In 1785: “Sensing a good thing, the firm of Cox and Reid bought a small brig of 60 tons, (called the ‘Harmon’ but renamed the ‘Sea Otter’) under the command of Captain James Hanna, and despatched the little vessel with a small cargo of woollens, blankets, iron bars, knives, nails, etc.
and a supply of ornaments and baubles to the north-west coast of America, to barter with the ‘Red Indians’ in Canada for furs.
The area was supposed to be a preserve of the South Sea Company, of London, but this did not seem to worry Cox and his friends in the least.
With false papers (to avoid paying license fees to the East India Company) and flying the Austrian flag she sailed on 24 November from Ostend under Captain Charles William Barkley for Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island via Cape Horn.
The firm of Cox & Beale, with the later addition of Reid's younger brother David (1761–1845), who left Canton in 1801, eventually became Jardine Matheson.
[2][10] Jack lived at 48 Bedford Square, London, next door to his brother Andrew at no 46, and also owned Kingswood Lodge in Egham, Surrey.