PART I._The Colonial Clippers

Transcriber’s Notes:

Italic text is shown _thus_. Bold text is shown =thus=.

The original spelling, hyphenation, accentuation and punctuation has

been retained, with the exception of some apparent printer’s errors.

See further transcriber’s note at the end of the book.

THE COLONIAL CLIPPERS

[Illustration:

_Kent._ _Lightning._ _White Star._ _Malabar._

EMIGRANT FLEET IN HOBSON’S BAY.

_From a painting by Captain D. O. Robertson, late commander of ship

“Lightning.”_

_Frontispiece._

]

THE

COLONIAL CLIPPERS

BASIL LUBBOCK

_Author of “The China Clippers”; “Round the Horn Before the Mast”;

“Jack Derringer, a tale of Deep Water”; and “Deep Sea Warriors”_

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND PLANS

[Illustration: NAUTICAL PRESS printers mark]

_SECOND EDITION_

GLASGOW

JAMES BROWN & SON (GLASGOW) LTD., PUBLISHERS

52 TO 58 DARNLEY STREET

1921

Dedication

Dedicated to all those who learnt the art of the sea so thoroughly

and practised it so skilfully aboard the Colonial Clippers.

PREFACE

In this book I have attempted to give some account of the beautiful

sailing ships which played so great a part in the development of the

great British Dominions under the Southern Cross.

It is written specially for the officers and seamen of our Mercantile

Marine, and I have endeavoured to avoid such a criticism as the

following:—“Heaps about other ships, but my old barkey was one of the

fastest and best known of them all and he dismisses her with a line or

two.”

I have made rather a point of giving passage records, as they are an

everlasting theme of interest when seamen get together and yarn about

old ships. The memory is notoriously unreliable where sailing records

are concerned, so I have been most careful to check these from logbooks

and Captains’ reports. Even Lloyd’s I have found to be out by a day or

two on occasions.

A great deal of my material has been gathered bit by bit through the

past 25 or 30 years. Alas! many of the old timers, who so kindly lent

me abstract logs and wrote me interesting letters, have now passed away.

The illustrations, I hope, will be appreciated, for these, whether

they are old lithographs or more modern photographs, are more and more

difficult to unearth, and a time will soon come when they will be

unprocurable.

Indeed, if there is any value in this book it is because it records and

illustrates a period in our sea history, the memory of which is already

fast fading into the misty realms of the past. To preserve this memory,

before it becomes impossible, is one of the main objects, if not the

main object, of my work.

* * * * *

_Note._—As in my _China Clippers_, when using the word “mile” I always

mean the sea mile of 6080 feet, not the land mile of 5280 feet.

