Cyprus mutiny Cyprus mutiny The "Cyprus" mutiny took place in 1829 off the British penal settlement of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania, Australia). Convicts seized the brig and sailed her to Canton, China, where they scuttled her and claimed to be castaways from another vessel. On the way, "Cyprus" visited Japan during the height of the period of severe Japanese restrictions on the entry of foreigners, the first Australian ship to do so. The mutineers were eventually captured. Two of them, George James Davis and William Watts, were hanged at Execution Dock, London on 16 December 1830, the last men hanged for
William John Watts William John Watts William John Watts (May 1, 1846 – September 4, 1907) was a businessman, lawyer and political figure in Quebec. He represented Drummond-Arthabaska in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1874 to 1885 and Drummond from 1890 to 1892 and from 1897 to 1901 as a Conservative. He was born in Drummondville, Canada East, the son of Robert Nugent Watts and Charlotte Sheppard. Watts studied at McGill University, was called to the Quebec bar in 1869 and set up practice in Drummondville. He also owned several mills. He was first elected to the Quebec assembly in an 1874