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A BRIEF HISTORY OF In 1787 a small three masted trading vessel, The Bethia, was purchased under instructions from King George III to the British Admiralty. The purchase price was 1,960 pounds. The vessel was brought to London to undergo refitting and re-rigging at Deptford Yard at a cost of 4,456 pounds. Included in the refitting was a major reconstruction of the vessel's interior to make her suitable for her planned expedition. |
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The whole
of the area between the decks was removed and instead of building the
traditional "Great Cabin" and Officers' quarters, a greenhouse was
created. This was to house the 1,000 breadfruit plants that were to be
transported from Tahiti to the West Indies to provide cheap food for the
slave labour on the cane - fields. The greenhouse took up one third of the space in the vessel, meaning that the 46 officers and crew were forced to live in very cramped quarters. The hull was sheathed in copper to guard against marine worm. The refitting was completed in late 1787 and the "Bethia" was renamed "His Majesty's Armed Vessel Bounty". William Bligh later sailed into history when his crew mutinied just off the Island of Tofua on 28th April 1789.
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