CONTENTS

PART I. THE EMIGRANT SHIPS

PAGE

The Power of Gold 1

Steerage Conditions in 1844 3

Discovery of Gold in Australia 5

Melbourne and its Shipping in 1851-2 6

First Gold Cargoes Home 10

Great Rush to the Gold Regions in 1852 11

Maury’s Improvements on Old Route to the Colonies 13

Early Fast Passages Outward 14

Rules and Customs aboard the _Eagle_ in 1853 15

Liverpool Shipowners in the Australian Trade 22

James Baines, of the Black Ball Line 23

The _Marco Polo_ 26

Captain James Nicol Forbes 29

_Marco Polo’s_ First Voyage to Australia 32

_Marco Polo’s_ Second Voyage to Australia 36

After Life of _Marco Polo_ 40

Most Notable Clippers of 1853 41

_Ben Nevis_ 42

The _Star of the East_ 42

The _Miles Barton_ 43

The _Guiding Star_ 44

The _Indian Queen_ 44

The Famous _Sovereign of the Seas_ 48

Best Outward Passages for 1853-4, Anchorage to Anchorage 52

1854—The Year of the Big Ships 52

Extraordinary 24-hour Runs 57

The _Lightning_ 60

The _Red Jacket_ 62

Race across the Atlantic between _Lightning_ and _Red Jacket_ 63

_Red Jacket’s_ First Voyage to Australia 66

The _Lightning’s_ First Voyage to Australia 71

_Champion of the Seas_ 73

The _James Baines_ 77

Record Voyage of _James Baines_ to Australia 81

The _Donald Mackay_ 83

_Blue Jacket_, _White Star_, and _Shalimar_ 85

The Wreck of the _Schomberg_ 87

Best Outward Passages—Liverpool to Melbourne, 1854-5 90

1855-1857—Captain Anthony Enright and the _Lightning_ 91

Best Homeward Passages, 1855-6 103

Best Outward Passages, 1855-6, Liverpool to Melbourne 104

_James Baines_ Overdue 105

_James Baines_, _Champion of the Seas_, and _Lightning_ race

out to India with Troops in the Time of the Mutiny 110

Burning of the _James Baines_ 112

America Sells her Clippers to Great Britain 113

Notes on the Later American-built Passenger Ships 114

Black Ballers in the Queensland Emigrant Trade 115

_Sunda_ and _Empress of the Seas_ Carry Sheep to New Zealand 115

After Life and End of the Liverpool Emigrant Clippers 116

The Burning of the _Lightning_ 117

_Blue Jacket’s_ Figure-head 118

The Loss of the _Fiery Star_ 118

Some Famous Coal Hulks 120

Loss of the _Young Australia_ 120

The Fate of _Marco Polo_ 121

PART II.—THE WOOL CLIPPERS

The Carriers of the Golden Fleece 122

The Aberdeen White Star Line 129

Wood and Composite Ships of the Aberdeen White Star Fleet 131

The _Phoenician_ 132

The Lucky _Nineveh_ 134

The _Jerusalem_ 134

Captain Mark Breach’s First Encounter with his Owner 136

The _Thermopylae_ 137

The _Centurion_ 137

The _Aviemore_ 137

The Fate of the Early White Star Clippers 138

Duthie’s Ships 140

Passages of Aberdeen Ships to Sydney, 1872-3 142

The South Australian Trade 143

The Orient Line 146

The _Orient_ and Her Best Outward Passages 148

_Orient_ nearly Destroyed by Fire 149

_Orient_ Delivers her Carpenter’s Chest to the _Lammermuir_

in Mid-Ocean 151

The Little _Heather Bell_ 152

The _Murray_ 153

The Orient Composite Clippers 154

_Yatala_ 155

The _Beltana_, and Captain Richard Angel 156

The Wonderful _Torrens_ 157

_Torrens’_ Outward Passages 161

The Great _Sobraon_ 163

Messrs. Devitt & Moore 176

_City of Adelaide_ and _South Australian_ 178

The Speedy Little _St. Vincent_ 179

_Pekina_ and _Hawkesbury_ 180

Mr. T. B. Walker 180

Walker’s Clipper Barques 181

The Beautiful Little _Berean_ 183

Captain John Wyrill 185

The _Berean’s_ Races 187

_Berean_ as an Ice Carrier 190

Loss of the _Corinth_ 191

The Little _Ethel_ 192

The Hobart Barque _Harriet McGregor_ 192

