Bowater Sanderson (d. 1755) served as fifth mate on the East India Company ship Scarborough during its voyage out to Madras and Bengal, 1744-1745. In 1747 he joined the Royal Duke (rated 499 tons, crew 99, 30 guns) as second mate. That year the fleet sailed to India under Rear Admiral the Hon. Edward Boscawen (1711-1761), with the main objective of besieging the French garrison at Pondicherry (First Carnatic War, 1744-1748). The Royal Duke assisted in the cannonade of the town, 25-28 September 1748. After the failure of this expedition, the Royal Duke continued on with its mercantile voyage in a convoy of East Indiamen, sailing between Bombay, Surat, Tellicherry and Fort St David before proceeding to China, where it exchanged a cargo of tin and cotton for one of tea and china-ware, returning to England in June 1750. Thereafter, Sanderson served on another East India Company ship, the Edgecote, as second mate on its voyage to Bombay, Madras and Mokha, 1751-1752. He was promoted to first mate during a later voyage in 1754-1755, but died on 9 August 1755, apparently whilst at sea during the ship's passage to Bombay.
From the guide to the Bowater Sanderson: Naval journal, 1747-1750, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)
