On this day the England-bound Exeter, which was launched in Calcutta, returned to Bombay during its first East India Company voyage.
It had been at Saugor on February 24, 1796, and at St Augustine’s Bay, Madagascar, on July 30. But it had to go back to Bombay because it was damaged and needed repairs. It reached the Downs on January 30, 1798.
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The ship was ill-fated. On its second East India Company voyage to England in 1800 it lost eight crew members and 24 crew members on its way back.
It sailed once more for East India Company time to England and back.
In August 1806, returning to England from Jamaica, Exeter faced the 1806 Great Coastal hurricane and was lost. Among the crew, 22 died. Only two survived.