Pelican, 1812
Type: Brig-sloop ; Armament 18
Launched : 1 Aug 1812 ; Disposal date or year : 1865
BM: 385 tons
Notes:

11 Jan 1813 Remains Plymouth.

19 Jan 1813 departed Plymouth on a cruize.

21 Jan 1813 arrived Plymouth from a cruize in the Channel.

27 Feb 1813, Falmouth, put back with a mail on board for Jamaica, Wind WSW.

5 May 1813 captured the American schooner Neptune's Barge on the N.A. & W. Indies station : sent to Jamaica.

12-14 Aug 1813 departed Cork and chased and captured the American brig-sloop Argus.

16 Aug 1813, Plymouth, sent in the American sloop of war Argus, 18.

22 Aug 1813 arrived Plymouth, from Cork with prisoners.

24 Aug 1813, Plymouth, went up the harbour to be repaired. Captain Maples, late of the Pelican, is appointed to the Sir Francis Drake frigate.

27 Sep 1813 departed Plymouth for Cork with a convoy of transports.

3 Jan 1814 Remains Cove.

13 Jan 1814 captured a U.S. privateer, the 12 gun schooner Sire.

22 Jan 1814, Plymouth, has detained and sent in the American schooner Sire, from Savannah to France.

9 Feb 1814 departed Plymouth to the westward on a cruise.

14 Feb 1814 departed Falmouth on a cruise.

10 Mar 1814 departed Cork with a convoy for Spain, Portugal, and the Mediterranean.

4 Jul 1814 arrived Portsmouth, from the Lisbon station.

27 Jul 1814 arrived Cork.

9 Sep 1814 arrived Cork.

11 Sep 1814, Cork, has made signal for convoy for Spain and Portugal.

10 Sep 1814 arrived Cork.

20 Sep 1814 detained Cork with the convoy for Spain and Portugal, by contrary winds.

25 Sep 1814, Cork, departed on a cruise.

26 Sep 1814 remains Cork with convoy due to contrary winds.

29 Sep 1814 departed Cove with the convoy for Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar.

11 Oct 1814 arrived Plymouth with a convoy of transports, with the 1st Somerset Militia, from Cork.

9 Nov 1814, Plymouth Dock, appointed convoy to Cork.

13 Nov 1814 arrived Cork from Plymouth.

31 Aug 1815, Portsmouth, came into harbour to be paid off.

5 Jun 1817, the Beaver, Pelican and Shearwater, arrived Kingston, Jamaica, in the light of problems being experienced by commercial shipping 1817-1825, so-called Spanish privateers and piracy, initially at least, supposedly supporting one side or the other in the problems relating to Carthagena etc., a problem that the US Navy was also attempting to resolve, but would take a few more years to actually solve.

15 Aug 1818 at Port Royal.

18 Nov 1818 arrived Portsmouth from Port Royal, Jamaica (28 days), with specie.

27 Oct 1826 departed Spithead for the Mediterranean.

3 Jan 1827 captured a piratical schooner, the Aphrodite, 4, in the gulf of Kalamata. See p. 251 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

2 Mar 1827, following the obstinacy of a Turkish skipper, who refused to bring to and be examined, causing his vessel to be mistaken for a pirate, lead to the distruction of the vessel. See p. 251 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

12 May 1827, employed protecting British trade in the Archipelago, at Alexandria, and around the coasts of Syria and Caramania.

13 Jun 1827 opened fire on the Greek town of Scardamoula in order to obtain restitution of plundered property, the governor being in league with the pirates. See p. 252 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

15 Jun 1827 the Pelican's boats destroyed a pirate vessel at Petalidion. See p. 252 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

14 Dec 1827 reconnoitred the Bay of Navarin following the battle of the 20 Oct.

29 Dec 1827 at Valetta.

4 Jun 1828 Has gone to Naples.

30 Nov 1828 at Valletta refitting.

29 Apr 1829, Portsmouth, was reported to be at Zante when the Neva transport, arrived today, departed from Valletta.

20 Jan 1830, Malta, received orders to return to England.

26 Mar 1830 arrived Portsmouth from Malta.

28 Mar 1830 departed Portsmouth for Chatham.

16 Aug 1830 departed Portsmouth for the Mediterranean.

6 Sep 1830 off Malta.

15 Oct 1830 Napoli di Romania.

Nov 1830 Malta.

28 Mar 1831 departed Malta with dispatches.

4 May 1831 in the Archipelago, Commander J. Gape, in command.

14 Jun 1832 at Patras.

4 Sep 1832 reported to be at Corfu.

10 Oct 1832 arrived Patras from Corfu.

18 Oct 1832 departed Patras for Corfu.

24 Oct 1832 left Corfu.

27 Feb 1833 arrived Malta from Nauplia.

18 Jun 1833 at Smyrna.

23 Nov 1833, Gibraltar, preparing to sail for Genoa.

1 Jan 1834 On the Mediterranean Station.

22 Feb 1834 arrived Portsmouth from Gibraltar (4).

31 Jan 1835 at Spithead, from Chatham, having a leaked stopped in her steerage, and due to sail shortly for the West Coast of Africa.