The Fremantle Barques _Charlotte Padbury_ and _Helena Mena_ 193

PART III.—THE IRON CLIPPERS

Introduction of Iron in Shipbuilding 195

The _Ironsides_, First Iron Sailing Ship 200

The _Martaban_ 200

The Builders of the Iron Wool Clippers 202

The _Darling Downs_ 204

_City of Agra_ and _Sam Mendel_ 204

_Dharwar_ 205

Strange Career of the _Antiope_ 206

_Theophane_ 208

Messrs. Aitken & Lilburn, and the Loch Line of Glasgow 208

_Clan Ranald_, _Ben Nevis_ and _Loch Awe_ 209

_Patriarch_—First Iron Ship of Aberdeen White Star Line 212

_Thomas Stephens_ 214

First Six Ships of the Loch Line 219

King’s Island—A Death Trap for Ships 224

_Miltiades_ 225

Carmichael’s Superb Wool Clipper _Mermerus_ 227

Devitt & Moore’s _Collingwood_ 230

_Hesperus_ and _Aurora_—The First Iron Ships of the

Orient Line 231

Brassey Cadet Training Scheme 232

_Ben Cruachan_ and _Ben Voirlich_ 235

_Samuel Plimsoll_ 240

_Loch Maree_—The Fastest of the Lochs 245

Tragedy of the _Loch Ard_ 247

Devitt & Moore’s Crack Passenger Ship _Rodney_ 251

Nichol’s _Romanoff_ 254

Duthie’s _Cairnbulg_ 254

The Speedy _Thessalus_ 255

Passages to Australia in 1874 257

_Loch Garry_ 259

_Loch Vennachar_ 262

_Salamis_—An Iron _Thermopylae_ 265

The Colonial Barque _Woollahra_ 270

_Cassiope_ and _Parthenope_ 270

_Trafalgar_ 270

Passages to Australia in 1875 271

_Sir Walter Raleigh_ 273

_Loch Fyne_ and _Loch Long_ 274

_Aristides_—The Aberdeen White Star Flagship 274

_Smyrna_ 275

_Harbinger_ 276

_Argonaut_ 280

Passages to Australia in 1876 282

_Brilliant_ and _Pericles_ 282

_Loch Ryan_ 284

_Loch Etive_, of Captain William Stuart and Joseph

Conrad fame 284

The Wreck of _Loch Sloy_ 286

The Loss of Lochs _Shiel_ and _Sunart_ 287

Passages to Australia in 1877 287

Passages to Australia in 1878 295

_Sophocles_ 296

Passages to Australia in 1879 296

Passages to Australia in 1880 297

Passages under 80 days to Sydney in 1881 300

Passages to Australia in 1881 301

The Big _Illawarra_ 301

_Orontes_ 302

_Loch Torridon_ 302

_Loch Torridon’s_ Voyages, 1892-1908 316

_Port Jackson_ 323

Passages to Australia in 1882 and 1883 324

_Derwent_ 326

Passages to Australia in 1884 328

_Torridon_ and _Yallaroi_ 328

_Loch Carron_ and _Loch Broom_ 329

Passages to Australia in 1885 334

_Mount Stewart_ and _Cromdale_—The Last of the Wool Clippers 335

Perforated Sails 337

Hine’s Clipper Barques 339

Iron Barques of Walker and Trinder, Anderson 341

The Loss of _Lanoma_ 342

Occasional Visitors in Australian Waters 344

PART IV.—THE NEW ZEALAND TRADE

The _Mayflowers_ of New Zealand 346

_Edwin Fox_ 347

_Wild Duck_ 347

Shaw, Savill & Co. 348

_Crusader_ 349

_Helen Denny_ and _Margaret Galbraith_ 349

End of Some of Shaw, Savill’s Earlier Ships 350

The Loss of the _Cospatrick_ 351

The Loss of the _Avalanche_ 354

Patrick Henderson’s Albion Shipping Company 354

_Wild Deer_ 355

_Peter Denny_ 362

Albion Shipping Company, 1869 Ships 362

_Christian McCausland_ Loses her Wheel 363

Origin of the Albion House-flag 365

New Zealand Shipping Company 365

_Otaki’s_ Record Passage Home 369

_Turakina_, ex-_City of Perth_ 370

Robert Duncan’s Six Beautiful Sister Ships 376

_Wellington_ and Captain Cowan 380

_Wellington_ Collides with an Iceberg 382

_Oamaru_ and _Timaru_ 383

_Marlborough_, _Hermione_ and _Pleione_ 384

_Taranaki_, _Lyttelton_ and _Westland_ 384

_Lutterworth_ and _Lady Jocelyn_ 385

Outsiders in the New Zealand Trade 386

The Pretty Little _Ben Venue_ 387

_Hinemoa_ 387

APPENDIX.

