|
His Majestys Armed Survey Vessel the ''Lady Nelson'' was commissioned in 1799 to survey the coast of Australia. At the time large parts of the Australian coast were unknown and only part of the continent had been claimed by Britain. The British Government were concerned that, in the event of settlers of another European power becoming established in Australia, any future conflict in Europe would lead to a widening of the conflict into the southern hemisphere to the detriment of the trade that Britain sought to develop. It was against this background that the ''Lady Nelson'' was chosen to survey and establish sovereignty over strategic parts of the continent. The ''Lady Nelson'' left Portsmouth on 18 March 1800 and arrived at Sydney on 16 December 1800 after having been the first vessel to reach the east coast of Australia via Bass Strait. Prior to that date all vessels had to sail around the southern tip of Tasmania to reach their destination. The ''Lady Nelson''s survey work commenced shortly after its arrival at Sydney, initially in the Bass Strait area. It was involved in the discovery of Port Phillip, on the coast of Victoria; in establishing settlements on the River Derwent and at Port Dalrymple in Tasmania; at Newcastle and Port Macquarie in New South Wales; and on Melville Island off the north coast of the continent. == Design, Building and Commissioning == At the end of the 1790s the New South Wales Colonial Government had no vessels capable of reaching the outside world. The ''Supply'' (1793) was found to be unseaworthy in 1797, and was subsequently condemned. The ''Reliance'' was also unseaworthy. It was temporarily repaired to enable it to sail back to England, whither it departed in March 1800. The only other vessel under the control of the colonial government was ''Francis'', a schooner of only 44 tons. The situation was partially relieved when arrived in May 1799, but no vessels were available for exploration and surveying. In 1799 the Admiralty's Commissioners of Transport (the Transport Board) ordered a cutter, of 60 tons burthen, to be built for their own use in the River Thames and called it ''Lady Nelson''. It was based on an armed cutter, the ''Trial'', built in Plymouth in 1789 to a design developed by Captain (later Admiral) John Schanck (spelt Schank ).〔 It was unusual in that it was fitted with three sliding keels, or centre-boards, that could be raised or lowered individually. Philip Gidley King, who was in England in 1799, was aware of the lack of vessels in New South Wales, and lobbied for ''Lady Nelson'' to be taken over for use in the Colony. The cost to government was said to be £890.〔Philip Gidley King (King) to Sir Joseph Banks (Banks), 20 Mar. 1799, ML Banks Papers, Series 39.043.〕 He personally inspected the vessel on 8 October 1799, whilst it was being fitted-out at Deptford, and suggested that: as few seamen know anything about the management of a cutter, her being constructed into a brig would make her more manageable to the generality of seamen.Schanck agreed with this change and the Commissioners of Transport were directed to rig the vessel as a brig, and not as a cutter like the ''Trial'' as had been intended.〔King to John King, Under Secretary of State for the Home Department, 8 Oct 1799, HRNSW, Vol. III, p. 724. John King to Charles Long, Secretary to the Treasury, 10 October 1799, TNA T 1/829 f.3593, and AJCP PRO 3559. Transport Commissioners to John Hunter, Governor of New South Wales 1795 to 1800 (Hunter), 1 Apr. 1800, HRA, Ser. I, Vol. II, pp. 483–484.〕 The ability to raise the keels was a useful feature for a survey vessel required to work in shallow waters. ''Lady Nelson''s draught was 12 feet when it left England, fully provisioned for its voyage. This would reduce to six feet if the keels were raised.〔 The keels were of timber construction with no added ballast. The ''Lady Nelson'' was built by John Dudman in the dockyard, known as Deadman's Dock, at Grove Street, Deptford. The ''Lady Nelson''s first commander was Lieutenant James Grant, the commission of whom came into effect on 19 October 1799.〔Grant to King, 17 Feb. 1801, HRA, Ser. I, Vol. III, pp. 81–82.〕 The vessel was commissioned: for the purpose of prosecuting the discovery and survey of the unknown parts of the coast of New Holland, and ascertaining, as far as is practicable, the hydrography of that part of the globe.〔Duke of Portland, Secretary of State for the Home Department 1794 to 1801, (Portland) to The Governor of the Settlement of New South Wales, 26 Feb. 1800, TNA CO 202/5, AJCP PRO 56 and HRA, Ser. I, Vol. II, pp. 498–501.〕 Philip Gidley King departed for New South Wales in the ''Speedy'' on 26 Nov 1799 with a despatch recalling the incumbent Governor, John Hunter, who returned to England. King then took over as Governor and subsequently played a key part in the affairs of the ''Lady Nelson'' after it arrived. 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「HMS Lady Nelson (1798)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|