Yesterdate: This day from Kolkata’s past, November 12, 1792
Telegraph | 12 November 2024
On this day, Cornwallis, a snow that the British East India Company had built in Bombay for the Bengal Pilot Service, left Calcutta for the Andaman islands. With three other company ships, Juno, Union and Seahorse, it was transporting about 360 settlers and provisions for six months to establish a settlement. The ships were disrupted by a gale, but all reached the islands within a month.
Captain C. Crawley, who was in command of Cornwalllis, reported rebelliousness among the European members of the crew. He was replaced and Cornwallis was taken off the pilot service and sent to Andaman Station.
Next year in March, Cornwallis arrived at Port Cornwallis with sepoys. It was then sent to Achoon (Aceh) and Pedeir, in the northern coast of Sumatra, to buy rice and livestock, and to Car Nicobar to get coconuts for plantation.
In 1796, Cornwallis was captured by a French privateer Esperse.
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