Ocean (1794 ship)

Hunter Island with the ships Ocean and Pilgrim in foreground and the Lady Nelson behind the flag on the stern of the Ocean, 1804.
History
Name:	Ocean
Owner:	Messrs Hurry & Co
Launched:	1794, South Shields
Fate:	Last listed in Lloyd's Register in 1823
General characteristics
Class and type:	Brig
Tons burthen:	461, 481, or 561 4⁄94 (bm)
Length:	109 ft 9 in (33.5 m) (overall), 86 ft 5 1⁄4 in (26.3 m) (keel)
Beam:	31 ft 81 in (11.5 m)
Depth of hold:	13 ft 1 in (4.0 m)
Propulsion:	Sail
Sail plan:	Brig
Complement:	35-40
Armament:	10 or 12 x 6-pounder guns
Notes:	Copper-sheathed

Ocean was an English merchant ship and whaler built in 1794 at South Shields, England. She performed two voyages as an "extra" ship for the British East India Company (EIC) and later, in 1803, she accompanied HMS Calcutta to Port Phillip (Melbourne). The vessels supported the establishment of a settlement under the leadership of Lt Col David Collins. Calcutta transported convicts, with Ocean serving to transport supplies. When the settlers abandoned Port Phillip, Ocean, in two journeys, relocated the settlers, convicts and marines to the River Derwent (Hobart Town) in 1804.

Ocean continued to sail as a London-based transport until 1823.

Ocean was a three-masted, copper-bottomed brig. She was built in 1794 at South Shields.

Originally, Ocean was to be a whaler owned by the newly-operating South Sea fishers, Thomas and Edward Hurrys, who were bankrupt by 1806. However, apparently Ocean spent 1794-95 in the Baltic timber trade.

Ocean made two trips to Bengal as an "extra" ship for the EIC. That is, the EIC chartered her on a per-voyage basis, rather than having her on long-term contract; extra ships were usually smaller than the regular East Indiaman. The French Revolutionary Wars having started, she sailed under letters of marque for both voyages.

The first letter was issued on 22 January 1796 and gave her captain's name as John Bowen. It listed her as having a crew of 40 men and armament of ten 6-pounder guns.

Under Bowen (or Bower), she left Gravesend on 17 February 1796 and was at Portsmouth on 12 March. She was at Cowes on 30 March, where she took on board men from the 28th Light Dragoons. She then joined a convoy for the Cape of Good Hope on 11 April. The convoy included another Ocean, this one an East Indiaman, and much larger. On 10 September the brig Ocean was at Simon's Bay. On 28 November she was at Diamond Harbour and by 30 December she was at Calcutta. She left Diamond Harbour on 10 January 1797. Ocean was at Kedgeree on 19 March. She left Bengal on 27 March 1797 with a cargo of sugar and in a convoy escorted by the frigate HMS Fox. She reached Trincomalee on 24 April, Simon's Bay on 7 July, and the Cape on 11 July, a storm having dispersed the convoy and despite having sprung leaks that had kept the crew at the pumps from 26 May on. She sailed from the Cape on 26 August as part of a convoy of 16 East Indiamen and six British warships, reaching Saint Helena on 11 September. Ocean reached the Downs on 14 December, Gravesend, Kent on 18 December, and finished unloading at Deptford on 19 January 1798.