Cyprus (1816 ship)

Japanese watercolour from 1830 depicting a British-flagged ship believed to be the brig Cyprus
History
United Kingdom
Name:	Cyprus
Namesake:	Cyprus
Builder:	Sunderland
Launched:	1816
Fate:	Scuttled 1830
General characteristics
Type:	Brig
Tons burthen:	100, or 109 (bm)
Length:	70 ft 6 in (21.5 m) (overall)
Beam:	20 ft 0 in (6.1 m)
Propulsion:	Sail
Complement:	13
Notes:	Two masts. One-and-a-half decks.

Cyprus was a brig launched at Sunderland in 1816. The colonial government in Van Diemen's Land purchased her in 1826. In 1829 as she was transporting convicts from Hobart Town to Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, some of the convicts seized Cyprus. They sailed her via Japan to Canton, where they scuttled her.

Cyprus first appears in the registers in 1818 with Davidson, master. The registers disagree over her owner and trade. Lloyds Register gives the name of her owner as R. Rapler, and her trade as London—St Petersburg. The Register of Shipping gives her owner as Lamplater, and her trade as London—Stettin.

The Register of Shipping for 1824 shows Cyprus's master changing from Brown to Rand, and her owner from Proud to Briggs. Her trade changed from Liverpool—Riga to London—Madeira.

Captain John Briggs brought Cyprus to Van Diemen's Land in 1825 and set himself up there as a general mercantile agent. He employed Cyprus on runs between Hobart Town and Sydney.

She then sailed to Île de France (Mauritius) under a license from the British East India Company. In July 1826 Lloyds List reported that on 15 March Cyprus, Todd, master, which had left Mauritius on 10 March, bound for Hobart, had returned to Mauritius due to problems with leaks.

On her return to Hobart Town, Briggs sold Cyprus to the government there for £1700. The government needed a replacement for its existing brig, Duke of York, which had become unseaworthy.

Lieutenant Governor George Arthur used Cyprus to carry convicts, troops, stores, and provisions to the penal colony at Macquarie Harbour. She brought back Huon pine, and various goods that the convicts there had manufactured.