Appendix A—Extracts from _Lightning Gazette_, 1855-1857 391

„ B—Later American-built Passenger Ships to Australia 410

„ C—Iron Wool Clippers 411

„ D—Log of Ship _Theophane_, 1868—Maiden Passage 414

„ E—List of Clipper Ships Still Afloat and Trading

at the Outbreak of War, August, 1914 416

„ F—The Wool Fleet, 1876-1890 417

ILLUSTRATIONS

Emigrant Fleet in Hobson’s Bay _Frontispiece_

Mr. James Baines _To face page_ 23

_Marco Polo_ 27

Plate of House-Flags 32

_Sovereign of the Seas_ 48

_Lightning_ 60

_Red Jacket_ 63

_James Baines_ 77

_Donald Mackay_ entering Port Phillip Heads 83

_White Star_ 85

_Blue Jacket_ 114

_Royal Dane_ 114

_Lightning_ on Fire at Geelong 117

_Light Brigade_ 120

_Young Australia_ 120

Plate of House-Flags 128

_Orient_, arriving at Gibraltar with Troops from the

Crimea 148

_Pekina_ and _Coonatto_ at Port Adelaide, 1867 154

_John Duthie_ at Circular Quay, Sydney 154

_Torrens_ 157

_Torrens_ at Port Adelaide 157

_Sobraon_ 163

_City of Adelaide_, David Bruce Commander, 178

_South Australian_ 178

Captain John Wyrill, of _Berean_ 183

_Berean_ 183

Mr. Thomas Carmichael, of A. & J. Carmichael 200

_Darling Downs_ 204

_Antiope_ 204

_Antiope_ 206

_Theophane_ 208

_Dharwar_ 208

_Patriarch_ 212

_Thomas Stephens_ 214

_Mermerus_ alongside 225

_Miltiades_ 225

_Hesperus_ 230

_Collingwood_ 239

_Samuel Plimsoll_ 239

_Rodney_ 250

_Loch Garry_ 250

_Thessalus_ 254

_Loch Vennachar_ 262

_Salamis_ 266

_Thomas Stephens_, _Cairnbulg_, _Brilliant_ and

_Cutty Sark_, in Sydney Harbour 266

_Woollahra_ 270

_Aristides_ 274

_Harbinger_ 276

_Argonaut_ 280

_Pericles_ 282

_Mermerus_ in Victoria Dock, Melbourne, 1896 284

_Brilliant_ 284

_Loch Etive_ 286

_Argonaut_ in the Clyde 286

_Cimba_ 290

_Sophocles_ 296

_Illawarra_ 301

Captain Pattman 301

_Loch Torridon_, with perforated Sails 308

_Loch Torridon_ 318

_Port Jackson_ 323

_Port Jackson_ in the Thames 323

_Derwent_, off Gravesend 327

_Mount Stewart_ 327

_Torridon_ 328

_Mount Stewart_ 335

_Cromdale_ 335

_Brierholme_ 340

_Crusader_ 352

_Cospatrick_ 352

_Wild Deer_ 355

_Christian McCausland_ 364

_Piako_ 364

_Turakina_, ex-_City of Perth_ 370

_Otaki_ Becalmed 370

_Akaroa_ 377

_Invercargill_, off Tairoa Heads 377

_Timaru_ 382

_Wellington_, at Picton, Queen Charlotte Sound 382

_Westland_ 384

_Taranaki_ 384

_Ben Venue_ 386

_Lady Jocelyn_ 386

PLANS.

_Champion of the Seas_ 73

_Lightning_ 73

Sail Plan of _Ben Cruachan_ and _Ben Voirlich_ 234

Sail Plan of _Loch Moidart_ and _Loch Torridon_ 304

THE COLONIAL CLIPPERS.

PART I.

THE EMIGRANT SHIPS.

Those splendid ships, each with her grace, her glory,

Her memory of old song or comrade’s story,

Still in my mind the image of life’s need,

Beauty in hardest action, beauty indeed.

