August 17 Scenario. Under False Colours.

Preamble.

Name:  275px-East_India_House_THS_1817_edited.jpg
Views: 347
Size:  17.0 KB
East india House.

The shareholders, and the Board of Governors of the Honourable East India Company had been putting pressure upon His Majesty's Government, as only High stake holders with their immense influence in the City of London's monetary interests could do.


Name:  EastIndiaCompany meeting 1808.jpg
Views: 543
Size:  212.2 KB

The reason for disquiet, was the depredation being made on their ships and trade goods in the East Indies and its sea lanes. Want of Frigates was a cry often heard from the Royal Naval establishment, and with these resources stretched to breaking point in the now global war with the French the convoys of goods which were the lifeline of the British Empire were coming under increasing threat from Privateers, local pirates, and even the Corvettes and Frigates of the French, Spanish and Dutch navies.

Name:  East-Indiaman-Suffolk.jpg
Views: 423
Size:  319.6 KB

This was especially true of the sea routes from the Cape to India and India to China. Based on the Isle de France and Isle de Bourbon between the Cape and Madras the French had an excellent base of operations.

Name:  P[ort louis Isle de France.jpg
Views: 427
Size:  36.2 KB


Name:  Isle de Bourbon..jpg
Views: 374
Size:  207.6 KB

Also the Dutch possessions in and around the Malay straights gave sanctuary to all and sundry.


Name:  Thriving trade in Malacca.jpg
Views: 603
Size:  80.8 KB



With the end of the Monsoon season convoys of Merchantmen would soon begin plying there way through these dangerous waters loaded with vast fortunes in goods and specie bound for the markets of Europe and the United States.


Name:  East_Indiamen_in_a_Gale.jpg
Views: 524
Size:  57.7 KB

With no Royal Navy ships available in the area we, therefore, find Captain David McBride and the crew of HEIC Frigate Nottingham picking its way through the many islands and sandbars of the Malacca Straights in search of predatory enemy vessels, or wayward merchantmen.


Name:  HEIC Cornwallis.jpg
Views: 741
Size:  119.0 KB

Any of these ships quite possibly sporting the colours of any convenient navy to confuse other shipping.
Not an easy task for McBride with which to deal if international incidents were to be avoided.

Bligh.