Britannia

Britannia, was a vessel launched in 1783 at Saltcoats, possibly under another name. She made four voyages from Liverpool as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She grounded at Liverpool in 1793 after the first. A French privateer captured her in 1795 during the second, and took her to Guadeloupe where the Republican Government almost certainly freed the captives. She returned to British ownership and made two more voyages as a slave ship. A French privateer captured her during her fourth voyage. First voyage transporting enslaved people (1793–1794) Britannia first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1793, with J. James, master, Gregson, owner, and her trade as Liverpool-Africa. She had undergone a thorough repair in 1792. A database of slave voyages from Liverpool shows that Britannia, Joseph James, master, and John Gregson, owner, had sailed for West Central Africa and St. Helena on 17 January 1793. James received a letter of marque dated 25 April 1793, i.e., in absentia, war with France having broken out after Britannia had sailed. In 1793, 68 vessels sailed from British ports, bound for voyages transporting enslaved people. Britannia then delivered her captives to Grenada, arriving on 5 September with 331. Joseph James died on 7 November 1793.