Sunk by a privateer

The Concordia was an East Indiaman owned by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The ship was in Asia during the start of the fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780-1784). The return fleet of 1781 left Batavia (present-day Jakarta) in November and consisted of the Behemot, Concordia , Beekvliet and Vreeburg. They were later joined by the Popkensburgen and Diana (Amsterdamsche Courant, see references).

The fleet was awaited near the Azores on May 24th 1871by the British privateer the Tartar from Glasgow under captain Hamilton. Hamilton demanded one of the ship as his booty. He fired a number of shots to underline his demands. Unfortunately, the Concordia was hit below the water line and started to sink. The rest of the crew defended themselves and the privateer had to back off. The crew of the Concordia was saved by the other ships. The five remaining ships then set sail for Cadiz in Spain, where they arrived safely on June 8th.

Yard: VOC yard Middelburg

Even though the ship was owned by the chamber of Zeeland, the cargo belonged to the Chamber of Amsterdam.

Het Scheepvaartmuseum

The wreck has not been found.

• Dutch-Asiatic Shipping.
  Details of voyage 8064.1 from Batavia.
• NA 1.04.01.01. 551, Lijst van alle zoodanige Schepen.
• Koninklijke Bibliotheek/Delpher.
  Amsterdamsche courant, 26-06-1781.
• Koninklijke Bibliotheek/Delpher.
  Leydsche courant, 25-06-1781.