Colonial Despatches

Captain Alexander Duncan was a ship captain for the Hudson's Bay Company, entering the maritime service in 1838, but generally serving the company for 24 years until his retirement in 1847.1 Duncan commanded three main ships in his time serving the HBC. The first being the brig Dryad, then the barque Vancouver — with which he was responsible for the transport of cargo for trade to Sitka — and the steamer Beaver.2 He was an accomplished seaman in his time and well-liked by his colleagues. At his retirement, one of Duncan's superiors remarked that he was sad to see Duncan go as he is remarkably zealous in the discharge of his duties.3

Regardless of Duncan's received compliments, he was criticized by George Simpson as having an overbearing conduct, though this criticism was not substantial.4 Not much else is known of Duncan besides him being a frequent visitor of Honolulu and having contributed to the establishment of the Seaman's Chapel there.5 His date of death and what he did after his retirement is unknown.

• 1. Duncan's Bay, BC Geographical Names ; Alexander Spoehr, A 19th Century Chapter in Hawai'i's Maritime History: Hudson's Bay Company Merchant Shipping, 1829-1859, The Hawaiian Journal of History, vol.22, 1988, 90.
• 2. Duncan's Bay, BC Geographical Names ; The British Columbia Historical Quarterly, (Archives of British Columbia, Jan. 1941), 61.
• 3. Spoehr, A 19th Century Chapter in Hawai'i's Maritime History, 90.
• 4. Ibid., 97.
• 5. Ibid., 90.