Length of merchant voyage

[Ide Crawford]

What’s the longest voyage a British merchant ship would have taken in the early 1800s?

[David Hepper]

Probably the East Indiamen – from England to China and return – around eighteen months there and back

[Ide Crawford]

Thanks! That’s what I’d guessed.

[A.C.S. Payton]

The longest merchant marine voyages at this time were those on the South Sea whale fishery. Vessels were fitted out and dispatched with a minimum of two and maximum of four years cruising in view. During a two and a half year voyage they would not touch land for anything except wood, water and some vegetable foods. Thesee landing would not total more than two or three months in two years.

[Author]

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