Roebuck (1690)
| career |
|
|---|---|
| Builder: | Wapping , London |
| Launch: | 1690 |
| Fate: | Sunk in 1701 |
| General data | |
| Classification: | 5th rank |
| Displacement: | 299 tons |
| Length: | 29.26 m / 96 ft |
| Width: | 7.77 m / 25.5 ft |
| Drive: | sail |
| Crew: | ? |
| Armament: | 26 cannons |
The Roebuck was a ship of the English Navy that was sent on a voyage of discovery to Australia / New Guinea in 1699 under the command of William Dampier .
Originally built as a fireship ( Brander ) at a shipyard in Wapping (London), the Roebuck was launched on April 17, 1690. Converted in 1699 to the "5th rate warship" with 26 cannons, it was handed over to the command of William Dampier . Due to his seafaring experience, Dampier appeared qualified to lead the first English scientifically conducted expedition to the South Seas with the goal of Australia and New Guinea.
The ship set course for the Cape of Good Hope . It must have been in bad shape because its condition made extensive repairs necessary in Batavia (now Jakarta , Indonesia). On the return voyage, the ship leaked so much that Dampier steered it into a bay on Ascension Island (South Atlantic). Despite tireless pumping and attempts to seal the leak, the Roebuck sank on February 21, 1701. The crew managed to escape to the island, but much of the samples and records they had collected were lost. The plant collection was saved and still exists in the herbarium at Oxford University .
Remains of the Roebuck , u. a. the ship's bell were found in 2001. They are kept in the island's museum.
literature
- William Dampier, A Voyage to New Holland, London 1703 (reissued 1999)
- E-book A voyage to New Holland Source 1 / Source 2