Coastal Shipping to Port Phillip 1841

Note - some are not recorded in the papers I found, not every journey is accounted for, many were of freight only, maybe with unnamed Steerage passengers or servants.

Colour code, Vessel came from

Adelaide

Hobart

Launceston

Sydney

Elsewhere or not known

Sources - Aust Papers has 1841 copies of Launceston Courier for movements between Launceston and Port Phillip and Portland Bay from Oct 1840, also Geelong Advertiser for shipping at Geelong and Melbourne.
Sydney shipping reports in The Colonial Magazine and Commercial Maritime Journal are good. Sydney free press and Commercial Journal, begins on 1 July 1841
The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser,
Sadly, the Port Phillip Herald, in 2008 available on PaperofRecord site, has been purchased by Google, and is now off the Internet. Feb 2009

Shamrock

cutter, 35 tons, Boyd master,
12 Dec 1840 cutter Boyd master at Geelong from Melbourne and departed 17 Dec for Williamstown
17 Dec 1840 cutter Boyd from Geelong for Williamstown
arrived Hobart 29 Jan 1841 from Port Phillip 20 Jan with sheep, passenger Mr James Morgan
Comment Column 2 Page 2, Geelong Advertiser 6 Dec 1841 - she is the first vessel to ply as a regular trader direct from Van Dieman's Land to Melbourne and deliver her papers and pay the wharfage dues, not stopping at Williamstown on the way in.
02 Dec 1841 cutter Ayling master arrived at Geelong from Melbourne
07 Dec 1841 cleared from Geelong for Hobart with 100 sheep
31 Dec 1841 arrived at Geelong from Hobart

Singapore

barque 303 tons, Captain Hamilton master
departed Sydney 20 Jan 1841 for Port Phillip, passengers two Misses Lyons, Mr P Duoyles/Inglis, also 17 in the steerage including 10 prisoners of the Crown
29 Jan 1841 barque at Melbourne from Sydney
20 Mar 1841 barque Hamilton arrived at Melbourne from Corner Inlet passengers Mr Rankin, Dr Stewart, Mr Orr
Melbourne departed 19 Apr 1841 Singapore barque Hamilton master for King George's Sound with passengers Messrs Turnbull and Dunlop also 50 head of cattle, 500 sheep, 2 horses, etc

Sir John Franklin

schooner, 52 tons, Jenkins master, JH Campbell agent
19 Feb 1841 schooner JM Gill master at Melbourne from Hobart
06 Mar 1841 schooner Gill master cleared from Melbourne for Hobart passengers Mr Campbell, Jenkins
arrived at Launceston 15 Mar 1841 from Port Phillip, with sundries, passengers Mr JH Campbell, H Jenkins
13 Oct 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
08 Nov 1841 schooner Jenkins master arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
15 Nov 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 25 Nov 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Mr A Campbell, Mr Cummins, Mr Hobson
07 Dec 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
15 Dec 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 21 Dec 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passenger Mr Roberts
departed 29 Dec 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Mr Athorne, Daniel Colman, John Carroll

Sisters

cutter, Mulhall master,
at Melbourne arrive 25 Dec 1840, from Adelaide
at Melbourne arrived 15 Jan 1841 from wreck of the Clonmel
Melbourne cleared out 21 Jan 1841 for Sydney with passengers Dr McIntosh, Mrs McCulloch, Messrs Mitchell, Holland, Dickenson, and Morrison, A Innes, Vergen and 2 in steerage
arrived Sydney 31 Jan 1841 from Port Phillip 23 Jan, passengers Dr McIntosh, Mr Mitchell, Mr McCullock, Mr Holland, Mr Dickenson, Mr Vergen, Mr A Jones, and 3 in steerage

Socrates

barque, 152 tons, Ruffle master, J Griffiths Agent
departed 26 Dec 1840 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Captain McTaggart, Thomas Skinner, William Jones, Ann Pike, Elizabeth Martin and child, and arrived 6 Jan 1841 at Geelong, barque from Launceston lists cargo loading with wool
06 Jan 1841 barque 150 tons, Ruffle master at Geelong from Launceston cargo detailed
30 Jan 1841 barque 150 tons Ruffle master at Geelong loading with wool, C Ruffle Agent
02 Feb 1841 barque Ruffle master cleared from Geelong for Melbourne with passengers Mr Bird and cargo 309 bales wool
18 Mar 1841 loading with wool for London
23 Apr 1841 barque Grant master cleared from Geelong for London via Melbourne cargo 441 bales wool. She had difficulty crossing the sand bat to enter the inner harbour, so departure aroused great interest, as she waited for dusk and high tide, to be the largest vessel to cross the bar. Story ends with comments on need to deepen the channel.
30 Apr 1841 cleared from Melbourne for London passengers Mr Hall, Mr Leep

