Butterworth (1785 ship)
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} France
|
|
| Name: | Américaine (or Amerique) |
| Owner: | Bretel, Ernouf, and La Houssaye, of Granville |
| Builder: | France |
| Launched: | 1778 |
| Captured: | Captured 26 January 1781 |
 Great Britain
|
|
| Name: | America |
| Acquired: | 1784 by purchase |
| Renamed: | Butterworth (1785) |
| Fate: | Lost 1802 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen: |
|
| Sail plan: | Ship |
| Complement: |
|
| Armament: |
|
Butterworth was launched in 1778 in France as the highly successful 32-gun privateer Américaine, of Granville. The British Royal Navy captured her early in 1781. She first appeared in a commercial role in 1784 as America, and was renamed in 1785 as Butterworth. She served primarily as a whaler in the Greenland whale fisheries. New owners purchased her in 1789. She underwent a great repair in 1791 that increased her size by almost 20%. She is most famous for her role in the "Butterworth Squadron", which took her and two ship's tenders on an exploration, sealing, otter fur, and whaling voyage to Alaska and the Pacific Coast of North America. She and her consorts are widely credited with being the first European vessels to enter, in 1794, what is now Honolulu harbour. After her return to England in 1795, Butterworth went on three more whaling voyages to the South Pacific, then Africa, and then the South Pacific again. In 1802 she was outward bound on her fourth of these voyage, this to the South Pacific, when she was lost.
Many accounts of the Butterworth Squadron refer to Butterworth as a former French 30-gun frigate. The tern "frigate" was often used loosely. Butterworth's previous name was American, and there was no French warship of that name that fit her description. However, there was a French privateer frigate Américaine, of Granville, that carried 32 guns and that was active between 1779 and 1780.
Between 1778 and 1779 Américaine was under the command of Captain Paul Eudes de la Cocardière. Under his command she captured at least four prizes: Hunter, Sorel, Edgipezeriere, and Good Intent. He paid Américaine off on 20 May 1779.
Captain François Jourdan de la Monnerie was her next captain, in 1780. Under his command she captured the prizes Machora, Betsy, Sil Lah, Race Horse, Elisabeth Quenley, Notre Dame du Rosaire, and Hanto of Black. He paid her off on 3 July 1780.
Américaine then made a third cruise. On 17 January 1781 Américaine recaptured the Dutch ship Hendrick Frederick, Captain Raba, master. Hendrick Fredrick had been sailing from Oporto to Nantz with 400 chests of fruit when on 13 December at 45°20′N 11°32′W / 45.333°N 11.533°W Little Ben, Hayes, master, had captured her.
...
Wikipedia