree with respect to some datum such as year of launch, or burthen, the first datum mentioned is from Phipps and the second is from Hackman.

## A & B

| Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
| Abercromby† | | 147 | 1794 | Fort William (Calcutta) | Converted to a buoy vessel; condemned and sold out of the service 1807 |
| Amazon† | Cruiser | 138 | 1769 | Calcutta | Stationed at Chittagong; dispatched to Cochin China April 1778 |
| Apollo† | Yacht | | | | Sold 4 January 1769 |
| Arrival‡ | Sloop | | 1676 | | |
| Asseergurh† | | 197 | 1819 | Kidderpore | Sold 1839, or still in BPS in 1851 |
| Balasore‡ | Sloop | | 1689 | | |
| Beacon† | Light vessel | 180 | 1831 | Howrah | Stationed at the Sand Heads; still in BPS in 1851 |
| Blessing‡ | Sloop | 80 | 1670 | London | |
| Bombay‡ | Sloop | | 1742 | | Not in the BPS in 1766† |
| Bonetto† or Bonetta‡ | Sloop | 107 | 1748 or 1746 | Bombay | Sold November 1786 |
| Brilliant‡ | Brigantine | | July 1743 | Bombay Dockyard | Madras Pilot Service |

## C

| Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
| Caranga† (equally Caranja) | Schooner | 130 | 1775 | Bombay | Destroyed by a fire April 1779 |
| Calcutta‡ | Sloop | | 1746 | Pegu | Authorized 14 April 1755 to be sunk to end white ant infestation; sold 1756 for breaking up |
| Calcutta‡ | Snow | | 1757 | Calcutta | Not in the BPS in 1766† |
| Carnac†‡ | Schooner | | 1762, or 1761, or 1763 | Bombay, or Chittagong | Sold 3 March 1767 |
| Carolina‡ | Sloop | | 1739 | Pegu | |
| Cartier†‡ | Brig | 150, or 170†‡ | 1787 | Bombay | Captured 21 January 1796 in Balasore Roads; recaptured February and taken into Madras |
| Cassimbazar (equally Cossimbazar | | | Fitted out October 1712 | | Out of service c.1731, but rebuilt c.August 1733 |
| Cavery†, or Cauvery‡ | Brig | 200 | 1838 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851 |
| Cecilia | Ship | 191 | 1813 | Bombay | Sold at Calcutta into country service 1828; Lengthened at Moulmain 1838 |
| Chandernagore† | Schooner | 85 | | Chandernagore | French pilot vessel seized at Calcutta on 5 July 1793; Condemned and sold at Calcutta on 27 June 1795 |
| Change† | Schooner | 144 | 1799 | Fort William | Transferred to the Residency at Ambonya September 1810. Participated in the 1810-11 British invasion of Java and the Moluccas. |
| Charles‡ | Sloop | | 1683 | London | |
| Charles† | River transport | 115 | 1796 | Calcutta | Sold 1808 |
| Charlotte† | Yacht | 174 | 1794 | Calcutta | Converted to an agent vessel 1802; condemned and sold 1808 |
| Chaser† | | 160 | 1778 | Batavia | |
| Chittagong† | Sloop | | 1755 | Mauritius | Sold 22 April 1767 |
| Colleron†‡ (or Coleroon) | Brig | 200 | 1838 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851 |
| Comet† | Floating light vessel | 139 | 1777 | Calcutta | Sold 1788 |
| Conimere‡ | Sloop | | 1682 | India | Purchased April 1683 at Madras for the BPS |
| Cornwallis†‡ | Brig | 170 | 1787 | Bombay Dockyard | 10 or 19 December 1796 the French privateer Enterprise captured her and she arrived at Mauritius in January 1797. |
| Cudbert Thornhill† | | 160 | 1804 | Calcutta | Sold 8 April 1818 into country service |
| Cuddalore†‡ | Sloop, or schooner | | 1752 | Bombay Dockyard | Lost 1775 |