Sophia Pate

brig Harrison master
departed Sydney 22 Mar 1841 for Port Phillip with sundries, passengers Messrs N amd D Robertson, Rutledge, Brown, Mr and Mrs Hart with child and servant, Mr and Mrs Davis and 9 in Steerage
at Melbourne departed 19 Apr 1841, for Sydney with passengers Mr and Mrs Braim, 3 chn and servant, Mrs Harrison and child
arrived 28 Apr 1841 at Sydney from Port Phillip with passengers Mr and Mrs Braim with 3 chn and 2 servants St Helena
20 Sep 1841 schooner Cauvin master arrived at Melbourne from Adelaide Supply
06 Dec 1841 brig Brown master arrived at Melbourne from Sydney

Tamar

schooner, 117 tons, Bell master, 19 Jun 1841, with Wiseman master,
Melbourne arrive 27 Dec 1840 Tamar schooner from Launceston
departed 21 Jan 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Mr and Mrs Lloyd, Capt and Miss Margaret McDonald, Miss Alexander, Messrs Thomas, Emmett, Campbell, Davis, and Alross. Freight includes 1 gig and 1 horse for GS Lloyd, 1 horse and 1 dray for Emmett
28 Jan 1841 schooner at Melbourne from Launceston
arrived 10 Feb 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Miss Houghton, Mr Parker, Mr Wood, Mr Frazer, also 269 sheep for George Fisher
departed 22 Feb 1841 from launceston for Port Phillip, Mr and Mrs McDowell, Mr Auste, Mrs Bell, Miss Bolger, Mr King, Mrs Allison, Mr Davies, Mr Evans, Mr Hamilton, Mr Gibbon, Mr Ambler, John Smith, John Morris, John Love, W Griece, John fence, David Kenzie
arrived 12 Mar 1841 at Launceston from Portland Bay with passengers H Arthur Esq, Messrs Taylor, Winter, Gibson, Russell, Hunter, Mrs Edwards and child, Mrs Johnson and family
departed 19 Mar 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Mr and Mrs Strighlitz, Mr and Mrs Pittman, Mr and Mrs Webster, Mrs Bolger, Messrs Weller, Wood,Taylor, Fraser, Archer, Talbot, Waller, Athorne and Irvine
at Melbourne arrived 26 Mar 1841, from Launceston with passengers Mr and Mrs Speighty, Mr and Mrs Pittman, Mr and Mrs Webster, Mrs Boulger, Messrs Wood, Willis, Taylor, Archer, Fraser, Talbot, Wallis, and Hathorn, 4 in steerage
31 Mar 1841 schooner Bell cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 5 Apr 1841 at Launceston, from Port Phillip, passengers and cargo 300 sheep for JH Campbell, passegers Messrs King, Alison, Huiton, Campball, Wignall, Myers, Jenkinson, Young, Stanton, and Folder
departed 22 Apr 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Messrs Anstead, Kiddle, Miss Wilks, Mr J Willis, Mr Charles Wise, Mr Synnot, Mr Gibson, James Wood, John Brown, James Toby, Mary Ann Whitehead
28 Apr 1841 schooner Bell master arrived at Geelong from Launceston with several rams, passengers Mr Kiddle
30 Apr 1841 cleared from Geelong for Williamstown
01 May 1841 schooner Bell master arrived at Melbourne from Launceston and Corio
06 May 1841 schooner Bell master arrived at Geelong from Melbourne cargo
arrived 12 May 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passengers Mr and Mrs Davies with Elizabeth, Catherine, and Phillip Davies, Mr Campbell, William Seddon, George Vincent, cargo includes 350 sheep
departing 22 May 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Messrs Winter, H and E Arthur, Steighlitz and Ransom, Mrs Bates with Miss, Master and master Charles Bates, McDowell and Carrington, Messrs Headlam and Hoskings
arrived 29 May 1841 at Melbourne, from Launceston passengers Mrs and Miss Bates and 2 chn, Messrs H and E Arthur, Steiglitz, Ransom, McDowell, and Carrington
06 Jun 1841 schooner Bell master arrived at Geelong from Melbourne with cargo
10 Jun 1841 cleared from Geelong for Launceston with cargo of fat wethers
arrived 15 June 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passengers Miss Forde, Mr Barker. cargo 340 sheep
at Sydney 19 Jun 1841, with Wiseman master, from Jervis Bay
