Alexander (ship)

The Alexander was one of six convict transport ships in the First Fleet. The First Fleet carried convicts and soldiers to Australia to start a penal colony. This was the start of European settlement of Australia. The Alexander was a ship of 452 tons under the command of Duncan Sinclair.[1] It was 114 ft (35 m) long and 31 ft (9 m) wide.[2] The ship was built in Hull in 1783.[3] The ship had a contract with the British Government to carry convicts. The owners were paid at a rate of 10 shillings per ton per month until the ship returned to Deptford. They had to agree to keep the prisoners secure and in safe custody.[1] Many of the convicts were not suited for a long sea voyage. Eleven sick men who had been put on the ship died before the fleet sailed.[4] The ship took 195 male convicts to Australia.[3]

References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "First Fleet". Australian Encyclopaedia. Vol. IV. Angus and Robertson. 1958. pp. 72–76.
  2. ↑ Crago, Tony (2004). The First Fleet and year of Settlement. Woollahra Sales and Imports. ISBN 1876553286.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Convict Ships to NSW 1788-1800". Convicts to Australia. Retrieved 2008-11-13.[permanent dead link]
  4. ↑ Kenneally, Tom (2005). The commonwealth of thieves. Milson's Point, New South Wales: Random House. pp. 62. ISBN 1740513371.

Other websites

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