Morse was launched in 1747 for the British Royal Navy, but under another name. After 1775 she was John and Alice (1775), Potomack (1776–1779), Betsy (1780–1781), and then in 1782 Resolution. In 1784 S. Mellish purchased her and she became the whaler Morse. She initially engaged in whale hunting in the British northern whale fishery. Then from 1787 she made numerous voyages as a whaler primarily in the southern whale fishery, but with some returns to the northern fishery. There is no further mention of her in Lloyd's List Ship arrival and departure (SAD) data after August 1802.

Origins and early career Although Morse apparently began as a Royal Navy vessel launched in 1747, it has so far proved impossible using online resources to determine her original name, and so to fill in the details between 1747 and her appearance in 1775 as John and Alice. She apparently was rebuilt in 1763, but whether this was before or after the Navy sold her is an open question, as are any other names she may have borne during this period.

Ship Year Master Owner Trade Source John and Alice 1775 Potomack 1776 James Mitchel Eden & Co. Maryland–London LR; good repair in 1775 1778 J.Mitchell Eden & Co. London-LisbonLondon–Grenada LR; repaired in 1775 & 1777 1779 J.Mitchell Eden & Co. London–Saint Augustine LR; repaired in 1775 & 1777, and thorough repair in 1779 Betsy 1780 Waterhouse Kilbington London transportLondon–Greenland LR; rebuilt in 1763, repaired in 1775, 1777, and 1779 1781 WaterhouseSinclair Kilbington London–Greenland LR; rebuilt in 1763, repaired in 1775, 1777, and 1779 Resolution 1782 W.SinclairT.Kentish R.Dowden London transport LR; rebuilt in 1763, repaired in 1775, 1777, and 1779 1783 T.KentishW.Tullock Dowding London transport LR; rebuilt in 1763, repaired in 1775, 1777, and 1779LR (1784), Seq.No.R100. 1784 W.Tullock Dowding London LR; rebuilt in 1763, repaired in 1775, 1777, and 1779

Resolution last appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1784.

Morse British northern whale fishery Morse first appeared in 1784 with R.Brown, master, S.Mellish, owner, and trade London–Greenland. She had been rebuilt in 1763, repaired in 1775, 1777, and 1779, and had undergone a thorough repair in 1784.LR (1784), Seq.No.M507.

In August 1785 Morse, Coulson, master, arrived at Yarmouth with 5½ "fish" (whales).Lloyd's List (LL) 9 August 1785, No.1697, SAD data. She arrived at Gravesend on 9 August.

A report in July 1786 of vessels still fishing at Greenland reported Morse with two fish.LL 11 July 1786, No.1793. On 14 July Morse, Coltson, master, returned to Gravesend having taken six fish and 250 seals.LL 18 July 1786, No.1795.

Year Master Owner Trade Source 1786 Coulson J.Metcalf London–Greenland LR; rebuilt 1763, thorough repair 1784, & good repair 1785

On 28 July 1787 Morse, Coulson, master, returned to Gravesend with six fish.LLNo.1903, SAD data.

On 27 August 1788 Morse, Allen, master returned to Gravesend from Greenland with three fish.LL 29 August 1788, No.2016, SAD data.

British southern whale fishery 1st southern whale fishery voyage (1789–1791): Captain R.Mills sailed from London on 16 October 1789, bound for the coast of southern Africa. Early in 1790 Morse was driven ashore in Saldanha Bay. She was reported to have been at Thompson's Island c. October with 600 barrels of right whale oil.LL 28 December 1790, No.2259. Morse arrived back at London on 19 June 1791,British Southern Whale Fishery – Database: Morse. under the command of Captain Mallen (or W. Malen, or William Maley),LL 21 June 1791, No.2309. who at some point had replaced Mills.

2nd southern whale fishery voyage (1791–1793): Captain Abijah Lock (or Locke) sailed from London on 27 October 1791, bound for the Pacific and the coast of Peru. Morse returned on 19 April 1793 with 113 tuns of sperm oil and 850 seal skins.

Northern whale fishery voyage (1793–11794): Between 1793 and 1794 Morse was under the command of Captain Coulson, who sailed her to the Greenland fishery.

Year Master Owner Trade Source 1794 LockJ.Coulson J.Metcalfe London–Southern Fishery LR; rebuilt 1763, thorough repair 1784, good repairs 1785 & 1788, and damages repaired 1791 1795 J.Coulson J.Metcalfe London–Greenland LR; rebuilt 1763, thorough repair 1784, good repairs 1785 & 1788, and damages repaired 1791 1796 J.Coulson J.Metcalfe London–Greenland LR; rebuilt 1763, thorough repair 1784, good repairs 1785 & 1788, and damages repaired 1791

3rd South Whale Fishery voyage (1795): Captain James Coulson sailed from England on 27 February 1795, bound for Africa. Morse returned on 21 December with 173 tuns of whale oil and 135 cwt of whale bone, having returned via St Helena. She had left St Helena on 23 October in a convoy under the escort of LL 15 December 1795, No.2776.

4th southern whale fishery voyage (1796–1797): Captain James Coulson sailed from England on 12 April 1796, bound for the west coast of Africa. Morse returned on 27 July 1797 with 850 seal skins.

5th southern whale fishery voyage (1798–1799): Captain Abijah Lock sailed from London on 17 February 1798, bound for Walvis Bay. Morse returned to London on 17 July 1799

6th southern whale fishery voyage (1799–1801): Morse, J.French, master, probably sailed in late 1799. The whaler Morse, on her way to London, parted from the China Fleet (the East Indiamen returning from China) on 29 April 1801, off Ascension Island.LL 12 June 1801, No.4159, SAD data. On 28 June, Morse, Ingiter, master, arrived at Cork from South Georgia.LLb7 July 1801, No.4166, SAD data. Morse arrived back at Portsmouth from the South Seas on 11 August 1801.LL 14 August 1801, No.4177, SAD data

Northern whale fishery voyage (1801–1802): Morse, Clay, master, arrived back at Gravesend on 11 August 1802 from Greenland.September 1802, No.4287, SAD data.

Fate The return from Gravesend in August 1802 was the last mention of Morse in Lloyd's Lists SAD data. The registers continued to carry her with stale or out of date data for some years thereafter.

Year Master Owner Trade Source 1802 J.Jackson De Echin London–Southern Fishery Register of Shipping; thorough repair 1799 1802 J.Jenkston De Echn & Co. London–Southern Fishery LR; rebuilt 1763, thorough repair 1784, good repair 1785, & large repair 1791 1804 W.Clay Wilshen London–Greenland RS; large repair 1799 & good repair 1803 1804 J.Jenkston De Echn & Co. London–Southern Fishery LR; rebuilt 1763, thorough repair 1784, good repair 1785, & large repair 1791

Citations