Australia Philately: N.S.W. Stamp Promotion Council – ASPC 152 (Card 2 HMS Brig Supply)

Burthen: 168 and 28/94 tons
Length: 178 feet 6 inches
Breadth: 22 feet 2 inches
Depth in hold: 11 feet 6 inches

Presumed to have been built on the Thames (England) by Thomas Slade in 1759, but little known of early history.

Commissioned October 1786 as an armed tender under the command of Lieut. Henry Lidgbird Ball.

As a brig rigged sloop the Supply carried four 3 pounder guns and had a complement of 55 seamen.

She was the fastest ship in the “First Fleet” and was used by Phillip to carry messages to the other vessels of the fleet and at nightfall to round up stragglers.

Governor Phillip transferred to the Supply at Cape Town in an endeavour to reach Australia before the main fleet, but was successful by only a little more than 24 hours.

After the settlement of Sydney Cove, the Supply made several voyages to Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island and also one long journey to Batavia to seek out stores.

In November 1791 she had become unfit for further service and was sent back to England where her hull was condemned and was broken up.