Hi David, While researching the Straits Steamer TONZE (anti-pirate gunboat and 'penny-ferry') which sailed under the flag abbreviated to 'B' - possibly for Bengal, I came across this reference to the SIR WILLIAM PEEL which I don't think I sent before, and which introduces another aspect, here being a hospital ship. Perhaps a bit early for your enquiry? Still looking for more about the TONZE and am now searching on the Rootsweb forum for British Mariners Chris 'The British arms in north China & Japan: Peking 1860; Kagosima 1862 by D. F. Renie M.D. publ. John Mueeay London 1864 The Third Chinese War Chapter 6 SIR ROBERT NAPIER, P.55 [extract] July 10th. 1860 - Communication with the opposite side is carried on by means of small steamers that have been sent from India for service on the Peiho ; they are essentially river boats, and are known in the fleet by the sobriquet of the "penny-boats." One starts every morning shortly after day-break from alongside the flag-ship, and goes the round of the various bays where ships are at anchor. I crossed the bay in one of them called the " TONZE " this morning. I went to the 'SIR WILLIAM PEEL steamer, the hospital ship of the second division, to see my brother, under whose charge she is. I found the arrangements for the sick very good ; the vessel being fitted with iron bedsteads in place of wooden bunks. I landed with my brother, and passed through the camps of the Buffs and the 8th Punjaubees towards the crest of a hill, where I found my younger brother with a detachment of the 44th. http://www.archive.org/stream/britisharmsinno00renngoog/britisharmsinno00ren ngoog_djvu.txt _____ From: David Railton [mailto:railton.david@btinternet.com] Sent: 25 August 2013 10:15 To: 'Chris Woods' Subject: RE: Capt. T.H. Jewett Hello again, Chris. I have not found very much, if anything, about the Bengal Marine. A subject that I have yet to devote any time to. There is this web page devoted to the subject: http://www.barnettmaritime.co.uk/mainbengal.htm There are a number of books published about the HEIC Marine but little that I can see about the Bengal Marine as it became in the 1850s and nothing, I have found, about the branch of the Bengal Marine, the Inland Steam Service, which Thomas was employed by. David From: Chris Woods [mailto:c.woods45@btinternet.com] Sent: 25 August 2013 09:05 To: David Railton Subject: Re: Capt. T.H. Jewett Hi David, this is a whole new area of maritime research for me so I am struggling a bit. looking at the FIBIS site for the Bengal Marine there is reference to their giving their officers ranks to equate to military ranks for when they were serving on military operations. Also the Bengal Marine appears to be a forerunner to the (Royal) Indian Navy. The use of the rank Commander is not found in the merchant marine although of course, the Bengal Marine seems to have done things differently, with their quasi Naval status. The American aspect i fascinating. I don't know enough about this Bengal Marine and can find no reference to the 'Sir William Peel' in their lists of ships, but that is only from looking at the FIBIS site and their links to the British Library, however I have put out some feelers about the ship in the Victorian Royal Navy site. The British Library (India and Asia section) has all the surviving records of HEIC - is that where you found Thomas's employment with them? i still have not worked out how a Government vessel, other than a naval vessel, is not registered as a merchant vessel - the only 'Sir Willliam Peel' registered as a merchant vessel was that blockade runner arrested of the coast of Mexico, but again, HEIC and presumably the Bengal Mariner were allowed a certain degree of independance, but then, its strange that your ship does not appear in their lists either. I would be most interested in anything you have found about H.M. Inland Steam Services of the Government of Bengal of this period (I see there is quite a bit on line from the 20th. C.). I have occasionally been able to offer some amateur help to others on questions about the Royal Indian Navy, but not this far back. It would be very satisfactory to sort this out for you and hope tog et back with more info., if possible, Chris via iPad On 24 Aug 2013, at 17:21, "David Railton" <railton.david@btinternet.com> wrote: Thanks Chris, I do have all the family history that's on the web and more. The second and third items refer to children of Thomas Henry's son, Thomas Hope Jewett. I am interested in your suggestion that Thomas was an RN man. I doubt it but it would be interesting if I could be proved wrong. Thomas Henry Jewett was a citizen of the USA having been born in Candia, New Hampshire in 1806, whose father was a Harvard graduate who was a teacher, a shoemaker and a farmer and whose family had been in USA since they escaped religious persecution in England for being too protestant during the reign of Henry VIII. (a not unusual occurrence in my family history). Thomas Henry Jewett was initially employed by the Honourable East India Company's Marine Service, and after the take-over of India from HEIC by the British Government in the 1850s, by Her Majesty's Inland Steam Service, a department of the Government of Bengal. My understanding has always been that, as such, he was neither RN or Merchant Navy. David From: Chris Woods [mailto:c.woods45@btinternet.com] Sent: 24 August 2013 16:50 To: railton.david@btinternet.com Subject: Capt. T.H. Jewett Confirmation that Thomas was 'Captain' of HMS Sir William Peel also referred to as HMS Peel (probably erroneously) http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_detail.php?id=836949 1867 Capt. HMS Peel Calcutta presumably the HMS SIR William Peel http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_detail.php?id=670602 http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_detail.php?id=685962 1871 Dec 9th at Calcutta Mrs D Jewett the wife of Commander T H Jewett HMS Sir William Peel http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_detail.php?id=819292 http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_detail.php?id=673996 Death 1878 at Dinapore Thomas Henry Jewett late Captain in HM's Inland Steam Service aged 64 years. The term 'Captain' in the Royal Navy is both a rank (4 ringer) and also a position. The term 'Commander' in the royal Navy is a rank - 3 ringer = one below Captain. I would suggest that Thomas was a Commander in the Royal Navy, serving as the senior officer of HMS Sir William Peel in which position he was known as her Captain. {In the Merchant Navy (mercantile marine in the 19th. Century) there is no rank of Captain. The senior officer is the ship's Master and since WW1 he holds the honoury rank of Captain.} Hope this is of some interest although I guess you already have the data. I'm working on finding out more about your naval vessel. Anything else I can help with, of a salty interest? Chris > -----Original Message----- > From: india-british-raj-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:india-british-raj-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of David > Railton > Sent: 21 August 2013 22:14 > To: INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ > Subject: [INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ] Calcutta based steamer 1867 > > I have seen a marriage record from 1869 Calcutta which refers to the > father of the groom as being of the 'H.M. str. Sir William Peel'. I > assume that this is an abbreviation for Her Majesty's steamer 'Sir > William Peel'. I know that this would have been a Calcutta based > vessel probably owned by the Government of Bengal and probably > operating on the River Hooghly. > > > > Can anyone give me any information about this ship or point me in the > direction where I may find it? > > > > David No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2013.0.3392 / Virus Database: 3211/6607 - Release Date: 08/25/13