Britannia : Journal

Content

Journal of the voyage of the East India Company ship Britannia from England to Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] and Bombay [Mumbai], and back (Captain John Sumner), 28 February 1742-6 September 1743 (dates given are for arrival unless otherwise indicated): Lizard Point chosen as point of departure, 2 March 1742 [New Style]; 17 June 1742, Johanna [Anjouan]; 2 August 1742, Bandar Abbas; 4 October 1742, Bombay; 4 December 1742, Tillecherry [Thalassery]; 29 December 1742, Callecutt [Kozhikode]; 3 January 1742 [Old Style]/3 January 1743 [New Style], Thalassery; 12 January [1743], Cochin [Kochi]; 17 January 1743 [New Style], Anjango [Anchuthengo]; 23 January 1743 [New Style], Kochi; 28 January [1743], Kozhikode; 31 January 1743 [New Style], Thalassery; 22 February 1743 [New Style], Anchuthengo; 21 May 1743, St Helena; 6 September 1743, off Portland Bill.

The ship was at Bandar-e ʻAbbās from 2 August to 13 September 1742, and at Bombay from 4 October to 15 November 1742.

Inscribed: 'This is my Origanall Journall, Jn[John] Somner' (folio 1).

Marked: 'Rec. [Received] 14 Octob. [October] 1743' (folio 1).

The journal contains daily entries in six columns: Remarks; H [hour]; K [knots]; F [fathoms]; Courses; and [date and remarks]. When the ship is in harbour, or close to shore, entries consist of date and remarks only.

The journal records: navigational information; weather; winds; sea conditions; the ballasting, provisioning, and maintenance of the ship; mention of the ships with which the Britannia sailed in convoy; sightings of other vessels; transport of Company soldiers; and commodities carried.

Also included is a description of the boarding of the Britannia by HMS Dover on 4 September 1743, after the Britannia 's crew had offered armed resistance to an attempt at impressment (folio 109). In the engagement that followed, five of the Britannia 's crew were killed (they are named on folios 2-3).

The journal also includes a list of the crew of the Britannia , giving number, names, rank or occupation, and details of those men who had died, run [deserted], or been discharged, with dates, and a list of soldiers aboard (folios 2-3).

Dates of entries (where indicated) are mainly New Style (Gregorian calendar); however, some entries are double-dated, giving both Old Style (Julian calendar) and New Style dates.

Extent and format

1 file (108 folios)

Arrangement

The entries in the journal are recorded in chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 110; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/L/MAR/B/285DD

History of this record

Date(s)

28 Feb 1742-14 Oct 1743 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Ships logsMarine navigationWeatherTrade (practice)

Places

GombroonBombay

People & organisations

Britannia

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Britannia : Journal, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MAR/B/285DD, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000001513.0x0000c8> [accessed 8 July 2024]

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