Patna (1778 ship)
Patna was a sloop built at Java in 1778 that served the British East India Company (EIC) as a pilot boat of the Bengal Pilot Service. In 1782 she served as a tender to on "Nonsuch"s voyage carrying opium to China. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Watson, who owned "Nonsuch", prevailed upon the EIC, which was sponsoring the venture, to provide guns for "Patna". Watson's orders to Captain Richardson of "Nonsuch" were that "Patna" was to accompany Richardson to Canton. Richardson was to sail directly to China, avoiding the Malacca and Sunda Straits, passing east of Java, and  then proceeding past the Philippines to China. Instead, Richardson sailed via the Malacca Straits, spent a month around Java, where he sold numerous chests of opium on private account. He then put the proceeds on "Patna" and sent her back to Bengal. In 1793 the EIC converted "Patna" to a buoy vessel. On 27 July 1796 "Patna" was condemned and sold. Citations and references. Citations References