26 Facts About James Colnett

James Colnett was an officer of the British Royal Navy, an explorer, and a maritime fur trader.

James Colnett served under James Cook during Cook's second voyage of exploration.

James Colnett's parents were James and Sarah Colnett.

James Colnett had two older sisters and one younger brother.

James Colnett served as a midshipman during Cook's second voyage to the Pacific Ocean between 1772 and 1775.

Between 1786 and 1791 James Colnett led two private fur-trading ventures.

James Colnett himself was captain of the 171-ton ship Prince of Wales.

James Colnett's journal contains twelve maps of various channels, harbours, inlets, and other coastal features.

The Prince of Wales was taken back to England via the Cape of Good Hope, but James Colnett stayed in China.

James Colnett purchased a vessel at Macao, and named her Argonaut.

James Colnett had a burthen of about 120 tons, and had been registered at Calcutta.

In early 1789 James Colnett was given command of the joint undertaking as a whole.

James Colnett was irritated by Colnett having sailed the Argonaut under Portuguese rather than a British flag, which he felt was deceptive.

The arrest of James Colnett, who was after all still an officer of the Royal Navy, was particularly troublesome in England.

James Colnett had been given a passport by the Vice Roy of New Spain allowing him to sail to Nootka Sound in order to receive the Princess Royal, which had been seized in 1789, but to then leave the coast because it was, the Vice Roy said, Spanish territory.

However, when James Colnett arrived at Nootka he told Eliza, the commandant, that the passport had been lost at sea.

James Colnett spent about five months trading along the coast, acquiring about 1,100 sea otter pelts.

Therefore, it could not be returned to James Colnett as required by the Nootka Conventions.

Meanwhile, James Colnett, having finished trading on the North West coast sailed to China via Hawaii.

James Colnett demanded that the Princess Royal be turned over at once, while Quimper explained his orders were to take it to the Philippines.

James Colnett became angry and prepared to seize the ship by force.

Unable to sell his cargo, James Colnett sailed to Japan in a bold but unsuccessful attempt to trade there.

James Colnett's work led to the development of whaling near the Galapagos Islands.

James Colnett's petition having failed, Colnett set sail for home with a cargo of timber for use in the Royal dockyards.

James Colnett remained in command of Glatton until 7 March 1805, when he retired on half-pay.

James Colnett died at his lodgings at Great Ormond Street in London on 1 September 1806.