COMMODORE PERRY

THE COMMODORE PERRY AND HER SISTER SHIP JAPAN WERE BOTH BUILT BY DONALD McKAY AT HIS EAST BOSTON SHIPYARD FOR THE BLACKBALL FLEET OF LIVERPOOL SHE WAS A VESSEL OF 1,964 TONS. IN 1854.

 THE JAPAN WAS THREE MONTHS BEHIND JOING THE FLEET IN LIVERPOOL.ON HER ARRIVAL AT LIVERPOOL THE JAPAN WAS RE-NAMED ' GREAT TASMANIA 'COMMODORE PERRY WAS USED ON THE AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRANT TRADE.

  IN 1860 UNDER A WHITE STAR CHARTER SHE SAILED FROM LIVERPOOL TO MELBORNE.CAPTAIN KIDDIE BEING IN COMMAND.SHE MADE ANOTHER VOYAHE TO AUSTRALIA WITH CAPTAIN KIDDIE STILL IN COMMAND IN 1861 AND AGAIN SHE SAILED FOR AUSTRALIA IN 1863 .IN 19862

 SHE WAS CHARTERED BY JAMES BAINES & CO AND SAILED FOR CALCUTTA AND BOMBAY, PICKING UP INDIAN WORKERS AND THEN SAILED ONTO BRITISH GUYANA.FROM BRITISH GUYANA IT WAS ONTO TRINIDAD WHERE AFTER A TWO MONTH DELAY THE VESSEL SAILED FOR ENGLAND. IN 1866 BAINES & CO WERE IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES AND SOLD THE VESSEL TO THOMPSON & HARPER FROM TYNESIDE WHO USED THE VESSEL AS A COAL CARRIER, WHERE SHE SAW OUT THE REMAINING YEARS OF HER LIFE.

IN 1869 ON A VOYAGE FROM ENGLAND TO BOMBAY VIA CEYLON AND AT ANCHORAGE OFF BOMBAY, HER CARGO CAUGHT ON FIRE.THE SHIPS MASTER HOISTED THE SAILS AND TRIED TO BEACH HER, BUT THE FIRE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND SHE COMPLETELY BURNT OUT.

 

 

 

 

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