In the Naval Chronology Vol. VI, July-December, p. 411 is an account published dealing with the activities in the East Indies of the British squadron commanded by Peter Rainier. The Daedalus, Captain Ball, captured 23 August 1800 an unnamed Dutch brig belonging to the Government at Kuyper’s Island. She was renamed Admiral Rainier (28 October called Rainier). In the original list of ships either captured or destroyed, the description of the brig was: “A coppered brig, built by the Dutch Government, quite new and pierced for sixteen guns, having fourteen six and four-pounders on board, named by Captain Ball the Admiral Rainier, of sixteen guns, and one hundred and fifty guns, in ballast, taken at Kuyper’s Island, August 23, 800 by ditto”; (ditto=Daedalus, Centurion, Braave and the Sybille. According to Milo the British captured a brand new brig called Ajax, being built/fitted out on the yard at Onrust. So probably she became the British Admiral Rainier.
Colledge doesn’t mention this ship in contrary to R. Winfields British Warships 1793-1817. Winfield claims that she was a newly built (around 1800) brig at Batavia (nowadays Djakarta) and armed with 14 6&4 pdrs. According to him the Daedalus, Centurion, Braave and the Sybille captured her. Taken into service that same year with Lieutenant William Dobbie as commanding officer. She was sold out of service in September 1803. According to Winfield she was sold in 1803.
However, according to Milo the French squadron, commanded by rear admiral Linois, captured in February 1804 a brig called Admiral Rainier (16 guns). The brig arrived at Batavia and was taken into service as Admiraal Rainier with Captain-lieutenant Etienne Couderc. She was immediately used for patrolling off Batavia. End May (commanded by 1st lieutenant H.D. Andreae she sailed towards the Karimon Djawah-isles to patrol against pirates. Her crew existed of 24 European sailors, 15 marines and 58 Javanese. January 1805 she was decommissioned as the fleet was lacking enough sailors. By engaging more Javanese natives it was possible to take her in June again in service. Probably the brig was part of the colonial navy instead of the regular Batavian navy. This statement is more or less confirmed by Milo writing that in October she was returned to the Company again due to lacking to enough crewmembers. The Dutch East India Company didn’t officially exist any longer but was replaced by another the Raad der Aziatische bezittingen, later a Governor General; in the spoken language apparently still called the Company.
April 1806 she departed to patrol of the North coast of Java. Her commanding officer was Captain-lieutenant Christiaan Monkenberg. On board were 12 Europeans and 36 Javanese. In the night of 28-29 April the Javanese took over the ship. All Europeans were murdered and their bodies thrown overboard. A native quartermaster took command and she sailed to Borneo. Probably they intended to join the pirates at that island. While they couldn’t be find, she sailed to Riouw expecting to find the pirates over there. Without success, lacking stores the brig sailed to Penang and was there seized by the British. I wasn’t able to consult the Asiatic Annual Register 1807 p. 121 for this event.
Sources
J.J. Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy: an historical index, 1969.
T.H. Milo. “De maritieme verdediging van Oost-Indië van 1795-1802”, Marineblad, June 1941.
T.H. Milo. “De maritieme verdediging van Oost-Indië van 1804-1807”, Marineblad, April 1942. Sadly enough is the Staat der oorlogsschepen 1795-1828 Milo mentioned as available in 1942 at the Department of Defence nowadays trackless.
T.H. Milo. “De maritieme verdediging van Oost-Indië van 1804-1807”, Chapter III, 1806, Marineblad, August 1942.
R. Winfield. British Warships in the Age of sail 1793-1817. Design, Construction, Careers and Dates, 2008.
Naval Chronology Vol. VI, July-December, p. 441.
Colledge doesn’t mention this ship in contrary to R. Winfields British Warships 1793-1817. Winfield claims that she was a newly built (around 1800) brig at Batavia (nowadays Djakarta) and armed with 14 6&4 pdrs. According to him the Daedalus, Centurion, Braave and the Sybille captured her. Taken into service that same year with Lieutenant William Dobbie as commanding officer. She was sold out of service in September 1803. According to Winfield she was sold in 1803.
However, according to Milo the French squadron, commanded by rear admiral Linois, captured in February 1804 a brig called Admiral Rainier (16 guns). The brig arrived at Batavia and was taken into service as Admiraal Rainier with Captain-lieutenant Etienne Couderc. She was immediately used for patrolling off Batavia. End May (commanded by 1st lieutenant H.D. Andreae she sailed towards the Karimon Djawah-isles to patrol against pirates. Her crew existed of 24 European sailors, 15 marines and 58 Javanese. January 1805 she was decommissioned as the fleet was lacking enough sailors. By engaging more Javanese natives it was possible to take her in June again in service. Probably the brig was part of the colonial navy instead of the regular Batavian navy. This statement is more or less confirmed by Milo writing that in October she was returned to the Company again due to lacking to enough crewmembers. The Dutch East India Company didn’t officially exist any longer but was replaced by another the Raad der Aziatische bezittingen, later a Governor General; in the spoken language apparently still called the Company.
April 1806 she departed to patrol of the North coast of Java. Her commanding officer was Captain-lieutenant Christiaan Monkenberg. On board were 12 Europeans and 36 Javanese. In the night of 28-29 April the Javanese took over the ship. All Europeans were murdered and their bodies thrown overboard. A native quartermaster took command and she sailed to Borneo. Probably they intended to join the pirates at that island. While they couldn’t be find, she sailed to Riouw expecting to find the pirates over there. Without success, lacking stores the brig sailed to Penang and was there seized by the British. I wasn’t able to consult the Asiatic Annual Register 1807 p. 121 for this event.
Sources
J.J. Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy: an historical index, 1969.
T.H. Milo. “De maritieme verdediging van Oost-Indië van 1795-1802”, Marineblad, June 1941.
T.H. Milo. “De maritieme verdediging van Oost-Indië van 1804-1807”, Marineblad, April 1942. Sadly enough is the Staat der oorlogsschepen 1795-1828 Milo mentioned as available in 1942 at the Department of Defence nowadays trackless.
T.H. Milo. “De maritieme verdediging van Oost-Indië van 1804-1807”, Chapter III, 1806, Marineblad, August 1942.
R. Winfield. British Warships in the Age of sail 1793-1817. Design, Construction, Careers and Dates, 2008.
Naval Chronology Vol. VI, July-December, p. 441.
