ROYAL NAVY CUTTER OF 1788

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aukepalmhof
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ROYAL NAVY CUTTER OF 1788

Post by aukepalmhof » Wed Mar 16, 2022 7:25 pm

The stamp of Norfolk Island shows us a ship cutter sailing from Botany Bay to Port Jackson, Australia after the First Fleet arrived on 20 January 1788 in Botany Bay and Capt. Phillip found out that founding a settlement there was not a good idea, there was not sufficient fresh water.

On 21 January 1788, Phillip and a party which included John Hunter, departed the Bay in three small boats to explore other bays to the north. Phillip discovered that Port Jackson, about 12 kilometres to the north, was an excellent site for a colony with sheltered anchorages, fresh water and fertile soil. Cook had seen and named the harbour Port Jackson but had not entered it. Phillip's impressions of the harbour were recorded in a letter he sent to England later: "the finest harbour in the world, in which a thousand sail of the line may ride in the most perfect security ...". The party returned to Botany Bay on 23 January.

The vessel on the stamp is given as a cutter. The first cutter who entered the Royal Navy were bought in 1763 and she was mostly used for scouting and similar purposes in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Source: A Dictionary of British Ships and Seamen by Grant Uden & Richard Cooper. Wikipedia.

Aak to Zumbra a dictionary of the World’s watercraft gives on the cutter:

A wooden naval ship’s boat (cutter), especially in the British Royal Navy; was used both in England and colonial America. Sailed or rowed, with 8-14 oars. 1-2 men to an oar, or she set 1-2 lugsails or were ketch rigged. Oars worked in cuts in the top strake.
Mostly lapstrake construction; flat floors; curved keel; sharp entrance; transom stern with reverse chine on the tuck; rounded bilges.
Steered with a rudder; centreboard on some.
Used as an armed tender for chasing privateers and smugglers, carrying dispatches, and protecting fisheries.
Reported lengths 5 – 10.4m; e.g. length 8.5m, beam 2.3m, depth 0.77m.

Norfolk Island1988 37c sg 436, Scott?.

The $1 stamp shows us three ships of the first fleet at anchor in Sydney cove, during the landing, the vessels have not been identified, more on the first fleet is given: viewtopic.php?p=11564&hilit=first+fleet ... 788#p11564

Norfolk Island 1988 $1 sg 437, Scott?
Attachments
1988 Approaching-Port-Jackson (2).jpg
1988 Approaching-Port-Jackson (2).jpg (63.3 KiB) Viewed 515 times
1988 Landing-at-Sydney-Cove (2).jpg
1988 Landing-at-Sydney-Cove (2).jpg (79.96 KiB) Viewed 515 times

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