| Summary : 1795 wreck of Dutch East Indiaman which foundered after grounding among the Western Rocks, Isles of Scilly, with her cargo of porcelain and tea, homeward-bound from China: the cargo was said in contemporary sources to have "gone to the bottom". The porcelain cargo derived from the reign of the Qianlong emperor (Ch'ien Lung). In 1795 the Netherlands declared themselves the Batavian Republic, along the lines of, and with the support of, the new French Republic. This incarnation of the Dutch republic was therefore regarded by the British as being aligned with the French at this stage of the Revolutionary Wars, motivating the capture of the ZEELELIE. Together with a number of other Dutch vessels, she was therefore captured as a prize by the British and sent initially for the Shannon in Ireland. She was then sent for London, on which voyage she was wrecked. Constructed of wood in 1789, she was a sailing vessel. A quantity of Chinese porcelain of this date is said to have been recovered from Crebawethan, Isles of Scilly, and has therefore been attributed to this wreck, recorded at 1572302; elsewhere the wreck has been attributed to the Crebinicks. |
More information : Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:
There is a position proposed as the identification of the ZEELELIE, recorded at 1572302, based on the date of pottery recovered and dated to the Qianlong emperor's reign; see further (12) below. (13)
Not charted. (6)
Some of the below droits may also refer to the position given in 1572302, to which Droit A/913 definitely refers, but are not currently confirmed as such:
Approximately 50 small porcelain sherds recovered from this wreck in the Western Rocks, Isles of Scilly. Name spelt as ZEE LELIE. (Droit A/1732). (5)
7 fragments of Chinese garden pattern pottery, white china with blue ink pattern recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/2087). (5)
A quantity of porcelain sherds and a brass artefact and chain recovered from this wreck, Isles of Scilly. (Droit A/4486). (5)
Attributed to the Crebinicks. (11)
Porcelain sherds and guns attributed to the ZEELELYE said to lie between the Wee and Little Crebawethan: the vessel is conjectured to have struck the Wee before foundering. (12)
NB: The position of loss for the present record of the documented wreck event (as distinct from the wreck site) has been recorded as the named location of the Western Rocks, given the conflicting locational information and the absence of a published set of co-ordinates. (13)
A bronze keel pin measuring 18cm long and bent to 90 degrees, and a sherd of porcelain with a blue decoration, measuring 3.5cm by 2cm, recovered from the possible remains of the ZEELELIE in approximate position 49 54N, 06 25W. (Droit 299/02) (15)
Many pieces of broken pottery of 18th century date, Chung Wng [sic] Dynasty, recovered from Little Crebawethan, Western Rocks, Isles of Scilly, and said to have come from the wreck of the ZEELILIE. (Droit 327/02) (15)
Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:
ZEELELIE built in 1789 for the Chamber of Zeeland at a yard in Middelburg. She was captured by the British off St. Helena in June 1795 and sent initially for the Shannon in Ireland, thence to London, and was wrecked off the Isles of Scilly later in 1795. Dimensions: 150 feet; 1150 tons. (7)
The ZEELELIE had left China in January 1795, arriving at the Cape in early May 1795. She remained windbound until later that month and was then captured by the British off St. Helena in June, being sent for the Shannon and wrecked off the Isles of Scilly after being sent for London. (9)
The ZELELYE, a Dutch ship, was recorded as having arrived at the River Shannon from St. Helena, in company with a number of other captured Dutch ships, in this issue, but no date was recorded for their arrival. (8)
'The ZEELILEE, Dutch Chinaman, from Limerick to London, is totally lost on the rocks at Scilly; 25 people drowned, and 45 saved by the INDEFATIGABLE, Sir Edw. Pellew.' (3)
'SCILLY, OCT. 14.
"I have a moment allowed me to inform you, that one of the Dutch East Indiamen, prizes to the SCEPTRE, &c. a large China ship that left the Shannon last Friday, under convoy, was yesterday morning at three o'clock, totally lost and gone to pieces, having struck on the most Western rocks of these isles. The accident is said to have been wholly occasioned by the obstinacy of the person on board having the command, and who was in time, by those on board, apprized of the immediate danger, told what the light was, and that the land breakers were running a-head.
"He is himself drowned, said to have jumped overboard as soon as the ship struck; about 24 others are lost, and 45 saved, who were taken on board Sir Edward Pellew's ship, which with the QUEBEC and LA REVOLUTION frigates, were lying in this road, waiting to be joined by the CRESCENT . . .
"N.B. The Dutch Indiaman is laden chiefly with tea and china, which is all gone to the bottom. The cargo was valued at 140,000l." (10)
Original Dutch text:
'By Scilly is Totaal gestrand het genomene Holl. O.I.C. de ZEELELY van Limeric naar Londen gedestineerd, zyn 45 man der Equipagie gered, doch 25 andere verongelukt.' (14)
Translated by compiler:
'The captured Dutch E[ast] I[ndia] C[ompany] ship the ZEELELY, bound from Limerick to London, has totally stranded near Scilly, of whose crew 45 men were saved, but 25 others were drowned.' (14)
'This vessel carried the last large shipment of Chinese porcelain on behalf of Dutch East India Company (VOC) before its liquidation. ZEELELIE, part of a homeward-bound fleet, was taken by HMS SCEPTRE, a 3rd Rate, and escorted to Shannon. With a prize crew on board, and the mate of an English East India Company vessel in command, she left Ireland for London on Friday 11 October 1795, in convoy. At 3am she ran into the 'most western rocks of the islands', apparently as a result of the obstinacy of the man in command. He jumped overboard as soon as she struck and was drowned, along with 24 others. The value of her cargo was 716,139 Dutch florins, which is probably a reflection of the value of the tea rather than the porcelain.' (4)
Source (4) lists the vessel under ZEELILIE, whilst citing ZEELELIE in the text.
Built: 1789 (4)(7)
Builder: Dutch East India Company (4)(7)
Where Built: Middelburg (4)(7)
Armament: 54 guns including swivels (4), broken down into: 8 x 12pdr; 18 x 8pdr; 8 x 3pdr and 10 swivel guns.
Construction: 3 decks (4)
Master: Adriaasz Kornelis (4); Kornelis Adriaansz. (9)
Crew Complement: said to be 100 under normal conditions (4); 100 had embarked outward-bound, losing 5 crew to various causes outward- or homeward-bound = 95 (9)
Crew: 69 (4); 70 (3)(10)(14)
Crew Lost: 24 (4); 25 (3)(10)(14)
Owner: Dutch East India Company (VOC) [all sources]
Additional source cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
Dutch Asiatic Shipping, page 570, Vol 3 [recorded from its online version as source (9)] |