departed 25 June 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Mrs Frazer, Miss J Hill, Miss E Hill, Master Hill, Miss White, Mrs Hudsford, Mr Reed, Mr Toby, Messrs Seldon, Griffin, Smith, Perkins and Thornton
01 Jul 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
06 Jul 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston with 300 sheep
arrived 12 July 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Mrs Taylor, Mr Hill, Mr Jackson, Mr Strachan, Henry Best, Mr Murdock, David Flemming, Patrick Cain, Thomas Best, William Rose, Emily Stafford and cargo 300 head sheep
departed 20 July 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Mr W Drumand, Mrs Newton and 2 chn, Mrs Bell, Miss Capon, Mr Strachan, Benjamin Lee
29 Jul 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
04 Aug 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
07 Sep 1841 arrived at Geelong from Launceston via Melbourne
09 Sep 1841 cleared from Geelong for Launceston with passengers Rev Mr Davis, Mr Herrick, OConnor, Dean, Lyall, Allen,
arrived 13 August 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Mr Doumaria, Mrs Haywood and 4 chn, Mrs Bell, Miss Capon, Master Carrington, Mr Beanland, George Ayres, P Burgess, Thomas Stockdale, Robert Smith, William Wood, John Shepherd, D Fitzsummons, G and B Fitzsummons, John Monaghan, Alice Dowd, W and B Murtagh, Mary Ann Miles, P McIntyre
departed 23 Aug 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Mr H Herrick, Rev RR Davies, Mr W O'Connor, Mr H Campbell, Mr WM Deane, Mr W Lyall, George May, Richard Nicholls
arrived 14 Sep 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Rev Mr Davis, Messrs Herrich, O'Connor, Dean, Lyall, Miss Sarah Lampard, Mr Ransom, Ford, Strachan, Capt Jenkins, Mr Henry Base
departed 23 Sep 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers JS Hill, Misses E and C Hill, Captain N Ritchie, Messrs McCullock, Wedge, Maddox, Lyall, G Dore
28 Sep 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
02 Oct 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
departing 15 Oct 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Capt Sawbridge, 28th Regiment, Miss Beale, Mrs Hogburn, Master Jones, Mrs Churchill, Mr F Walford, Mr Lucas, Mr F Bryant
22 Oct 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
30 Oct 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
at Launceston 4 Nov 1841 from Port Phillip, Passengers Messrs Jackett, Lyall, Walpole. Agent J Raven, cargo 20 head cattle, 200 sheep, 36 hides
27 Dec 1840 schooner at Melbourne from Launceston

Tasman

26 Mar 1841 cutter Day master arrived at Geelong from Melbourne with 23 ps Tasman
09 Apr 1841 cutter Day master arrived at Geelong from Melbourne Tasman
12 Apr 1841 cutter Steward master cleared from Geelong for Melbourne Tasman
01 Dec 1841 arrived at Geelong from Melbourne Tasman
04 Dec 1841 cleared from Geelong for Melbourne

Thetis

brig, Captain Bissett master,
arrived Sydney 2 July from Port Phillip, with sundries, passengers Mrs Johnson, Miss Mortimer, Miss Smith, Mrs Cadden and 2 chn, and 2 in the steerage

Timbo

schooner, 123 tons, Bentley master
departing 18 Oct 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Mrs Bentley, Miss Neale, Mr G Fisher, Mr WB Burnley
29 Dec 1841 schooner Bentley master arrived at Melbourne from Sydney

Truelove

schooner 133 tons Coulton master
25 Aug 1841 schooner Coulton master arrived at Melbourne from Adelaide
26 Aug 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 6 Sep 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Messrs Howe and Arvey, Capt Mitchell, Mr and Mrs Harte, Mrs Strong, Mr Forth, Capt Roach, Mr Webber, and 5 in Steerage
22 Nov 1841 schooner Coulton master arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
22 Dec 1841 schooner Coulton master cleared from Melbourne for Swan River and Batavia

