Two opium clippers: The Straits Times, 8 March 1862, page 2 Monday 3rd March The steamer Thunder Captain Fowler, arrived from Calcutta, on Sunday morning early. By her we have received the particulars of the Opium sale of the 6th. The Thunder left again for China about 5ive o’clock on the same day. ******* The Straits Times, 8 March 1862, page 2 Calcutta Opium Sales ******* The Straits Times, 22 Mar 1862, page 4, Advertisements Notice-- The undersigned will continue as heretofore, to land at this place, the cargoes of Opium and every other description of merchandise brought hither by the steamers Thunder and Lightning, from Calcutta and Bombay at their godowns as well as the return cargoes per both the said steamers from China; and request that the consignees of such cargoes apply immediately after they are landed for delivery otherwise they will be at the risk and responsibility of the consignees. Stephen & Joaquim, Singapore, 4th February, 1862. ******** The Strait Times, 23 May 1863, page 1 China News-- The steamer Thunder, Captain Fowler, from Hongkong, arrived in the roads yesterday morning, having left on the 9th instant. We have received papers to the 9th inst. The 4th Opium Sale of the year in Calcutta on 6th May. (The Lightning carries 1,626 chests of opium....mainly for Hongkong, with some for Singapore and Penang. The Thunder carries 3,612 chests of opium.... mainly for Hongkong with a small quantty for Singapore.) ********** The Straits Times, 4 july 1863, page 1 The 6th Opium Sale of the year at Calcutta on 8th June. (The Lightning carries 1,574 chests of opium.... mainly for Hongkong but also for Singapore and Penang. The Thunder carries 1.826 chests of opium..... mainly for Hongkong with some for Singapore.) ******** The Strait Times reports on many opium auctions and it is possible to match up sales of opium with ships departing from Calcutta. The master of the Thunder was Capt. David Fowler born in Cellardyke, Fife in 1818. David Fowler worked for the Apcar line and many of their ships conveyed opium. Capt. Fowler ended his connection with the Thunder in early 1863. The family returned to Scotland and when their last child was born the newspaper reported: “Birth-- FOWLER-- At Elie, Fifeshire, on the 22d inst., the wife of Captain David FOWLER, late of the Steamer Thunder, of a daughter.” -- Caledonian Mercury, Edinburgh, 30 Mar 1864 Apparently a connection with the Thunder was worthy of note to the folks back home. David Fowler had also commanded the Catherine Apcar and the Armenian, both Apcar ships. ********* from India-L Archives (rootsweb.com) Subject: (Fwd) Re: [India-L] (Fwd) Apcar Alexander Apcar Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 14:43:54 +1000 Some notes on the Apcar Line Brothers Arratoon and Gregory Apcar from New Julfa in Persia founded Apcar and Company in 1819. Initially a trading company in Bombay, it moved to Calcutta. Here it ventured into the shipping business and soon carved out a niche for itself offering freight and passage as well as transporting their lucrative cargo-opium. By the mid 1840s, the 275 ton brig Arratoon Apcar was plying the Calcutta, Penang, Singapore and China circuit, calling in at Singapore nearly every second month. A few years later, the Ararat and the 400 ton Catherine Apcar, named after Arratoon's wife, had joined the fleet. Keeping abreast of the times, the company began introducing steam clippers in the 1850s. The 315 ton Lightning and 593 ton Thunder were soon joined by a new 938 ton Arratoon Apcar and in 1858 by the Armenia- large vessels for country shipping. In March 1861, the much admired new 240-ton screw steamer Thunder [a " fine specimen of naval architecture' ] arrived at Singapore having made the journey from Hong Kong in only 5 days and 2 hours. However, she was outdone by Lightning who lived up to her name, setting a 4 day 20 hour record for the journey in November 1862. Newer and larger steamers joined the fleet. The first steam Catherine Apcar built in 1865 was 1019 tons; a few years later she was joined by the 1476-ton Hindustan and the 1471-ton China. .The Japan, commissioned in 1872, rather appropriately called at Kobe, Yokohama and Nagasaki. A modern 2153-ton Arratoon Apcar was built in 1873. For about 25 years, until the 1870s, the Apcar clippers dominated the opium trade departing with their cargoes from Bombay or Calcutta, calling in at Singapore and then on to Hong Kong or Canton River. In August 1856, Lightning was on her fifth Calcutta- China trip and had transported 10,006 chests of opium to China, since October 1855. In 1865, out of the 43 listed sailings of opium ships to China, 17 were Apcar ships including: Arratoon Apcar, Armenia, Catherine Apcar, Lightning, Thunder and T A Gibbs. Norma On 2013-09-03, at 5:20 PM, Peter Beeston wrote: > Lubbock (“The Opium Clippers”) describes the clipper brig KITTY (Captain > Willie) as an opium craft but does not mention a CATHERINE. > > >

