Name Harrington Type Brig Armament 6 guns | Fate Wrecked in March 1809 Crew 40 Tons burthen 163,300 kg | |
Owner Chace, Chinnery & Co
William Campbell | ||
Harrington was a 180-ton Brig that undertook sealing expeditions, captured two Spanish vessels off South America and was seized by convicts in Port Jackson, before being wrecked in March 1809.
Contents
History
Harrington sailed from Madras in 1801 under the command of William Campbell and began sealing in Bass Strait. While sealing around King Island, they discovered wreckage of a ship on 18 March 1802, on the southern extremity.
Returning for Madras on 9 June 1803 before leaving on a trading voyage to Peru and Chile before returning to Madras and leaving on 18 October and returning to Sydney on 9 January 1804.
Returning to Peru and Chile, William Campbell acting on his belief that England and Spain were at war, proceeded to raid the South American coast as a privateer, capturing the coast-guard vessel Extremeña and the merchant brig St Francisco & St Paulo. On the return to Governor of New South Wales Philip Gidley King ordered that Harrington be detained until it was known whether hostilities with Spain had broken out at the time of the capture. Harrington was later returned on the advice of the crown law officers in England owing to a doubt whether Campbell had acted with a 'piratical intention', though his conduct was 'highly blameable'; the prizes, with other loot, were confiscated and sold for £5054.
A cargo of sandalwood from Fiji to China was undertaken, returning with merchandise in March 1808. Chace, Chinnery & Co. in liquidation and in May, Campbell purchased the remaining share in the Harrington. On 15 May 1808, she was seized by convicts when preparing to return to Fiji.
Fate
HMS Dédaigneuse caught up with Harrington and while attempting to bring her under control, Harrington ran aground on the coast of Luzon, Philippines in March 1809 and was wrecked.