Truganina

schooner 62 tons, Patterson master, 18 Sep Bloom master, 06 Dec 1841 Biscoe master
Melbourne arrive 27 Dec 1840 Truganina schooner from Hobart town
at Melbourne cleared out 11 Jan 1841, schooner for Hobart town. arrived 18 Jan with passengers James Simson, Samuel Mann, Sarah Mann, Josiah Brown
14 Aug 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Hobart
02 Sep 1841 schooner Biscoe master cleared from Melbourne for Hobart
arrived 18 Sep at Hobart from Port Phillip on 8 Sep, with A Donald, cargo sheep, beef
16 Oct 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
28 Oct 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
06 Dec 1841 schooner Biscoe master arrived at Melbourne from Hobart
18 Dec 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Hobart

Vesper

brig, 224 tons, Yates master,
14 Dec 1840 brig at Melbourne from Liverpool
arrived Sydney 23 Jan 1841 from Port Phillip 10 Jan, passengers Messrs Mackay, Glass and West. Steerage 14 prisoners, one constable and 4 soldiers

Victoria

cutter Stuart/Stewart master
09 Mar 1841 cutter Stuart master at Geelong from Melbourne with 550 bushels lime
11 Mar 1841 cutter cleared from Geelong for Melbourne
30 Mar 1841 master arrived at Geelong from The Heads with 550 bushels lime
02 Apr 1841 cleared from Geelong for Melbourne in ballast

Will Watch

schooner, 52 tons, Gill master, 2 May 1841 Loutit master, 19 May 1841 Harding master, July 24, 63 tons, Guillam master
21 Dec 1840 schooner at Melbourne from Sydney
at Melbourne arrived 16 Jan 1841, schooner from wreck of the Clonmel
21 Feb 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Portland Bay
08 Apr 1841 schooner cleared from Melbourne for Launceston with 200 sheep
arrived 15 Apr 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Mr TH James, L Markinson
departed 27 Apr 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers McKinnon, James, Fennell, Wood, Doyle, and Smith
Melbourne arrived 2 May 1841 from Launceston with passengers Messrs L and J McKinnon, James and Fennel
arrived 19 May 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passengers Messrs Richards, Marsden, Douglas, McNeil, Dougan, Ganer, Dwyer, Wicks, and Sarah Chapman
departing 28 May 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, and arrived 6 Jun 1841 with passengers Miss Hammond, Messrs Hoskings, Hall, Stoden/Sloden, Hill, and Hedlam/Headlum, 4 in Steerage Chitty, Richard Kew, John Overton, Thomas Best
06 Jun 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston passengers Miss Hammond, Mr Hoskings, Mr Halls, Mr Stoden, Mr Hill, Mr Hedlam and 4 in Steerage
arrived 28 June 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passenger Thomas Gay
departing 3 July 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Mr M Chitty, Mrs Beale, Mr Campbell, George Hayes
14 Jul 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 24 July 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passengers Messrs Fenn, Jones, Claridge, Barrett, Owen, Broomfield, S Austin, Mrs Blake and child, James Beveridge, Mr Wood
departing 29 July 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Mr A Cruikshank, Mr Strachan, Mr Harding, David Roberts, Robert J Paithman, Mr Blake and child, Christma, Palgrave, Jemmy (a black), John McVillar (Hawk brought Jemmy, from Adelaide on 26 July)
04 Aug 1841 schooner Harding master arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
11 Aug 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
departing 17 Aug 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Mrs Moodie and 2 chn, Mr Inkersole
04 Sep 1841 schooner Harding master cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 11 Sep 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passengers Mrs Blake and 2 chn, WS Jamieson, Patrick Carthy, James Flinn, 4 prisoners, 2 constables
departing 17 Sep 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Mr and Mrs Herbert, Charles Sticklings, John Turner
22 Sep 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
29 Sep 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 4 Oct 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Mr and Mrs Nathan, Mrs Solomon, Mr Willis, M Ryan, wife and 2 chn
departing 9 Oct 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers John Welsh and Pat Carthy
14 Oct 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
arrived 27 Oct 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passengers Mr and Mrs Waddell, Mr Strachan, Dr Synnott, William Manifold, Thomas Kent
02 Nov 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
arrived 11 Nov 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Mr Waterhouse, Mr George Fisher
26 Nov 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston
30 Nov 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 17 Dec 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers Mr and Mrs Herbert, cargo included 50 sheep, 150 bags rice
departing 24 Dec 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers Messrs OConnor, Miller, Lewis, Murray, Ankin, Clarke
28 Dec 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Launceston

