Neptune (ship)
Encyclopedia
Neptune was one of the notorious Second Fleet
ships to Port Jackson
. Built in the River Thames
in 1779, at 809 tons she was the largest ship of the fleet. In company with Surprize
and Scarborough
she sailed from England
with 421 male and 78 female convicts on 19 January 1790. Her master was Donald Traill and surgeon was William Gray
. She arrived at the Cape of Good Hope
on 13 April 1790, and spent sixteen days there, taking on provisions, and twelve male convicts from HMS Guardian
which had been wrecked after striking an iceberg. She and Scarborough were parted from Surprize in heavy weather and arrived at Port Jackson on 28 June 160 days out from England. During the voyage 158 convicts died (31%) and 269 (53%) were sick when landed.
The treatment of convicts aboard the Neptune was unquestionably the most horrific in the history of transportation to Australia. Convicts suspected of petty theft were flogged to death; most were kept chained below decks for the duration of the voyage; scurvy and other diseases were endemic; and the food rations were pitiful.
Upon their return to England, the Master, Donald Traill, and Chief Mate, William Ellerington, were privately prosecuted for the murder of an un-named convict, along with a seaman named Andrew Anderson and a cook named John Joseph. After a trial lasting three hours before Sir James Marriott in the Admiralty Court, the jury acquitted both men on all charges "without troubling the Judge to sum up the evidence". There were no public prosecutions.
Amongst the arrivals on this voyage was D'Arcy Wentworth
. John Macarthur
, his wife Elizabeth, and their son Edward Macarthur
left England on Neptune but transferred to Scarborough after a quarrel with the captain. A photograph of Edward Macarthur exists, which can be seen here http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050143b.htm, and is the only known photo of a passenger on Neptune.
Details of the convicts who arrived on Neptune are given here: http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/2ndfleet.html
Second Fleet (Australia)
The Second Fleet is the name of the second fleet of ships sent with settlers, convicts and supplies to colony at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson, Australia. The fleet comprised six ships: one Royal Navy escort, four convict ships, and a supply ship....
ships to Port Jackson
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
. Built in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in 1779, at 809 tons she was the largest ship of the fleet. In company with Surprize
Surprize (ship)
Surprize was one of the notorious Second Fleet ships to Port Jackson. At 400 tons burthen , she was the smallest ship of the fleet, and was an unsuitable vessel for so long a voyage, proving to be a wet ship even in moderate weather. In rough seas and heavy gales the convicts “were considerably...
and Scarborough
Scarborough (ship)
'Scarborough' was a transport ship of 430 tons, built at Scarborough in 1782. She formed part of the First Fleet, which commenced European settlement of Australia in 1788....
she sailed from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with 421 male and 78 female convicts on 19 January 1790. Her master was Donald Traill and surgeon was William Gray
William Gray
-Religious figures and public officials:*William Gray , American politician and merchant who became one of the wealthiest men of his era*William H...
. She arrived at the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
on 13 April 1790, and spent sixteen days there, taking on provisions, and twelve male convicts from HMS Guardian
HMS Guardian (1784)
HMS Guardian was a 44-gun Roebuck-class fifth-rate two-decker of the Royal Navy, later converted to carry stores. She was completed too late to take part in the American War of Independence, and instead spent several years laid up in ordinary, before finally entering service as a store and convict...
which had been wrecked after striking an iceberg. She and Scarborough were parted from Surprize in heavy weather and arrived at Port Jackson on 28 June 160 days out from England. During the voyage 158 convicts died (31%) and 269 (53%) were sick when landed.
The treatment of convicts aboard the Neptune was unquestionably the most horrific in the history of transportation to Australia. Convicts suspected of petty theft were flogged to death; most were kept chained below decks for the duration of the voyage; scurvy and other diseases were endemic; and the food rations were pitiful.
Upon their return to England, the Master, Donald Traill, and Chief Mate, William Ellerington, were privately prosecuted for the murder of an un-named convict, along with a seaman named Andrew Anderson and a cook named John Joseph. After a trial lasting three hours before Sir James Marriott in the Admiralty Court, the jury acquitted both men on all charges "without troubling the Judge to sum up the evidence". There were no public prosecutions.
Amongst the arrivals on this voyage was D'Arcy Wentworth
D'Arcy Wentworth
D'Arcy Wentworth was born in Portadown, County Armagh, Ireland and emigrated to Australia as an assistant surgeon to then-new colony of Sydney.- Emigration to Australia :...
. John Macarthur
John MacArthur
John MacArthur may refer to:* John Macarthur , Australian wool industry pioneer and Rum Rebel* John McArthur, Jr. , American architect* John McArthur , Union general during the American Civil War...
, his wife Elizabeth, and their son Edward Macarthur
Edward Macarthur
Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Macarthur KCB was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, an administrator active in Australia and Commander-in-chief of Her Majesty's forces in Australia from 1855.-Early life:...
left England on Neptune but transferred to Scarborough after a quarrel with the captain. A photograph of Edward Macarthur exists, which can be seen here http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050143b.htm, and is the only known photo of a passenger on Neptune.
Details of the convicts who arrived on Neptune are given here: http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/2ndfleet.html
Further reading
- Bateson, Charles, The Convict Ships, 1787-1868, Sydney, 1974.
- Admiralty Proceedings on the Sessions held 7 and 8 June 1792 before Sir James Marriott and others, Trials of Kimber, Traill, Ellerington and Hindmarch for murder and Berry and Slack for piracy, London 1792
- Emma Christopher, Cassandra Pybus, Marcus Buford Rediker, Marcus Rediker (eds.), Many Middle Passages: Forced Migration and the Making of the Modern World, Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007, chapter 6 by Emma Christopher, “Slave Traders, Convict Transportation, and the Abolitionists”.