## D — G

| Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
| Diamond Harbour | Anchor boat | | 1796 | Fort William | |
| Diana‡ | Ketch | | | | The EIC purchased her on 4 July 1704 for the BPS |
| Diligence† | Schooner | 101 | | Bombay | |
| Dolphin‡ | Sloop | | 1748 | Bombay | |
| Eliza†‡ | Schooner | 189; 251 after lengthening | 1813 | Bombay Dockyard | Condemned and sold September 1831 out of the service at Calcutta; local buyers renamed her Will Watch. Lengthened and registry transferred to London. Last listed 1844. |
| Expedition | Sloop | | 1703 | Fort St. George, India (Madras) | |
| Fanny‡ | Snow | | 1757 | | |
| Fly | Sloop | | | | Sold February 1772 |
| Flora†‡ | Brig | 189 | 1814 | Bombay | Sold into the country service 1836 |
| Fort St George‡ | Sloop | | 1739 | Pegu | Grounded 20 April 1751 and possibly wrecked |
| Ford† | Sloop | | 1750 | Java | Sold 1 October 1770 |
| Friendship | Ketch | | 1705 | | |
| Ganges‡ | Sloop | | 1676 | | |
| Ganges‡ | Sloop | | 1703 | | |
| Ganges‡ | Brig | 130 | 1794 | Bombay Dockyard | Destroyed by fire in the Saugor Roads 11 January 1797. An explosion in the magazine killed eight crew members; six hours later Laurel rescued the survivors. |
| George† | River transport | 115 | 1796 | Calcutta | Sold 1807 |
| George† | River transport | 109 | 1807 | Kidderpore | Sold into the country service 13 May 1819 |
| Gillett† | Schooner | 140 | 1793 | Calcutta | Captured by a gang of French parole violators at Kedgeree 29 October 1795 |
| Gingali | Sloop or brigantine | | | | Also Gingalle; destroyed by pirates at Anjengo June 1696 |
| Grampus†‡ | Sloop | 105 | 1748 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold September 1775 to local buyers |
| Guide† | | 150 | 1799 | Fort William | Sold 23 July 1814 |
| Guide† | Brig | 189 | 1817 | Bombay Dockyard | In 1822 she rescued the passengers and crew of Matilda. Guide was sold 1837 to local buyers and renamed Sir William Wallace |

## H & I

| Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
| Haldane† | Schooner | 163 | 1797 | Fort William | Sold 28 June 1816; possibly sold at Port Jackson 1821 |
| Harland† | | 132 | 1772 | Bombay Dockyard | Dispatched to sea October 1776 and lost |
| Harriett† | Agent vessel | 70 | 1795 | Calcutta | Sold into the country service |
| Harrington† | | 150 | 1796 | Calcutta | The French privateer Apollon, Captain Jean-François Hodoul, captured her on 9 November 1797 off Sand Heads (equally, Balasore Roads). Harrington arrived at Mauritius on 21 December. The same privateer also captured Trial that same day. |
| Hastings†‡ | Schooner | 170 | 1787, or 1785 | Bombay Dockyard | Converted to a buoy vessel May 1818; sold to local buyers 11 October 1820. A fire destroyed her in the night on 17 April 1823 while she was at Pulau Pasang, off Padang. |
| Hattrass† (or Hatras) | | 197 | 1819 | Kidderpore | Still in BPS in 1851 |
| Hawk† | | 180 | 1778 | Batavia | Sold March 1783 |
| Hawke‡ | Sloop | | 1749 | Bombay Dockyard | |
| Hawke‡ | Gallivat | | 1773 | Bombay Dockyard | |
| Hay† | | 150 | 1796 | Calcutta | On 21 December 1796 the French privateer Enterprise captured her in Balasore Roads. |
| Henry Meriton†‡ | Brig | 190 | 1817 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold 1838 to local buyers and renamed William |
| Hertford†‡ | Sloop | | 1752 | Pegu | Sold 1 July 1767 |
| Hope† | Light vessel | 180 | 1834 | Howrah | Stationed at the Sand Heads. In 1842 she caught fire whilst at Saugor, but was saved. There was suspicion against some of the crew. Still in BPS in 1851. |
| Hooghly†‡ (or Hooghli, or Houghley) | Schooner | 130, or 147, or 150 | 1794 | Bombay Dockyard | Captain Humphrys, rescued, with John Bebb, the passengers and crew of Asia, Captain Tremenheere 1 June 1809; condemned and sold out of the service at Calcutta. Lost. |
| Hughley Anna‡ | Ketch | | 1705 | | |
| Hunter‡ | Schooner | | 1758 | | |
| Indus (later Industry†‡ | Schooner | 140 | 1776 | Bombay Dockyard | Taken by the French 1782 |
| Intelligence† | Schooner | 160 | 1780 | Calcutta | Transferred to the Fort Marlborough Residency 1782 |