William Hughes

arrived 3 Feb 1841 at Port Phillip, from London on 1 Oct 1840, brig, 124 tons Culbertson master, 1 July Captain Robinson master, 21 Nov Captain Hosking master
London Passengers Sievewright, M'Leod, and Chitty with 2 in the steerage. Cargo includes medicines, soap, paint, pork, cutlery, rope, beer, tobacco.
departed 18 Feb 1841 from Melbourne for Launceston
arrived 27 Feb 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip with passengers H Longman and M Chitty
departed 8 Mar 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Mrs Taylor, Mrs Smith, Mrs Randan, Mr TW Behan, Patrick Sheil, Edward Atwood, John Ward, Joseph Anderson
11 March 1841 - arrived at Port Phillip late last night, passengers Mr and Mrs Smyth, Mrs Taylor, and 4 in the steerage and 12 March cleared for Launceston (accounts are confusing)
arrived 22 Mar 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passenger Mr Robert Fisher and part of original cargo from London
departed 26 Mar 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers D Russell, Henderson, Sheam, Snodgrass, James Enscoe, Esqrs, Wm and Geo Jeffries, B Smith, Mr Campbell, Frederick, Alfred and Charles Campbell, Mr Dryden, Thomas Henry, B Burnley and Mr Geo Rumboldt
6 Apr 1841 departed Melbourne for Launceston with 500 sheep
arrived 15 Apr 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passengers Messrs Taylor, Segur, and James League
departed 20 Apr 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Messrs Taylor, Bembury, Lewes, Chitty, and Cuthbertson, A Smith, A Moses, Mary Flinn, James Leage
Melbourne arrived 25 Apr 1841 from Launceston with passengers Messrs Culbertson, Banbury and Lewis and 3 in steerage
30 Apr 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston
departed 8 May 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Mr Pearce, Mr Robert Craston
19 May 1841 cleared from Melbourne for Launceston passengers Mr Durkin, Mr Dryden
arrived 29 May 1841 at Launceston from Port Phillip, passengers Messrs Dankin, Dryden, Hutton, Augustus, J Johnson, G Bardwell and S Licout, cargo includes 500 sheep
departed 3 June 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip with passengers Miss White, Mr Hutton, Mr Troas Scott, Mr Butcher, Mr Dunkin, John Redmans, J Cameron
Arrived 1 July at Sydney from Port Phillip on 24 June, with sundries, passengers Mr Criggins, Mr Banbury, Mr Duncan and 4 in the steerage, and two aboriginal natives
Departed 20 Oct 1841 from Launceston for Port Phillip, passengers JD Pinnock Esq, Mr HB Watson, Mr James Ayton, Mr A Smith, Master Smith, J Smith, James Smith, Alexander Smith, E Chegnell, J Brown, Mrs Brown, Messrs Bernard and Boyle
02 Nov 1841 arrived at Melbourne from Sydney
11 Nov 1841 brig Hoskins cleared from Melbourne for Sydney
Arrived 21 Nov 1841 at Sydney with Captain Hosking master, from Port Phillip on 12 Nov, with sundries, passengers Mr Spellman, Mr and Mrs Casey and child, Mr Ross, Mr Marshall, Mr Hebblewhite, Mr Bradley, Miss Thornton, 50 in the steerage, 2 constables and 8 prisoners.
Projected departure 9 Dec 1841 but not yet left on 30 Dec, from Sydney for Guam, passengers CH Baddley Esq, Mrs G Baddley, Mrs W Porter, Mr W ONeil, Mr J Rowe, and F Knowles

William Salthouse

The web page featuring 'Wreck of the William Salthouse, 1841' shows a clear picture of Port Phillip. The 251 ton vessel William Salthouse, was the only trading vessel to try to come from Canada to Port Phillip. It floundered and the loss is reported in the The Port Phillip Herald for Tuesday, November 30, 1841. The Captain and crew managed to salvage the ship’s sails, papers and some of their personal belongings and row to shore in lifeboats.
This paper examines the background and historical context to a voyage in 1841 by the William Salthouse. It was a voyage between two very different urban centres: the bustling trading city of Montreal in Canada, and Melbourne, chief town in the newly-settled Port Phillip district of south-eastern Australia. The voyage ended when the William Salthouse sank at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay in July 1841. The ship carried a cargo valued at [pounds sterling] 12,000, that included flour, salted fish, salted meat, building materials and alcohol.

