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Cabalva

19419
Nominal Guns38W1812P
NationalityUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
OperatorEast India Company
Launched3.12.1811EICS
First Commissioned1811W1812P
How acquiredPurpose builtEICS
ShipyardDeptford - London W1812P
Constructor
John WellsBritish
Ship Builder
Service 1812-1830
W1812P
CategoryMerchantW1812P
Ship TypeEast IndiamanW1812P
Sailing RigShip RiggedW1812P
Wrecked7.7.1818EICS

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric Equivalent
Length of Gundeck165' 7 ⅞"Imperial Feet50.3142 
Length of Keel134' 0"Imperial Feet40.8432 
Breadth42' 0"Imperial Feet12.8016 
Depth in Hold17' 1"Imperial Feet5.1852 
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentW1812P
Burthen1,340Tons BM 

Armament


31.10.1812Broadside Weight = 342 Imperial Pound ( 155.097 kg)W1812P
Gun Deck12 British 18-Pound Carronade
Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder

Owners


DatesOwnerSource
1811/12/03 - 1815
William DaviesBritish
Ship Owner
Service 1811-1815
EICS
1815 - 1818/07/07
John CardBritish
Ship Owner
Service 1815-1818
EICS

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
31.10.1812170 W1812P

3 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
31.10.1812 - 1815Captain (HEIC)
Jonathon BirchBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1812-1815
W1812P
1816 - 1817Captain (HEIC)
John HineBritish
Merchant Sailor
Service 1816-1830
EICS
1818 - 7.7.1818Captain (HEIC)
James DalrympleBritish
Merchant Sailor
Service 1818
EICS

Service History


DateEventSource
31.10.1812Issued with a letter of marque which can be viewed hereW1812P
7.7.1818Wrecked on Cargados Carajos Shoals, in the Indian Ocean northeast of Mauritius.TGM
1985Divers located the site of the Cabalva and recovered many Spanish bust-type 8 reales.


Notes on Ship


EIC JournalIORMAR

Built by Wells, launched 1811, 3 decks, 4in bottom, length 165ft 7 7/8in, keel 134ft, breadth 42ft, hold 17ft 1in, wing transom 25ft 10in, port cell 28ft 11½in, waist 1ft 3in, between decks 6ft 4¼in & 6ft 4in, roundhouse 6ft 3in, ports 14 middle & 13 upper, deck range 97ft, 1257 tons.

Principal Managing Owners:

1-2 William Davies,

3-4 John Card.

Voyages:

(1) 1811/2 Bombay and China. Capt Jonathan Birch. Torbay 4 Jan 1812 - 6 May Bombay - 13 Jul Penang - 25 Jul Malacca - 11 Sep Whampoa - 2 Nov Second Bar - 28 Mar 1813 St Helena - 7 Jun Long Reach.

(2) 1813/4 Bombay and China. Capt Jonathan Birch. Portsmouth 31 Dec 1813 - 21 May 1814 Bombay - 6 Aug Penang - 22 Aug Malacca - 29 Sep Lintin - 30 Nov Whampoa - 7 Jan 1815 Second Bar - 19 Apr St Helena - 27 Jun Purfleet.

(3) 1815/6 Bombay and China. Capt John Hine. Downs 23 Jan 1816 - 15 May Bombay - 13 Jul Penang - 26 Jul Malacca - 19 Aug Whampoa - 20 Oct Second Bar - 2 Mar 1817 St Helena - 6 May Gravesend.

(4) 1817/8 China. Capt James Dalrymple. Downs 16 Apr 1818 - wrecked off Cadargos, Carajos Reefs nr Mauritius, 7 Jul 1818 - captain, surgeon's mate and 15 crew drowned.



 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 29th of June 2026 18:14

The Cabalva, Castle Huntly, Marquis of Huntly, and Marquis of Ely Indiamen have sailed from the Downs for Bombay and China; the Emma, free trader, for Bengal, and the whole of the outward-bound trade for their different destinations.
The Company’s ships Cornwall and Lord Lyndock, the first store-ships of the season, are expected to be dispatched at the India House on Thursday next, for St Helena and China. [London Chronicle, 10 January 1816]


Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 28th of June 2026 01:20

London, 9 January 1816: The Cabalva, Castle Huntly, Marquis of Huntly, Marquis of Ely, , Indiamen, sailed on Sunday from the Downs, for Bombay and China: as also the Emma, free trader, for Bengal. [Hampshire Telegraph, 15 January 1816]


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