Mercury (1793 ship)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Name | Mercury |
| Acquired | 1793 |
| Captured | 1794 |
| Fate | Recaptured, but leaves records in 1794 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 126[1][2] (bm) |
Mercury's origins are obscure. She may have been launched in New York in 1774, possibly under another name. In 1793 she made one voyage as a slave ship in the Atlantic triangular slave trade. A French privateer captured Mercury, but the Royal Navy recaptured her.
A Mercury of 126 ton (bm) first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR), in 1793.[2]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1793 | Lockhart | J.Taylor | London–Antigua | LR |
Capture (1793): Captain George Hauit sailed from Liverpool on 1 January 1793. Mercury gathered slaves at Bance Island. She sailed from Africa on 7 August.[1]
The French privateer Liberty, of Bordeaux, captured seven slave ships before July 1793: Mercury, Hewitt, master, Echo, Union, Little Joe, Prosperity, Hazard, and Swift, Roper, master. Mercury was captured off Cape Mount.[3][a]
The cutter HMS Seaflower recaptured Mercury.[5] In December 1793 Lloyd's List reported that Mercury, Hewitt, master, had arrived at Barbados.[6][b]
Captain Hewitt purchased the recaptured Mercury.[5]