Valentine

Valentine was an armed British East Indiaman launched in 1780 for service with the British East India Company. Although the supplied subject name can refer to many modern brands and products, the authoritative disambiguated entity is an eighteenth-century merchant vessel rather than a French food brand. The ship operated during a period when the East India Company combined commercial shipping with imperial logistics, and its voyages connected Britain with ports in India, China, Southeast Asia, and the Atlantic staging points used by long-distance fleets. The ship’s first voyage began in March 1781 under Captain John Lewis. She sailed in a convoy accompanying a British naval squadron commanded by Commodore George Johnstone. Near São Tiago in the Cape Verde Islands, the convoy encountered a French squadron led by Bailli de Suffren. The resulting Battle of Porto Praya was inconclusive, and Valentine did not take an active part in the fighting. The wider British expedition continued toward the Cape of Good Hope and then on to India. Valentine reached Madras and Bengal before returning to Britain in February 1783. Valentine made a second East India Company voyage between 1784 and 1785, again under John Lewis, visiting Madras and Bengal. Her third voyage, from 1786 to 1787, was commanded by Thomas Wall and combined destinations in India and China. She proceeded from Madras through Malacca to the Whampoa anchorage near Canton, one of the principal destinations for British China trade. Her fourth voyage, from 1788 to 1790, followed a similar India-and-China route, with calls at Madeira, São Tiago, Madras, Penang, and Whampoa. The fifth voyage, undertaken from 1792 to 1793 under Captain Iver McMillan, broadened the ship’s itinerary to include St Helena, Bengal, Madras, and Bencoolen. By this stage Valentine was part of a mature commercial system in which ships carried goods, personnel, and correspondence between Company settlements and Britain. Her sixth Company voyage took place from 1794 to 1795. Because Britain was at war with France, McMillan obtained a letter of marque, giving the vessel legal authority to act against enemy shipping if required. The British government also temporarily held Valentine and other East Indiamen at Portsmouth for a proposed expedition against Île de France, now Mauritius. The plan was abandoned, and the ship was released after a compensated delay. After completing the sixth voyage, Valentine was chartered by the Admiralty as a troopship for Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian’s expedition to the West Indies. Captain Henry Hughes obtained another letter of marque in October 1795. Severe weather repeatedly disrupted the expedition, including an initial return to England and further delays. The fleet eventually sailed in April 1796 with troops commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby. British forces captured St Lucia in May and subsequently took Saint Vincent and Grenada. Valentine returned to Britain later in 1796 and was sold to be broken up. No continuing consumer brand, corporate organization, or modern commercial operation is associated with this vessel.

Valentine was launched in 1780 as an East Indiaman operated for the British East India Company. Her career illustrates the overlap between commercial shipping and military logistics in the late eighteenth century. East Indiamen were large merchant vessels designed for long voyages between Britain and Asia, but they also sailed in convoy, carried military personnel and supplies, and could receive letters of marque during wartime. On her first voyage, Captain John Lewis took Valentine from Portsmouth to Madras and Bengal in 1781. She traveled with a British convoy associated with Commodore George Johnstone’s squadron. At Porto Praya, the British formation encountered French forces commanded by Bailli de Suffren. The battle was inconclusive, and Valentine did not actively engage. The convoy continued toward the Cape of Good Hope and then India, after which the ship returned to Britain in 1783. Valentine undertook a second voyage in 1784–1785 to Madras and Bengal. Her third voyage, under Captain Thomas Wall, ran from 1786 to 1787 and included Madras, Malacca, and Whampoa in China. A fourth voyage from 1788 to 1790 again linked Britain with Madras and China, including a call at Penang. These journeys placed the ship within the Company’s regular trade network across the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. Captain Iver McMillan commanded the fifth voyage in 1792–1793, which included St Helena, Bengal, Madras, and Bencoolen. During the sixth voyage, begun in 1794, Britain was at war with revolutionary France. McMillan received a letter of marque, although the principal purpose of the voyage remained transport to Bengal and the return passage to Britain. The government temporarily detained Valentine at Portsmouth with many other Indiamen for a proposed attack on Île de France. When that plan was abandoned, the ship was released and compensated for the delay. In 1795 Valentine’s commercial career gave way to military transport. The Admiralty chartered her for Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian’s West Indies expedition, and Henry Hughes became captain. Weather repeatedly postponed the operation. After the fleet finally sailed in April 1796, British forces under Sir Ralph Abercromby captured St Lucia and later Saint Vincent and Grenada. Valentine returned to England that year and was sold for breaking up. She therefore had a working life of approximately sixteen years, spanning six Company voyages and one major military transport operation.

• 1796

  Final service and disposal

  [1]Valentine (1780 EIC ship)en.wikipedia.org

  After participating in the West Indies expedition, Valentine returned to Britain and was sold for breaking up.

• 1795

  Converted to troop transport

  [1]Valentine (1780 EIC ship)en.wikipedia.org

  The Admiralty chartered Valentine for the West Indies expedition commanded by Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian.

• 1794

  Letter of marque issued

  [1]Valentine (1780 EIC ship)en.wikipedia.org

  Captain Iver McMillan obtained a letter of marque after the outbreak of war between Britain and France.

• 1786

  First voyage to China

  [1]Valentine (1780 EIC ship)en.wikipedia.org

  Under Captain Thomas Wall, Valentine sailed through Madras and Malacca to Whampoa, an important British trading destination in China.

• 1781

  First East India Company voyage begins

  [1]Valentine (1780 EIC ship)en.wikipedia.org

  Captain John Lewis sailed from Portsmouth for Madras and Bengal. The ship was present with a British convoy during the Battle of Porto Praya but did not take an active part.

• 1780

  Launch

  [1]Valentine (1780 EIC ship)en.wikipedia.org

  Valentine was launched as an East Indiaman for service connected with the British East India Company.

A British East Indiaman serving commercial, military-support, and imperial transport functions in the late eighteenth century.

• East Indiaman · 1780

  Valentine

  A British merchant vessel launched in 1780 and employed by the East India Company. Valentine carried out six long-distance voyages to Madras, Bengal, Bencoolen, and China, while also operating in convoy and receiving wartime letters of marque.

• 1795West Indies Expedition

  West Indies

  Valentine was chartered as a troopship for the British expedition led by Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian and supported by troops under Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby. Weather delayed the fleet several times before it sailed in April 1796.

  Outcome. British forces captured St Lucia in May 1796 and subsequently captured Saint Vincent and Grenada. Valentine later returned to England.

  Source

• 1794

  Temporary military retention at PortsmouthStrategy

  Background

  The British government assembled Valentine and other East Indiamen for a planned attack on Île de France during the war with France.

  Action taken

  The planned operation was abandoned in May 1794, and Valentine was released after being held for 22 days beyond her expected departure.

  Aftermath

  The government paid £417 5s 4d in compensation for the delay. Valentine then proceeded with her sixth Company voyage.

  Compensation for delay. £417 5s 4d (1794)

  Source

1. 1Valentine (1780 EIC ship)en.wikipedia.org