Loyalist (1793 ship)
Loyalist was launched in 1793. Between 1796 and 1803 she made four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). She then sailed as a West Indiaman until she was condemned in 1809 as unseaworthy. Career. Although "Loyalist" was launched in 1793, she first appeared in "Lloyd's Register" ("LR") in 1796 with F. Walton, master, R. Curling, owner, and trade London–India. Although one source states that "Loyalist" was a West Indiaman prior to sailing on her four voyages for the EIC, there is another possibility, and that is that she was a Government transport. Among  the EIC vessels serving as transports in the British expedition to the Dutch Cape Colony in 1795 that culminated in the Capitulation of Saldanha Bay was a vessel referred to as the "Hospitalship "Loyalist"" She and several East Indiamen arrived at St. Salvadore on 7 July and left on 15 July. The hospital ship "Loyalist" arrived at Table Bay on 5 October, having been at Simon's Bay. On 12 November she sailed for Holland as a cartel with the former governor of the colony, Commisary Sluysken, and 200 prisoners of war. Captain Francis Walton sailed from The Downs on  16 July 1796 bound for Bengal on a voyage for the EIC. She arrived at Kedgeree on 28 February 1797. Homeward bound she was at Simon's Bay on 11 August, reached Saint Helena on 11 September, and arrived back at The Downs on 14 December. "Loyalist" then made a second voyage for the EIC, this time to Bombay. She left on 11 April 1798, and arrived back at her moorings on 23 January 1800. On her way she rescued the crew of "Thetis", Robson, master, which had foundered on her way from Bombay to London. Captain Walton acquired a  letter of marque on 2 June 1800. "Loyalist" was one of 28 vessels that left England between December 1800 and February 1801 to bring back rice from Bengal. The EIC had a monopoly on such trade and the vessels either belonged to it or sailed under charter to it. Prinsep & Saunders alone tendered 15 vessels, including "Loyalist", Francis Walton, master. Apparently "Loyalist" actually sailed on 27 July 1800 via Saint Helena. She returned on 26 January 1802. "Loyalist" sailed in 1802 to Batavia on a fourth voyage for the EIC. "Lloyd's List" reported on 27 September 1803 that "Loyalist , Walton, master, had been sailing from Batavia to Amsterdam when , of Liverpool, Brown, master, captured her and sent her into Bantry Bay. War with France and the Batavian Republic had resumed in 1803 while Lloyalist" had been underway and so she had been sailing from one enemy port to another. Still, "Loyalist" returned to her moorings on 16 October 1803. "Loyalist" returned to the West Indies trade. Fate. "Lloyd's List" reported on 9 June 1809 that "Loyalist", Norwall, master, had put back to Jamaica leaky on 18 April after having sailed for London. Then on 7 July "Lloyd's  List" reported that "Loyalist", Sicvennight, master, from Jamaica to London, had been condemned and her cargo unloaded. The entry for "Loyalist" in the "Register of Shipping" for 1809 has the annotation "condemned" by her name. Citations and references. Citations References