Done that, Jon.

Okay this is probably the shortest and quickest study I've done, about half an hour. I make it about half a doz. trad versions and 4 stanzas worth looking at. The rest are all one offs. Several versions are very likely singular rewrites and that includes Stan's. I can't comment on the tunes as that's not my province, but if my theory on the origin is correct then anyone getting hold of the original would just set it to whatever existing tune fitted, (e.g. Off to sea once more).

Bell's poem to me is the original. It's 1877 date is the earliest and trad versions start to appear in the late 80s. The 4 stanzas repeatedly appearing in tradition are as follows:

1. Yankees/Brazilians/Chinese--Table Bay

2. Nightly stands the North Star--homeward bound to England

3. Tom will to his parents--each to his own.

4. Whilst sailing down the Noreast Trades (later versions as first stanza)

Bell's first stanza doesn't occur anywhere else.

Smith c1886 has 1, 2, 3
Vickery 1920s has 1, 3
Simpson c1890 has 4, 1
Fox 1951 has 4, 1, (and 5 uniques probably extensions of 3).

Hugill has bits and pieces of 1, 2, 3 with about as much new material.

New Zealand has bits of 1 here and there with some Colquhoun specials.

Fox-Smith c1915 was obviously familiar with the song.