William Robert Stewart

William Robert Stewart was a US Captain from New York who was active in attempting trade with Japan in the beginning of the 19th century.

The ship however reportedly sunk just a few hours after leaving Dejima, off the Takaboku islands.

It was discovered that his ship was in fact the Eliza of New York, which he had apparently stolen and renamed.

The director of the Dutch enclave, Willem Wardenaar, instead sold the cargo as contraband, and used the profit to repay the original repairing and re-floating of the ship.

Stewart's actions were mentioned extensively by Hendrik Doeff, the then Dutch commissioner in Dejima, in his book "Recollections of Japan".