In October 1839 Charles Joseph La Trobe assumed his duties as superintendent of the Port Phillip District, which was still administratively a part of the colony of New South Wales (NSW). By this time, Melbourne had grown to become a small town of two churches, 18 public houses but less than 5,000 people. It doubled in size by the end of 1840 and nearly doubled again to more than 20,000 by the end of 1841. But in 1842-3 an economic downturn reduced Melbourne, in the words of one contemporary, Robert Russell, to a state of "no money, no credit, no trade".

The massive population growth between 1839 and 1841 placed enormous pressure on the capacity of the new colony adequately to supply the needs and wants of the thousands of recently arrived immigrants. Some, like John von Stieglitz and his wife Emma, were relatively well off and could afford to bring significant amounts of portable material culture with them, but others had to select from what was made available to them in the new retail establishments of Melbourne. The extent and nature of some of the portable material culture that was available to well-off settlers in 1841 can be seen in Emma von Stieglitz's watercolour painting depicting the interior of their home. The presence of books, artworks and a piano on the right-hand side of the room, for example, are clear demonstrations of their owner's social status in the new settlement.

During these early years of settlement, great profits were made by importers of food, drink, and other consumer goods. Luxury items could be sold at exorbitant prices. Paul de Serville has suggested that "Land sales were conducted with the aid of Champagne breakfasts ... [and that] The outskirts of Melbourne were marked by cairns of champagne bottles". There were also -- in common with many early colonial economies -- times of food shortage before agricultural and pastoral activities became firmly established. In the case of the Port Phillip District during 1840, for example, flour was in short supply, and under these circumstances, doubled or trebled in price. As Penelope Selby wrote in a letter dated 26 December 1840, "Provisions are very fluctuating in price, when we arrived the 4lb loaf was three shillings, now it is only one, so you may be sure we have laid in a good stock of flour".

It is likely that Green and Company of Liverpool, owners of the small trading brig William Salthouse, heard about the economic opportunities offered by the new Port Phillip settlement either through the commercial sections of the newspapers or perhaps by more direct contact with the fledgling colony. This may be what encouraged them to take the vessel off the West Indies trade, where it had been engaged for more than a decade, and dispatch the vessel from London to Montreal and then on to Port Phillip.

There had been a massive expansion in shipping arrivals to Port Phillip during the late 1830s and early 1840s. The number of vessels arriving from overseas ports increased particularly rapidly. In the year 1841 alone at least 70 vessels arrived at Melbourne from overseas ports, the vast majority from ports in Britain. Most (at least 40) were large vessels of between 400 and 1,000 tons, each of which carried over 100 passengers, including bounty and free emigrants, as well as a general cargo which was usually described in the newspapers as "merchandise" or "sundries". There were also at least 25 vessels, referred to at the time as "short ships", which were smaller in size (between 100 and 400 tons), which carried a mainly general cargo and a restricted number of passengers (usually less than 20). All of these vessels originated from ports in Britain including Liverpool, London, Plymouth, Bristol, Greenock, Leith, Dublin, Cork and Guernsey. In addition there were a small number (less than 10) of vessels which arrived from British colonial ports overseas such as Cape Town and Calcutta, or from "foreign" ports such as Oporto (Portugal), Lombok and Roti (in what is now Indonesia).

Only one vessel would have arrived from Canada in 1841 but, after having sailed half way around the world, William Salthouse was wrecked during its final approaches to Port Phillip. Unlike the well-known case of Sydney Cove, which was simply one unsuccessful example among nearly 40 arrivals from India at Port Jackson between 1792 and 1810, the voyage of William Salthouse was a unique, and unrepeated, attempt to institute direct trade between British colonies in Canada and Australia.

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