La Perouse Research Paper

At this time Britain was fighting the American War of independence and was also at war with France. A French squadron consisting of the Sceptre, a 74 gun ship, the Astarte, and the Engageante, frigates of thirty-six guns each, and some smaller craft carrying 1000 troops under the commanded of Admiral La Perouse raided into Hudson’s Bay and destroyed the Prince of Wales and York Factory forts. It appears that La Perouse had counted on arriving just in time to secure a handsome prize in the Company's ships, for which he had lain in wait in the bay. However, the three Hudson Bay ships were able to avoid capture by using their superior knowledge of the bay. Frustrated at the escape of the Company's ships and cargoes, La Perouse sent a frigate

The troops were a part of General Sir James Pulteney’s army. As was the practice at that time, they were immediately put under quarantine. The ship was surveyed in February 1802 when it was noted that she had been sheathed with copper over boards. In the following year, Feard repeated the journey and returned in convoy with the Jane, Master Preswick arriving in Portsmouth from the Straights in August 1802. She then sailed for London a few days later. On 30 January 1803, the Sea Horse sailed from Deal under the command of Master Halcrow for the South Seas. Halcrow was registered as the master of the ship in both the underwriter’s book and Ship-owners’ books in the years 1803-05. In May 1804 Captain Clarke, of the Leviathan, arrived from the South Seas, and reported that he spoke with an American vessel from the Cape of Good Hope, who informed him, that the Sea Horse, Master Halcrow and the Lively and Mary, Master Folger, journeying from the South Seas, had put into the Cape, not knowing of the