Editing Mutiny on the Bounty (section)

=== ''Bounty'' and its mission ===
[[File:HMS BOUNTY II with Full Sails.jpg|thumb|[[Bounty (1960 ship)|A 1960 reconstruction]] of {{HMS|Bounty}}]]

[[HMS Bounty|His Majesty's Armed Vessel (HMAV) ''Bounty'']], or HMS ''Bounty'', was built in 1784 at the [[Blaydes Family|Blaydes]] shipyard in [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]], [[Yorkshire]], as a [[Collier (ship)|collier]] named ''Bethia''. It was renamed after being purchased by the [[Royal Navy]] for [[Pound sterling|£]]1,950 in May 1787 ({{Inflation|UK|1,950|1787|fmt=eq|cursign=£|round=-1}}).{{sfn|Winfield|2007|p=355}} It was three-masted, {{convert|91|ft|m}} long overall and {{convert|25|ft|m}} across at its widest point, and registered at [[Builder's Old Measurement|230 tons burthen]].{{sfn|Hough|1972|p=64}} Its armament was four short four-pounder [[Gun carriage|carriage guns]] and ten half-pounder [[swivel gun]]s, supplemented by small arms such as [[musket]]s.{{sfn|Alexander|2003|p=70}} As it was rated by the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] as a [[Naval cutter|cutter]], the smallest category of warship, its commander would be a [[Lieutenant (navy)|lieutenant]] rather than a [[post-captain]] and would be the only [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned officer]] on board. Nor did a cutter warrant the usual detachment of [[Royal Marines]] that naval commanders could use to enforce their authority.{{sfn|Alexander|2003|pp=49, 71}}{{#tag:ref|[[James Cook]] commanded his first voyage in [[HMS Endeavour|HMS ''Endeavour'']] as a newly promoted lieutenant, and was not promoted to the rank of captain until after his second voyage.{{sfn|David|2004}}{{sfn|Alexander|2003|p=72}} However, Cook always insisted on the support of a marine detachment of at least twelve.{{sfn|Alexander|2003|p= 71}} |group="n"|name="ranks"}}

''Bounty'' had been acquired to transport [[breadfruit]] plants from [[Tahiti]] (then rendered "Otaheite"), a [[Polynesia]]n island in the South Pacific Ocean, to the British colonies in the [[West Indies]]. The expedition was promoted by the [[Royal Society]] and organised by its president [[Joseph Banks|Sir Joseph Banks]], who shared the view of Caribbean [[plantation]] owners that breadfruit might grow well there and provide cheap food for the slaves.{{sfn|McKinney|1999|p=16}} ''Bounty'' was refitted under Banks' supervision at [[Deptford Dockyard]] on the [[River Thames]]. The [[Cabin (ship)|great cabin]], normally the quarters of the ship's [[sea captain|captain]], was converted into a greenhouse for over a thousand potted breadfruit plants, with glazed windows, skylights, and a lead-covered deck and drainage system to prevent the waste of fresh water.{{sfn|McKinney|1999|pp=17–20}} The space required for these arrangements in the small ship meant that the crew and officers would endure severe overcrowding for the duration of the long voyage.{{sfn|Hough|1972|p=65}}