ENTERPRISE paddel steamer 1825

[aukepalmhof]

Within ten years of the end of the Napoleonic Wars, and whilst the east India Company was still building slow and cumbersome sailing ships for its trade, the first of a new kind of ship arrived at Cape Town, which was to lead to the greatest transformation in shipping since men first made boats.
The 464 ton auxiliary paddle steamer ENTERPRISE arrived on 13 October 1825 at Cape Town to replenish her coal bunkers, whilst on passage from Falmouth to Calcutta.
The arrival of the ENTERPRISE attracted much interest at least 4000 people visited the vessel in one afternoon.

In 1824 a group of Indian merchants offered a prize of 100.000 rupees for the first steamship to complete a round voyage from Great Britain to India in 140 days.
The ENTERPRISE built as a wooden paddle steamer by Gordon & Co. at Deptford was bought by a syndicate headed by Lieut. J.H. Johnston & Others in 1825, while still building, with the intention to compete for the prize.
23 February 1825 launched as the ENTERPRISE.
Tonnage 470 tons, dim. 133 x 27 x 16.5ft.
Three masts, and carried on all three masts lug sails, an unusual sail for a ship of her size.
Powered by 2-cyl. Maudslay side-lever type steam engines of each 60hp, driving two fifteen-foot diameter paddles, speed by calm sea and under steam 7 knots.
There was so much space required for the machinery and coal bunker that there was only room left for a few passengers.
Building cost £43.000.

She left in August 1825 under command of Capt. Johnston from Falmouth with on board 17 passengers and 85 days later she reached Cape Town, during the passage she steamed for only 35 days and the remainder of the days she was sailing.
After 113 days she reached Calcutta, which included ten days for coaling.
07 December 1825 she arrived in Calcutta.
Although the ENTERPRISE had not achieved the passage time stipulated her performance was considered impressive enough to warrant her owners receiving half the prize money.

Later was she bought by the Government of Bengal for £40.000.
Captain Johnston remained in command of the ENTERPRIZE until about April 1829, afterwards he became controller of the East India Company’s steam vessels, until 1850.
He died at sea later when on passage from India to England.

The Burma War had just finished and parts of Burma had come under British control. The ENTERPRISE was used as a dispatch vessel.
Between 07 January 1826 and 20 September 1826 she made six voyages between Calcutta and Rangoon, on voyage to Chittagong and one to Akyab (Burma). She was also used as a tug-boat on the Hooghly River and towed the company’s ships out to sea.
On one occasion she towed HMS HARALD (she is on a stamp of the Solomon Islands of 1980) from Calcutta to the south end of Ceylon.
Up to April 1829 she made several voyages to Burma from Calcutta, taking troops, passengers and stores.
In 1829 the ENTERPRIZE was sold to the Government of Bombay, who intended to run her as a consort to the steamer HUGH LINDSAY on the Bombay-Suez mail route.
Evidently she did not enter this service, and after her engines were repaired she was sold back to the Government of Bengal in 1829.
In 1834 she made a visit to Singapore.
1838 Condenmed as unseaworthy and broken up in Calcutta.

British India Ocean Territory 1999 £1, sg231, scott?