12 Feb 1835, departed Portsmouth on a trial cruise following her repairs.

18 Feb 1835 returned to Spithead.

28 Feb 1835, Portsmouth, is reported to have departed Tuesday for the Coast of Africa.

31 Jan 1836 spoken with between the Cape and Mauritius.

28 Mar 1836 is reported to have been at the Cape of Good Hope.

10 Jul 1836 departed Mauritius on a cruise.

14 Oct 1836 departed Mauritius for the Cape of Good Hope.

Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1837 the Sloop Pelican, 16 guns, Complement: 110, was involved in combatting the Slave Trade and experienced 3 Deaths.

26 Jan 1837, Mauritius, assisted the merchant vessel Amity, of London, off shore, at the entrance to the harbour of Port Louis.

8 Apr 1837 Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope arrived from Mauritius and departed for Simon's Bay.

Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1838 was involved in combatting the Slave Trade and experienced 1 Death.

9 Feb 1838 at sea, off the Coast of West Africa.

31 Oct 1838 seized Portuguese slave schooner Dolcinea, Joze da Luz Carvalho, master, lat. 4� 16' N., long. 3� 44' W., 4 days out from Lagos en route to Havana, with 253 slaves on board, sailing under Portuguese colours. The vessel was taken to Sierra Leone for adjudication by the British and Portuguese Mixed Court who dealt with the matter on 3 Dec 1838, where she was condemned for being engaged in the illicit traffic in slaves and the surviving 249 negroes emancipated, 4 having died before adjudication, the schooner and stores to be sold at public auction, and the proceeds paid into the military chest.

28 Nov 1838 chased the 450 ton slave ship Venus, built at Baltimore, having departed Lagos on the 24th reputedly with 1150 slaves on board, and whilst we gained on her initially, once she threw her deck cargo and spare spars etc. overboard she out ran this ship.

15 Dec 1838, Saturday, departed from West Bay, Prince's Island, for Ascension.

16 Dec 1838, sighted a suspicious sail at daybreak who immediately tacked : after a brief chase the Portuguese slave schooner Magdelena, with a cargo of 320 slaves, was detained. Her master advised that not long since he had been in company with the slaver Ontario. Leaving a Prize crew on board to take the Magdelena to Sierra Leone for the adjudication of the Mixed Court the Pelican departed in chase.

17 Dec 1838 detained in lat. 0� 54' N. long. i.e. to the north of the line, 3 days from the River Bras, where the slaves were embarked, the Portuguese slave schooner Magdalena, formerly the Madelinita, Joz� Cordozo, master, with 320 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Portuguese Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone, and on 17 Jan 1839 sentenced to be condemned.

18 Dec 1838, after a fine run sighted a sail to the West and sent the ship's boats to arrest a vessel, flying Spanish colours, which was achieved by 11.30 a.m., when the Ontario, with 220 slaves was detained, but without any papers, and was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and on 17 Jan 1839 sentenced to be condemned.

