Melville Castle (1786 EIC ship)

Melville Castle was an East Indiaman built for the British East India Company (EIC) and launched in 1786. She made six voyages for the EIC to India and China before being sold in 1802.

Career:

Melville Castle's primary role was transporting cargo, personnel, and mail between Britain and the East Indies. She was armed, as were all East Indiamen, to defend herself against pirates and enemy privateers during her voyages. Detailed records of her specific cargos are incomplete, but they typically included textiles, tea, spices, and other commodities sourced in the East. She transported personnel to administer and expand the EIC’s influence in India.

Notable Voyages:

While detailed logs of each voyage may not be readily available in accessible records, the following generally characterizes her voyages:

• Voyages to Bengal, Madras, and China.
• Return voyages carrying valuable goods back to London.

Fate:

Melville Castle was sold in 1802 and her subsequent history is not well documented. It is presumed she was either repurposed for general trade or broken up.