“They built great ships and sailed them” sounds most brave,

Whatever arts we have or fail to have;

I touch my country’s mind, I come to grips

With half her purpose thinking of these ships.

That art untouched by softness, all that line

Drawn ringing hard to stand the test of brine;

That nobleness and grandeur, all that beauty

Born of a manly life and bitter duty;

That splendour of fine bows which yet could stand

The shock of rollers never checked by land.

That art of masts, sail-crowded, fit to break,

Yet stayed to strength, and back-stayed into rake,

The life demanded by that art, the keen

Eye-puckered, hard-case seamen, silent, lean,

They are grander things than all the art of towns,

Their tests are tempests, and the sea that drowns.

They are my country’s line, her great art done

By strong brains labouring on the thought unwon,

They mark our passage as a race of men

Earth will not see such ships as those again.

—JOHN MASEFIELD.

The Power of Gold.

From time immemorial the progress of the world, in colonization, in the

Sciences (shipbuilding especially), and in the Arts owes its advance to

the adventurous spirit of the pioneer. Particularly is this the case

in the opening up of new countries and in the improvements in ship

transport to those countries.

Kipling has sung the song of the pioneer and has laid stress on the

pioneer spirit, but he has not touched on that great magnet which has

ever drawn the pioneer on and dragged civilisation in his wake—the

magnet of gold. Gold and its glamour has been the cause, one can almost

say, of all the tragedy and all the evil in this world, but also of

nearly all its good and all its progress.

It was the discovery of gold which opened up the fair States of Western

America and brought about the building of the wonderful American

clipper. In the same way the great Dominions of Australia and New

Zealand owe their present state of progress and prosperity to that

shining yellow metal; and without its driving power there would have

been no history of the great Liverpool emigrant ships to record.

Emigrant Ships to Australia in the Forties.

Before the discovery of gold in Australia, the trade of that Colony

was at a low ebb, suffering from want of enterprise and financial

depression; whilst the emigrant ships running from Liverpool and other

British ports, owing to the want of healthy competition, were of a very

poor description. The horrors of the long five-months passage for the

miserable landsmen cooped-up in low, ill-ventilated and over-crowded

’tween decks, were fit to be compared with those of the convict ship.

The few vessels with humane owners and kindly captains were in a class

by themselves. These, indeed, thought of the health and comfort of the

wretched emigrants and did not content themselves with merely keeping

within the letter of the Government regulations, which might more fitly

have been framed for traffic in Hell.

For first class passengers the splendid Blackwall frigates of Green,

Money Wigram and Duncan Dunbar, and the beautiful little clippers of

the Aberdeen White Star Line, provided excellent accommodation and a

comfortable and safe, if not a particularly fast, passage. But the

ordinary steerage passenger had to content himself as a rule with a

ship that was little better than a hermetically sealed box: one as deep

as it was long, with clumsy square bows and stern, with ill-cut ill-set

sails—its standing rigging of hemp a mass of long splices; and with a

promenade deck no longer than the traditional two steps and overboard.

These Colonial wagons were navigated by rum-soaked, illiterate,

bear-like officers, who could not work out the ordinary meridian

observation with any degree of accuracy, and either trusted to

dead reckoning or a blackboard held up by a passing ship for their

longitude; whilst they were worked by the typically slow-footed,

ever-grousing Merchant Jack of the past two centuries.

Report on Steerage Conditions in 1844.

Nearly everyone has read of the horror of the convict ships, but the

following report of steerage conditions in 1844 plainly shows that in

many respects the emigrant’s lot was every bit as hard and revolting:

“It was scarcely possible to induce the passengers to sweep the decks

after their meals or to be decent in respect to the common wants of

nature; in many cases, in bad weather, they would not go on deck, their

health suffered so much that their strength was gone, and they had

not the power to help themselves. Hence the between decks were like a

loathsome dungeon. When hatchways were opened, under which the people

were stowed, the steam rose and the stench was like that from a pen of

pigs. The few beds they had were in a dreadful state, for the straw,

once wet with sea water, soon rotted, besides which they used the

between decks for all sorts of filthy purposes. Whenever vessels put

back from distress, all these miseries and sufferings were exhibited

in the most aggravated form. In one case it appeared that, the vessel

having experienced rough weather, the people were unable to go on

deck and cook their provisions: the strongest maintained the upper

hand over the weakest, and it was even said that there were women who

died of starvation. At that time the passengers were expected to cook

for themselves and from their being unable to do this the greatest

suffering arose. It was naturally at the commencement of the voyage

that this system produced its worst effects, for the first days were

those in which the people suffered most from sea-sickness and under

the prostration of body thereby induced were wholly incapacitated

from cooking. Thus though provisions might be abundant enough, the

passengers would be half-starved.”

This terrible report was given before a Parliamentary Committee.

A Shipping Notice of 1845.

It does not even mention the overcrowding which took place, owing to

the smallness of the ships, which can well be realised by the following

shipping notice taken from a Liverpool newspaper of January, 1845.

NEW SOUTH WALES.

Will be despatched immediately:—

For PORT PHILLIP and SYDNEY, New South Wales.

The splendid first-class English-built ship

“ROSSENDALE,”

EDWARD DAVIDS GOULDING, Commander.

A1 at Lloyd’s, 296 tons per register, coppered and copper fastened,

and well known as a remarkably fast sailer. This vessel has spacious

and elegant accommodation for passengers, replete with every

convenience and presents a first rate opportunity.

For terms of freight and passage apply to

MESSRS. FAIRFIELD, SHALLCROSS & CO.

The Discovery of Gold in Australia.

However, on the discovery of gold in 1851, the Colonial trade leapt

out of its stagnation and squalor and at one bound became one of the

most important in all the world’s Mercantile Marine. And when the gold

fever drew a stream of ignorant English, Scotch and Irish peasants

to Australia, men, women and children, most of whom had never seen a

ship before they embarked and who were as helpless and shiftless as

babes aboard, it was seen that something must be done to improve the

conditions on the emigrant ships. Government regulations were made more

strict and inspectors appointed; but the time had passed when they were

needed—competition now automatically improved the emigrant ships from

stern to stem.

The discovery of alluvial gold in Australia was mainly brought about

by the great Californian strike of 1849. That strike upset the theories

of geologists and set every man on the world’s frontiers searching for

the elusive metal. The first authentic discovery in the Colonies was

made near Clunes, in March, 1850, but it was not until September, 1851,

that gold began to be found in such astounding quantities that large

fortunes were rocked out in a few weeks.

The first licenses for diggers were issued in September, 1851; and the

effect on the ports of Melbourne and Geelong was immediate—wages began

to rise to fabulous heights, as did the common necessaries of life,

even to wood and water. Shearers, harvesters and bushmen were soon

almost unobtainable, and the very squatters themselves left their herds

and flocks and rushed to the goldfields. The police and custom-house

officials followed them, and in their turn were followed by the

professional men of the towns—the doctors, lawyers and even clergymen.

And as has ever been the case, sailors, running from their ships, were

ever in the forefront of the stampede.

By the end of September there were 567 men at Ballarat; they, by means

of the primitive Australian gold rocker, had rocked out 4010 ounces or

£12,030 worth of gold, taking it at its then commercial value of £3 per

ounce. There were only 143 rockers, yet this amount had been won in 712

days’ work, representing a day and a quarter’s work per man. At the

beginning of November it was estimated that there were 67,000 ounces

of gold in banks and private hands at Melbourne and Geelong. From this

date new fields, to which wild stampedes took place, were discovered

almost daily. Forrest Creek, Bendigo, Ararat, Dunolly and the Ovens all

showed colour in turn.

Melbourne and its Shipping 1851-2.

It was some months before the news of the great Australian gold strike

spread round the world, and one can well imagine the excitement on

board the incoming emigrant ships, when they were boarded almost before

their anchors were down and told the great news. Often successful

miners would come off and prove their words by scattering gold on the

deck, to be scrambled for, or by removing their hats and displaying

rolls of bank notes inside them. Settlers, bereft of their servants,

sometimes even came off with the pilot in their anxiety to engage men.