Since studying Economic History at university many years ago I have always been interested in the context in which events have occurred. Hence, when following correspondence relating to vessels involved in the opium trade, I decided to refresh my memory about the Opium Wars and the trade triangle in which opium played a significant role. For those who wish to get a bigger picture, the following sites might be of interest: http://martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/jan2010/opium-trade-views.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars Paddy On Wed, Sep 4, 2013 at 11:55 PM, Norma Brown <[email protected]> wrote: > Two opium clippers: > > The Straits Times, 8 March 1862, page 2 > Monday 3rd March > The steamer Thunder Captain Fowler, arrived from Calcutta, on Sunday > morning early. By her we have received the particulars of the Opium sale of > the 6th. The Thunder left again for China about 5ive o’clock on the same > day. > ******* > The Straits Times, 8 March 1862, page 2 > Calcutta Opium Sales > ******* > The Straits Times, 22 Mar 1862, page 4, Advertisements > Notice-- The undersigned will continue as heretofore, to land at this > place, the cargoes of Opium and every other description of merchandise > brought hither by the steamers Thunder and Lightning, from Calcutta and > Bombay at their godowns as well as the return cargoes per both the said > steamers from China; and request that the consignees of such cargoes apply > immediately after they are landed for delivery otherwise they will be at > the risk and responsibility of the consignees. Stephen & Joaquim, > Singapore, 4th February, 1862. > ******** > The Strait Times, 23 May 1863, page 1 > China News-- The steamer Thunder, Captain Fowler, from Hongkong, arrived > in the roads yesterday morning, having left on the 9th instant. We have > received papers to the 9th inst. > The 4th Opium Sale of the year in Calcutta on 6th May. > (The Lightning carries 1,626 chests of opium....mainly for Hongkong, with > some for Singapore and Penang. > The Thunder carries 3,612 chests of opium.... mainly for Hongkong with a > small quantty for Singapore.) > ********** > The Straits Times, 4 july 1863, page 1 > The 6th Opium Sale of the year at Calcutta on 8th June. > (The Lightning carries 1,574 chests of opium.... mainly for Hongkong but > also for Singapore and Penang. > The Thunder carries 1.826 chests of opium..... mainly for Hongkong with > some for Singapore.) > ******** > The Strait Times reports on many opium auctions and it is possible to > match up sales of opium with ships departing from Calcutta. The master of > the Thunder was Capt. David Fowler born in Cellardyke, Fife in 1818. David > Fowler worked for the Apcar line and many of their ships conveyed opium. > Capt. Fowler ended his connection with the Thunder in early 1863. The > family returned to Scotland and when their last child was born the > newspaper reported: > “Birth-- FOWLER-- At Elie, Fifeshire, on the 22d inst., the wife of > Captain David FOWLER, late of the Steamer Thunder, of a daughter.” -- > Caledonian Mercury, Edinburgh, 30 Mar 1864 Apparently a connection with the > Thunder was worthy of note to the folks back home. > > David Fowler had also commanded the Catherine Apcar and the Armenian, both > Apcar ships. > ********* > from India-L Archives (rootsweb.com) > Subject: (Fwd) Re: [India-L] (Fwd) Apcar Alexander Apcar > Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 14:43:54 +1000 > > Some notes on the Apcar Line > > Brothers Arratoon and Gregory Apcar from New Julfa in Persia founded > Apcar and Company in 1819. Initially a trading company in Bombay, it > moved to Calcutta. Here it ventured into the shipping business and > soon carved out a niche for itself offering freight and passage as > well as transporting their lucrative cargo-opium. > > By the mid 1840s, the 275 ton brig Arratoon Apcar was plying the > Calcutta, Penang, Singapore and China circuit, calling in at > Singapore > nearly every second month. A few years later, the Ararat and the 400 > ton Catherine Apcar, named after Arratoon's wife, had joined the > fleet. > > Keeping abreast of the times, the company began introducing steam > clippers in the 1850s. The 315 ton Lightning and 593 ton Thunder were > soon joined by a new 938 ton Arratoon Apcar and in 1858 by the > Armenia- large vessels for country shipping. > > In March 1861, the much admired new 240-ton screw steamer Thunder [a > " fine specimen of naval architecture' ] arrived at Singapore having > made the journey from Hong Kong in only 5 days and 2 hours. However, > she was outdone by Lightning who lived up to her name, setting a 4 day > 20 hour record for the journey in November 1862. > > Newer and larger steamers joined the fleet. The first steam Catherine > Apcar built in 1865 was 1019 tons; a few years later she was joined > by the 1476-ton Hindustan and the 1471-ton China. .The Japan, > commissioned in 1872, rather appropriately called at Kobe, Yokohama > and Nagasaki. A modern 2153-ton Arratoon Apcar was built in 1873. > > For about 25 years, until the 1870s, the Apcar clippers dominated the > opium trade departing with their cargoes from Bombay or Calcutta, > calling in at Singapore and then on to Hong Kong or Canton River. In > August 1856, Lightning was on her fifth Calcutta- China trip and had > transported 10,006 chests of opium to China, since October 1855. In > 1865, out of the 43 listed sailings of opium ships to China, 17 were > Apcar ships including: Arratoon Apcar, Armenia, Catherine Apcar, Lightning, > Thunder and T A Gibbs. > > > Norma > > > > On 2013-09-03, at 5:20 PM, Peter Beeston wrote: > > > Lubbock (“The Opium Clippers”) describes the clipper brig KITTY (Captain > > Willie) as an opium craft but does not mention a CATHERINE. > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Thank you Paddy for the links to Opium trade, Norma for the history of two opium clippers, and Peter for the book reference (I will try and see if I can get it on inter library loan). It looks like he also transported slaves (though they called it another name). It makes me sad, but I would like to see the whole pictures. Celia On Wed, Sep 4, 2013 at 12:39 PM, Paddy Byers <[email protected]> wrote: > Since studying Economic History at university many years ago I have always > been interested in the context in which events have occurred. Hence, when > following correspondence relating to vessels involved in the opium trade, > I decided to refresh my memory about the Opium Wars and the trade triangle > in which opium played a significant role. > > For those who wish to get a bigger picture, the following sites might be of > interest: > http://martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/jan2010/opium-trade-views.html > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars > > Paddy > > > On Wed, Sep 4, 2013 at 11:55 PM, Norma Brown <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Two opium clippers: > > > > The Straits Times, 8 March 1862, page 2 > > Monday 3rd March > > The steamer Thunder Captain Fowler, arrived from Calcutta, on Sunday > > morning early. By her we have received the particulars of the Opium sale > of > > the 6th. The Thunder left again for China about 5ive o’clock on the same > > day. > > ******* > > The Straits Times, 8 March 1862, page 2 > > Calcutta Opium Sales > > ******* > > The Straits Times, 22 Mar 1862, page 4, Advertisements > > Notice-- The undersigned will continue as heretofore, to land at this > > place, the cargoes of Opium and every other description of merchandise > > brought hither by the steamers Thunder and Lightning, from Calcutta and > > Bombay at their godowns as well as the return cargoes per both the said > > steamers from China; and request that the consignees of such cargoes > apply > > immediately after they are landed for delivery otherwise they will be at > > the risk and responsibility of the consignees. Stephen & Joaquim, > > Singapore, 4th February, 1862. > > ******** > > The Strait Times, 23 May 1863, page 1 > > China News-- The steamer Thunder, Captain Fowler, from Hongkong, arrived > > in the roads yesterday morning, having left on the 9th instant. We have > > received papers to the 9th inst. > > The 4th Opium Sale of the year in Calcutta on 6th May. > > (The Lightning carries 1,626 chests of opium....mainly for Hongkong, with > > some for Singapore and Penang. > > The Thunder carries 3,612 chests of opium.... mainly for Hongkong with a > > small quantty for Singapore.) > > ********** > > The Straits Times, 4 july 1863, page 1 > > The 6th Opium Sale of the year at Calcutta on 8th June. > > (The Lightning carries 1,574 chests of opium.... mainly for Hongkong but > > also for Singapore and Penang. > > The Thunder carries 1.826 chests of opium..... mainly for Hongkong with > > some for Singapore.) > > ******** > > The Strait Times reports on many opium auctions and it is possible to > > match up sales of opium with ships departing from Calcutta. The master of > > the Thunder was Capt. David Fowler born in Cellardyke, Fife in 1818. > David > > Fowler worked for the Apcar line and many of their ships conveyed opium. > > Capt. Fowler ended his connection with the Thunder in early 1863. The > > family returned to Scotland and when their last child was born the > > newspaper reported: > > “Birth-- FOWLER-- At Elie, Fifeshire, on the 22d inst., the wife of > > Captain David FOWLER, late of the Steamer Thunder, of a daughter.” -- > > Caledonian Mercury, Edinburgh, 30 Mar 1864 Apparently a connection with > the > > Thunder was worthy of note to the folks back home. > > > > David Fowler had also commanded the Catherine Apcar and the Armenian, > both > > Apcar ships. > > ********* > > from India-L Archives (rootsweb.com) > > Subject: (Fwd) Re: [India-L] (Fwd) Apcar Alexander Apcar > > Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 14:43:54 +1000 > > > > Some notes on the Apcar Line > > > > Brothers Arratoon and Gregory Apcar from New Julfa in Persia founded > > Apcar and Company in 1819. Initially a trading company in Bombay, it > > moved to Calcutta. Here it ventured into the shipping business and > > soon carved out a niche for itself offering freight and passage as > > well as transporting their lucrative cargo-opium. > > > > By the mid 1840s, the 275 ton brig Arratoon Apcar was plying the > > Calcutta, Penang, Singapore and China circuit, calling in at > > Singapore > > nearly every second month. A few years later, the Ararat and the 400 > > ton Catherine Apcar, named after Arratoon's wife, had joined the > > fleet. > > > > Keeping abreast of the times, the company began introducing steam > > clippers in the 1850s. The 315 ton Lightning and 593 ton Thunder were > > soon joined by a new 938 ton Arratoon Apcar and in 1858 by the > > Armenia- large vessels for country shipping. > > > > In March 1861, the much admired new 240-ton screw steamer Thunder [a > > " fine specimen of naval architecture' ] arrived at Singapore having > > made the journey from Hong Kong in only 5 days and 2 hours. However, > > she was outdone by Lightning who lived up to her name, setting a 4 day > > 20 hour record for the journey in November 1862. > > > > Newer and larger steamers joined the fleet. The first steam Catherine > > Apcar built in 1865 was 1019 tons; a few years later she was joined > > by the 1476-ton Hindustan and the 1471-ton China. .The Japan, > > commissioned in 1872, rather appropriately called at Kobe, Yokohama > > and Nagasaki. A modern 2153-ton Arratoon Apcar was built in 1873. > > > > For about 25 years, until the 1870s, the Apcar clippers dominated the > > opium trade departing with their cargoes from Bombay or Calcutta, > > calling in at Singapore and then on to Hong Kong or Canton River. In > > August 1856, Lightning was on her fifth Calcutta- China trip and had > > transported 10,006 chests of opium to China, since October 1855. In > > 1865, out of the 43 listed sailings of opium ships to China, 17 were > > Apcar ships including: Arratoon Apcar, Armenia, Catherine Apcar, > Lightning, > > Thunder and T A Gibbs. > > > > > > Norma > > > > > > > > On 2013-09-03, at 5:20 PM, Peter Beeston wrote: > > > > > Lubbock (“The Opium Clippers”) describes the clipper brig KITTY > (Captain > > > Willie) as an opium craft but does not mention a CATHERINE. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >