Wilberforce, 1840
Type: Survey vessel, vessel for exploration ; Armament 7
Launched : 1 Oct 1840 ; Disposal date or year : 1850
BM: 457 tons ; Displacement: 340 tons
Propulsion: Paddle
Notes:

Purchased on stocks

3 Oct 1840, For the Niger Expedition: the following are nominated for the steamer Wilberforce : Commander William Allen, Lieutenant J. N. Strange, Mr. Cyrus Wakeham, Purser.

9 Oct 1840 Woolwich, is expected shortly from Liverpool, to be completed for the Niger expedition.

17 Oct 1840 Acting Master W. Forster, appointed to the Wilberforce steamer (for the Niger expedition).

7 Apr 1841 Woolwich, left Woolwich for Deptford.

24 Apr 1841 Portsmouth, the steamers Albert and Wilberforce arrived from Woolwich, en route to Plymouth and the coast of Africa.

27 Apr 1841 Portsmouth, the Albert and Wilberforce departed for Plymouth, on their way to explore the Niger River.

28 Apr 1841 Plymouth, arrived from Portsmouth, and it is expected to sail on Saturday or Sunday.

21 May 1841 arrived at Madeira.

25 May 1841 Madeira, The Albert and Wilberforce, were due to depart for Teneriffe, where the Soudan had already arrived.

3 Jun 1841 arrived at Porte Grande, St. Vincent. On the 27 May, a man named Manly, a carpenter's mate, was drowned whilst working over the side.

5 Aug 1841 has arrived in Montserado Roads on the coast of Africa,

19 Sep 1841 the Soudan was sent "downwards," presumably returning to the Coast, under the charge of Fishbourne with most of the sick.

21 Sep 1841 the Wilberforce sent down to the Coast too, with passengers, Bowden, Harvey and Collman, all ill with fever.

22 Mar 1842 at Cape Coast with the Madagascar, the crew recovering their health and awaiting the arrival of the Soudan from Fernando Po.

29 May 1842 was reported to be at Fernando Po.

4 Oct 1842 departed the Coast of Africa for England.

5 Nov 1842 is reported to have returned to Fernando Po having brought all the people and property away from the model farm. Whilst the people at the farm weren't molested by the natives it is thought that a Mr. Carr, who was attempting to ascend the Niger from the Coast in a canoe, had been murdered.

23 Nov 1842 arrived Spithead, from the West Coast of Africa, last from Plymouth. It would appear that she only has about 3 of her original ship's company were on board, her commander, carpenter and engineer, and that she was manned mostly by coloured personnel, presumably Kroomen .

24 Nov 1842 departed Spithead for Woolwich to be paid off. �60,000 worth of tax payers money wasted by philanthropists who were guided more by impulse than knowledge�and cost a great many lives by ignorance, dispite local merchants attempting to explain to them the error of their ways.

7 Dec 1842 paid off at Portsmouth.

7 Dec 1842 is expected to be paid off and her crew of Kroomen will be transferred to the William and Mary to be sent back out to Sierra Leone when the opportunity arises.