## J — M

| Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
| Jane†‡ | Brig | 170 | 1819 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. |
| Jessey (or Jessy) | Schooner | 163 | 1797 | Fort William | Lost on the Reef Head 25 May 1815 |
| Johanna‡ (also referred to as Juno†) | Snow | 170 | 1787 | Bombay Dockyard | Lost on the Andaman Islands expedition 1788 |
| John Bebb† | | 155 | 1800 | Calcutta | Captain Nash. Rescued, with Hooghli, the passengers and crew of Asia, Captain Tremenheere, 1 June 1809; participated in the 1810-11 British invasion of Java and the Moluccas. |
| John Shore† | | 167 | 1807 | Calcutta | Sold 2 July 1818 to the country trade |
| Josiah‡ | Ketch | | 1703 | | |
| Juno† | Yacht | | | | |
| Juno† (see Johanna) | | | | | |
| Krishna†‡ | Brig | 200 | 4 April 1837 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. |
| Lady William Bentinck† | Brig | 200 | 1833, or 1834 | Howrah | Still in BPS in 1851. |
| Lilly‡ | Sloop | | 1679 | | |
| London | Sloop | | Fitted out October 1712 | | |
| Louisa‡ (also referred to as Princess Louisa) | Sloop | | 21 December 1741 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold to local buyers 1755 |
| Lovely Sophia† | Snow | 106 | 1775 | Mauritius | Sold July 1786 |
| L'Orient† | | 80 | 1771 | Chandernagore | Pilot boat of the French Bengal Pilot Service; captured at Balasore 1778; sold 1785 |
| Mary‡ | Sloop | 70 | 1695 | Surat | Sold to local buyers 27 March 1705 |
| Megna†‡ | Brig | 201 | 1836 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. |
| Mercury† | Schooner | | 1667 | Bardarmarghanka | Sold 24 February 1773 |
| Mergee Frigate‡ | Ship | | 1689 | | Sold almost immediately to French buyers |
| Mermaid‡ | Sloop | | 1758 | | Wrecked at Calingapatam February 1759 |
| Mermaid† | | | | | Dutch pilot vessel captured at Chinsurah 1796; sold and afterwards burnt at Penang |
| Mermaid† | | | 1767 | Surat | Sold 24 February 1773 |
| Mermaid | | | 1778 | | Sold |
| Mermaid†‡ | Brig | 18819⁄94 | 1825 | Bombay Dockyard | Round stern. In the Pilot Service 1839; lost 1847; However, a Mermaid was still in BPS in 1851. |
| Minerva† | Cruizer | 180 | 1770 | Calcutta | Sold February 1774 |

