Tartar (1775 ship)

For other ships with the same name, see Tartar (ship).

History
Great Britain
Name| Tartar
Launched| 1775, Bermuda[1]
Captured| October 1800
General characteristics
Tons burthen| 70,[1] or 90[2] (bm)
Sail plan| Sloop
Complement| 80[2]
Armament| 14 × 6-pounder guns,[1] or 18 guns[2]

Tartar was launched at Bermuda in 1775, possibly under another name. By 1779 she was a privateer sailing out of Liverpool. She captured several prizes, first in the West Indies and then around England. Two French frigates captured her in October 1780.

## Career

[edit]

Some volumes of Lloyd's Register (LR) are not available on line, and some pages are missing from extant volumes. Consequently, Tartar first appeared online in Lloyd's Register for 1779.[1]

On 7 January 1779, Tartar, Captain Allanson, was off Sambrera from where he wrote a letter to her owners.[a] He reported that on 31 October 1778 he had been west of Cape Finistere when he had captured Concorde, Deverger, master, of 500 tons (bm). Concorde, of Bordeaux, had been on her way to Cap François with 2500 barrels of flour, 800 barrels of beef, 200 hogsheads of wine, and more than 20 bales of dry goods, amongst which there were 600 ounces of silver. Allanson took Concorde into Antigua.[3]

On 27 February Captain Allanson captured a large New England brig carrying 380 hogsheads of tobacco. He sent the brig into Antigua.[4]

Next, Tartar, Allanson, master, captured the French slave ship Nairac, Antoine, master, which was coming from Angola with 697 slaves.[b] Tartar also captured Victory, from Nantucket, which was carrying lumber, fish, and oil. Tartar sent both into Kingston, Jamaica.[c] Tartar captured the sloop Hazard, from Providence, and sent her into Antigua.[6]

Year  | Master  | Owner  | Trade  | Source & notes

|
|
|
|

1779  | J.Allanson
G.Layborn  | Backhouse  | Liverpool privateer  | LR; thorough repair 1778

Tartar, Leyborn, master, of Liverpool, captured a French snow and took her into St Kitts. The snow had been on her way from Guadeloupe to America with a cargo of sugar, rum, and molasses.[7]

On 22 August 1780, Tartar returned to Liverpool, bringing with her a prize, St George, which was carrying a cargo of flax, iron, etc.[8]

Next, Tartar captured a French privateer cutter of 16 guns. The cutter struck after a sharp engagement and Tartar took her into Penzance.[8]

## Fate

[edit]

The Tartar privateer, of Liverpool, Whytell, master, captured a vessel sailing from Ostend to Bordeaux that was carrying 420 hogsheads of tobacco. However, on 29 September two French frigates captured both Tartar and her prize. The French sent their prizes into Rochelle.[9] One of the frigates was under the command of Mon. "Le Vicomte Mortimer".[8][d]

In late September and October 1780 the French frigates Aimable (26 guns) and Diligente, were escorting a convoy from Rochefort to Bayonne. On her way they captured three British cutters: Alert, of 18 guns, captured 25 September 1780; Tartar, 12 guns; and Jersey, of 12 guns.[10] The French took Alert and Jersey into service.[11][12]

## Notes

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1. ^ Sambrera may have been Sombrero, Anguilla.
2. ^ Nairac, of 250 tons (French; "of load"), was owned by the famous and wealthy Bordeaux merchant Paul Nairac, and his older son. Her master was Antoine Babinot.[5]
3. ^ 692 slaves were sold at Kingston for £25,560.[2]
4. ^ Mortimer was Victurnien-Henri-Elzéar de Rochechouart de Mortemart, captain of the French frigate Diligente.

## Citations

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1. ^ a b c d LR (1779), Seq.No.T6.
2. ^ a b c d Williams (1897), p. 237.
3. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 1036\. 26 February 1779. hdl:2027/uc1.c3049060.
4. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 1058\. 14 May 1779. hdl:2027/uc1.c3049060.
5. ^ Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Nairac voyage #31637.
6. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 1061\. 25 May 1779. hdl:2027/uc1.c3049060.
7. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 1151\. 4 April 1779. hdl:2027/uc1.c3049060.
8. ^ a b c Williams (1897), p. 277.
9. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 1209\. 24 October 1780. hdl:2027/uc1.c3049060.
10. ^ Troude (1867), p. 84.
11. ^ Roche (2005), p. 267.
12. ^ Roche (2005), p. 32.

## References

[edit]

* Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1\. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
* Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France. Vol. 2\. Challamel ainé.
* Williams, Gomer (1897). History of the Liverpool Privateers and Letters of Marque: With an Account of the Liverpool Slave Trade. W. Heinemann.