Construction
Sirius had been converted from a merchantman, Berwick. There has been confusion over the early history of Berwick. A note about her by future New South Wales governor Philip Gidley King, describing her as a former 'East country man', was interpreted for many years as relating to the East Indies trade; however, analysis of the maritime nomenclature of the time suggests that this description referred instead to ships participating in the Baltic trade.
Berwick was likely built in 1780 by Christopher Watson and Co. of Rotherhithe, who also built another ship of the first fleet, the Prince of Wales. She had a burthen of 511 83⁄94 tons and, after being burnt in a fire, was bought and rebuilt by the Royal Navy in November 1781, retaining her original name.
Read more about this topic: HMS Sirius (1786)
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