Extract of a letter from Captain Brunswick Popham, Her Majesty's sloop Pelican, at Sea, December 24th, 1838.
The active and undisguised assistance given to the Slave Trade by citizens of the United States of America is as notorious as it is disgraceful. The American flag has in several instances given protection to Spanish and Portuguese traffickers in human beings. The last instance was too shameful to pass unnoticed. A ship, called the Venus being of 450 tons, built at Baltimore, on the most improved model for swift sailing, arrived at Lagos from Boston, on or about the 5th of November last ; about the 24th of the same month she departed from Lagos, with a very large cargo of slaves, said to amount to 1150 ; the American flag and papers (in possession of the commander, Mr. Philips, of Baltimore) protected her until a few days before she departed ; when he left, and the Portuguese flag was substituted for the American. It is, therefore, evident that, under the American flag, she was perfectly ready for the reception of slaves.
On the 28th of November, about 100 miles south of Lagos, the Pelican chased this ship, and at first gained on her, but she was lightened by throwing her deck cargo and spars over board ; then departed away from us with ease, although every effort was made to come up with her. On the 30th, somewhat S.E. of where our chase commenced, we picked up two spare topmasts, a topsail yard, and main topgallant mast of very large dimensions, quite new, and evidently but a day or two in the water ; this confirmed what I heard in Lagos respecting the Venus. We boarded there a large American brigantine, discharging a cargo for the purchase of slaves. Mr. Litting, the (soi-disant) owner and commander, said the cargo was Portuguese property, and that he hoped the brigantine soon would be. This is the third vessel brought out (the first and second sold for the Slave Trade) by the same individual.
Lieutenant Holland, of the " Dolphin," could give you the fullest information respecting the "Venus," as he often boarded her at Lagos. The Pelican departed from West Bay, Princes Island, on Saturday the 15th of December, for Ascension. On Monday, the 17th, at daybreak, a suspicious sail was reported as being very close to us. She immediately tacked, we made all sail in chase, and at 7. A.M. detained the Portuguese slave-schooner, Magdelena, with a cargo of 320 slaves, from the River Brass or Nun. Among her passengers was a citizen of the United States (Mr. Huntington), who had on the 1st of December made over to a Spaniard, the schooner, "Ontario," of Baltimore. Her sale was no doubt effected at Havana, although the bill of sale mentioned it to have taken place in Brass.
In this instance the American flag gave unqualified protection to the Slave Trade, for the "Ontario" was boarded by the boats of Her Majesty's ship, Viper, in November, and she was then reported as preparing for the reception of slaves, but having American papers and colours.
After a little conversation with the Portuguese commander of the "Magdelena," he informed me that the Ontario was in company on Sunday afternoon. This information was taken immediate advantage of, and sailing on a N.W. by W.S.W. course, Tuesday, at daybreak (after a fine run), a sail was seen to the West : the morning was thick and rainy, but at 10 A.M. the weather cleared up, and I despatched Lieutenant Marsh with two gigs to capture the "Ontario:" this he did at 11.30. A.M., with 220 slaves on board. She was under Spanish colours, but had no papers whatever. "Ontario," of Baltimore, was painted in large letters on her stern.
Both these vessels I sent to Sierra Leone for adjudication, informing the British Commissioners of my intention to detain the American Huntington, until I received your orders respecting the disposal of him. However, on a careful perusal of the instructions in my possession, and of correspondence between Great Britain and the United States of America on the subject of the Slave-Trade, I was induced to alter my intention, feeling that I should not be borne out, in interfering with a citizen of the United States, which it appeared to me, the American Government evinced no disposition to tolerate, even in very extreme cases. It has been mentioned by Spaniards and Portuguese slaving on this coast, that, were it not for the active co-operation of the Americans, the Slave Trade would very materially decline, in fact be but feebly carried on. I do not doubt, from all I hear, that the citizens of the United States (generally of Baltimore) are more deeply interested in the Slave Trade to the Havana and Brazil, than is generally supposed.

Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1839 the Sloop Pelican, 18 guns, Complement: 110, was involved in combatting the Slave Trade.

Circa Feb 1839 is reported to have arrested a slaving vessel wearing American colours, which were probably provided by the American Consul at Havana who had attested the sale and granted American papers, as he did for the Eagle, arrested by the Lily. The Mixed Commission Court at Sierra Leone refused to take any action in view of her American papers, and the vessel was released accordingly, but other similar cases had been reported by the Brisk, Lily, Saracen, Termagent, and Forester, and steps were taken to inform the Admiralty before the matter got out of hand and all slave ships flew the American flag and Her Majesty's cruisers off the Coast of West Africa were made redundant.

20 April 1839 arrived at Spithead from the coast of Africa, after having been upwards of four years absent from England. Since October this ship has captured three slave vessels, the Magdalene, Octavia, and Dulcinea, with (taken together) 800 slaves on board. The Pelican left Sierra Leone on the 13th ult., and is under orders to proceed to Chatham to be paid off.

13 Jun 1840 Chatham is about to be commissioned.

2 Nov 1840, at Chatham. Commander Charles George Elers Napier (1838), has been brought forward for commission.

26 Dec 1840 Chatham, is ready for sea.

2 Jan 1841 Lieutenant W. F. L. Tollemache, appointed to the Pelican;

20 Jan 1841 fitting out in the River.

27 Jan 1841 at Spithead awaiting Admiralty orders.

27 Feb 1841 at Spithead; awaiting orders.

11 May 1841 Gunner A. Parker, of the Pelican, appointed to the Vernon. Gunner James Richardson, appointed to the Pelican.

22 May 1841 Lieutenant Charles Starmer, appointed to the Pelican, vice Hay, sick.

28 May 1841 Portsmouth, departed for Lisbon.

1 Jun 1841 Plymouth, is reported to have passed by, down the Channel, en route for Lisbon.

8 Jun 1841 arrived at Lisbon.

17 Jun 1841 left Lisbon for the East India station.

27 Jun 1841 left Gibraltar, for the East Indies.

1 Sep 1841 departed the Cape of Good Hope for China.

24 Oct 1841 arrived Singapore recently from England ; departed for China.

6 Nov 1841 Commander Charles Napier (of the Pelican), promoted to Captain, and to be appointed to the first vacancy in China.

20 Nov 1841 Commander Philip Justice, appointed to the Pelican, vice Napier, promoted;.

1839-42 engaged in the Operations in China. See p. 288 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

14 Mar 1842 at Chusan.

5 Jul 1842 stationed at Chusan.

20 Dec 1848 Coastguard Watch Vessel, HM Customs, Rye

1860 Coastguard Watch Vessel, Customs, Rye

1861-62 Coastguard watch vessel, per Parliamentary estimates etc.

1863 renamed Coastguard Watch Vessel 29