Earl of Balcares
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:18 am
The East Indiaman shown on the stamp corresponds in every way to the Earl of Balcarres, one of the best known and finest ships of her day. She was built of teak in the East India Company's own dockyard at Bombay in 1815, was of 1.417 tons burthen and carried 26 guns. In her early days she carried a crew of 130, consisting of her commander, six mates, surgeon and assistant surgeon, six midshipmen, purser, bo' sun, gunner, carpenter, master-at-arms, armourer, butcher, baker, poulterer, caulker, cooper, two stewards, two cooks, two bo'sun's mates, two carpenter's mates, one cooper's mate, two gunners mates one caulker's mate, six quartermasters, one sailmaker, seven officers' servants and 78 seamen. She was built like a frigate, her double row of ports being precisely like two-decked line-of—battle ships.
Owing to the expiration of the East India Company's charter in 1833, the Earl of Balcarres was sold, on September 17, 1834, to Mr. Joseph Somes, a London shipowner, for £10,700. She ended her career after over half-a-century of service, as a bulk on the west coast of Africa. She had been an unusually fast ship of her type, making, in 1836, a passage to Bombay of 79 days, from England. As speed was far from being the first consideration of her builders, and sail was always reduced at night, it was an exceptionally fine performance for a ship well past her prime. Joseph Some, who bought the ship, was formerly on the East India Company's payroll as a ship's husband, On the demise of the old "John Company", he commenced business on his own, and before long had his own ships trading to every part of the world. His houseflag only differed from the White Ensign in the canton, by having an anchor instead of the Union Jack.
SG780 Sea Breezes 3/69