## N — R

| Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
| Nerbuddah†, or Nerbuda‡ | Schooner | 106 | 1776 | Bombay Dockyard | Captured by the French 1782 |
| Nereide† | Yacht | 237 | 1821 | Kidderpore | Sold 1824; sent to England |
| Nymphe† | Sloop | 180 | 1778 | Batavia | |
| Patna† | Sloop | 108 | 1778 | Java | Buoy vessel 1793; sold 1796 |
| Phillip Dundas†‡ | Brig | 176 / 187 | 1797, or 1798 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold. Conflicting reports exist concerning her subsequent career and fate. |
| Phoenix‡ | Schooner | | 1667† | | Sold for breaking up 30 April 1759 |
| Phoenix†‡ | Schooner | 113 | 1770‡ | Bombay Dockyard | Sold to local buyers June 1788, or in 1778 |
| Phoenix† | Agent vessel | 181 | 1808 | Kidderpore | Sold 18 October 1820 |
| Pilot† | | 90 | 1835 | Howrah | Employed in river duties; still in BPS in 1851. |
| Planet†‡ | Brig | 174 | 1816 | Bombay Dockyard | Acted as a light vessel. Sold to local buyers December 1832 (or 1838) and renamed Bright Planet |
| Plassey†‡ | | | 1762 | Bombay | Sold to local buyers 24 February 1773 |
| Porto Bello‡ | Sloop | | July 1741 | Bombay | |
| Prudent‡ | Sloop | | 1683 | | |
| Queen Anne‡‡ | Sloop | | 1702 | | |
| Queensborough† | Sloop | | 1752 | Bombay | Sold 1 October 1770 |
| Ranger†‡ | Schooner | 160 | 1780 | Bombay | A French privateer captured Ranger on 21 December 1796 in Balasore Roads. The privateer took off the pilot and the European crew members, and put on board a five-man prize crew. The next day the serang (boatswain) and the lascars overpowered the prize crew, killing one. They then took Ranger into Balasore. The EIC in 1805 sold Ranger to local buyers. |
| Ring† | Schooner | | | | Sold 24 February 1772 |
| Rising Sun‡ | Ketch | | 1703 | | |
| Rochester‡ | Sloop | | 1684 | River Thames | |
| Royal James‡ | Sloop | | 1683 | River Thames | |
| Russell | | | | | Captured September 1712 |
| Russell†‡ | Schooner | 111 or 110 | 1770 | Bombay Dockyard | Taken by the French in Balasore Roads 14 January 1796 |

## S — W

| Name | Type | Tons burthen (bm) | Year built | Where built | Remarks |
| St David‡ | Ketch | | 1742 | | |
| Saugor†‡ | Brig | 200 | 1836 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. |
| Sea Horse†‡ | Sloop | 108 | 1749 or 1759 | Bombay | 1785 or July 1786 transferred to the French at Chandernagore |
| Sea Horse†‡ | Brig | 188, or 18819⁄94 | 4 February 1825 | Bombay Dockyard | Still in BPS in 1851. |
| Sophia†‡ | Brig | 189 | 1814 | Bombay | Lost on the Long Sand 1818 |
| Speedwell†‡ | Schooner | 107 | 1765 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold to local buyers 1785 |
| Sumatra‡ | Sloop | | 1742 | Bombay | |
| Swallow† | Ship | 200 | 1779 | Bombay | March 1780 dispatched to England; afterwards transferred to the Bombay Establishment; lost near Fultah c.1824 |
| Swift‡ | Schooner | | 1763 | Bombay Dockyard | Converted into a State yacht, or foundered in Balasore Roads 1766 |
| Syren†‡ | Schooner or snow | | 1753 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold to local buyers 1769 |
| Syren† | Sloop | 105 | 1783 | Calcutta | Condemned and sold 15 July 1796 |
| Tannah† | Schooner | 142 | 1775 | Bombay | The French captured her in February 1781; she was lost in 1782 |
| Tartar‡ | Sloop | | 1758 | | |
| Thomas‡ | Sloop | | 1684 | | |
| Thomas‡ | Sloop | | 1689 | River Thames | |
| Torch†‡ | Brig | 167 or 174 | 1815 | Bombay Dockyard | Built as a floating light vessel; converted into Harbour Master’s depot at Calcutta 1835; still in BPS in 1851. |
| Trial†‡ (also Tryal) | EIC packet | 160 or 1603⁄94 | 1780 | Calcutta | Made at least two voyages for the EIC; She returned to India 1786 and served the BPS; rebuilt 1796; the French privateer Apollon, Captain Jean-François Hodoul, captured Trial and Harrington in Balasore Roads on 9 November 1797. |
| Triton† | Schooner | 102 | 1770 | Bombay | Condemned and sold 19 January 1798 |
| Tweed†‡ | Schooner | 170 | 1788 | Bombay Dockyard | Sold 2 September 1815 |
| Udny† | Brig | 169 | 1802 | Calcutta | Sold to local buyers 14 November 1814. In 1821 she was listed with W. Humble, master, and C. Taylor, owner; condemned and broken up at Calcutta 1821 |
| William‡ | Smack | | 1705 | | |
| William‡ | Sloop | | 1739 | Pegue | |