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''Ceres'' was an East Indiaman launched in 1787. She made three trips to China for the Honourable East India Company (HEIC). After the outbreak of war with France in 1793, the Admiralty, desirous of quickly building up the Royal Navy, purchased a number of commercial vessels, including nine East Indiamen, to meet the need for small two-decker fourth rates to serve as convoy escorts.〔 The Admiralty purchased ''Ceres'' in 1795 and renamed her HMS ''Grampus''. In 1797 the Admiralty converted her to a storeship. That year her crew participated in the Spithead and Nore mutinies. ''Grampus'' grounded in January 1799 and was destroyed. ==East Indiaman== ''Ceres'' made three trips to China for the HEIC. ;1st voyage (1788-89) ''Ceres''s captain for her first voyage was Captain Thomas Price.〔 He sailed her for the coast of India and China, leaving Portsmouth on 5 April 1788. She reached Madras on 15 July, and Whampoa on 2 October. On the return leg of her voyage, she crossed the Second Bar on 14 December. She reached Saint Helena on 9 April 1789 and Long Reach on 2 June.〔(National Archives - accessed 14 April 2013 )〕 Other accounts have her returning to her moorings on 1 September 1789.〔 In either case, Price died on 20 June.〔Anderson (1918), p.93.〕 ;2nd voyage (1790-1791) ''Ceres''s captain for her second voyage was Captain George Stevens.〔Hardy & Hardy (1811), p.138.〕 He too sailed her for the Indian coast and China, leaving Torbay on 6 March 1790. She reached Madras on 22 June, and Negapatam on 29 July. Two days later she was back at Madras. She then reached Whampoa on 11 October. She crossed the Second Bar on 20 January 1791, and then stopped at Macao on 17 March. She reached St Helena on 3 July, and Long Reach on 1 September.〔 ;3rd voyage (1793-94) George Stevens was again captain of ''Ceres'' for her third voyage.〔Hardy & Hardy (1811), p.156.〕 She left Portsmouth on 21 May 1793, after war with France had begun on 1 February. The HEIC arranged for her to sail under a letter of marque, issued to Stevens, and dated 22 April 1793.〔 ''Ceres'' was part of a convoy that also included the East Indiamen ''Prince William'', ''Lord Thurlow'', ''William Pitt'', ''Barwell'', ''Earl of Oxford'', ''Osterley'', ''Fort William'', ''London'', ''Glatton'', ''Houghton'', ''Marquis of Landsdown'', ''Hillsborough'', ''Pigot'', and ''Earl of Abergavenny'', amongst numerous other vessels, merchant and military, most of the non-Indiamen travelling to the Mediterranean.〔''Gentleman's magazine'' (May 1793), Vol 63, part. 1, p. 474.〕 On 24 June 1793 the fleet of Indiamen captured the French brig ''Franc''; the crew of ''Ceres'' took possession.〔 On 10 November ''Ceres'' reached Manilla. Then on 20 December she arrived at Whampoa. At Whampoa that December were several other East Indiamen, among which were several that on their return to Britain the Admiralty would purchase: ''Warley'', ''Royal Charlotte'', ''Earl of Abergavenny'', and ''Hindostan''.〔Anderson (1795), p.448.〕 The British Government had chartered ''Hindostan'' to take Lord Macartney to China in an unsuccessful attempt to open diplomatic and commercial relations with the Chinese empire. For her return trip, ''Ceres'' crossed the Second Bar on 18 February 1794 and stopped at Macao on 16 March. She reached St Helena on 18 June, and Long Reach on 10 September.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ceres (1787 ship)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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