Indeed it was commonly reported in the winter of 1851 that the Governor

was compelled to groom his own horse.

With such stories flying about, and every native apparently in a state

of semi-hysteria, it is not surprising that often whole ships’ crews,

from the captain down, caught the gold fever and left their vessels

deserted. Not even the lordly Blackwall liners with their almost

naval discipline could keep their crews. The six-shooter and belaying

pin were used in vain. Shipmasters were at their wits’ end where to

get crews for the homeward run. £40 and even £50 was not found to

be sufficient inducement to tempt sailors away from this marvellous

land of gold. Even the gaol was scoured and prisoners paid £30 on the

capstan and £3 a month for the passage.

By June, 1852, fifty ships were lying in Hobson’s Bay deserted by the

crews. Nor were other Australian ports much better. The mail steamer

_Australian_ had to be helped away from Sydney by a detachment of

volunteers from H.M. brig _Fantome_; and at Melbourne and Adelaide,

where she called for mails, police had to be stationed at her gangways

to prevent desertion, whilst at Albany she was delayed seven days for

want of coal, because the crew of the receiving ship, who were to put

the coal aboard, were all in prison to keep them from running off to

the diggings.

Some description of Melbourne at this wonderful period of its history

may perhaps be of interest.

From the anchorage, St. Kilda showed through the telescope as a small

cluster of cottages, whilst across the bay a few match-boarding huts

on the beach stood opposite some wooden jetties. Williamstown, indeed,

possessed some stone buildings and a stone pierhead, but in order to

get ashore the unhappy emigrant had to hire a boat. Then when he at

last succeeded in getting his baggage on the quay, he had to guard

it himself, or it would mysteriously disappear. Rather than do this,

many a newly arrived emigrant put his outfit up to auction—acting as

his own auctioneer on the pierhead itself. And as an outfit purchased

in England for the Colonies is usually more remarkable for its

weight than its suitability, those who did this generally profited

by their astuteness. Melbourne itself could either be reached by a

river steamboat up the Yarra Yarra, which at that time was not more

than 25 feet wide in places; or by ferry boat across the bay and a

two-mile walk from the beach by a rough trail through sand, scrub and

marsh. When emigrants began to arrive in such numbers as to overflow

Melbourne, the beach became covered with tents and shacks and was known

as “canvas town.”

There were only 23,000 inhabitants in Melbourne at the time of the

gold discovery. Its houses were mostly of wood and but one story high.

With the exception of Collins, Bourke and Elizabeth Streets, which were

paved, the streets were merely narrow muddy lanes, and there were no

foot pavements. In the wet weather these lanes became torrents of water

and many a carter reaped a harvest taking people across the road at

sixpence a time.

Lucky diggers, down on the spree, easily distinguishable by their

plaid or chequered jumpers, cabbage tree hats, moleskin trousers, and

bearded, swarthy faces were to be seen everywhere. Many of them spent

their time driving about in gaily decorated carriages accompanied by

flashily dressed women covered with cheap jewellery. Amongst these

charioteers, the uproarious British tar could always be picked out.

He disliked driving at a slower pace than a gallop, and as often

as not, instead of handling the ribbons, he would insist on riding

postillion—and he was also unhappy unless his craft flew a huge Union

Jack.

As usual with gold so easily come by, the lucky digger made every

effort to get rid of his dust. Just as the buccaneer in the days of

the Spanish Main, when back from a successful cruise, would pour his

arrack and rum into the streets of Port Royal and invite all and sundry

to drink at his expense, so in Melbourne the Australian digger stood

champagne to every passer-by. It was being done across the Pacific in

California. It was done on the Rand. It was done in the Klondyke. And

some day it will be done again.

The shops, as usual, made more money than the diggers; and tradesmen,

made casual by prosperity, adopted the “take it or leave it” tone and

gave no change below a sixpence. The police were a nondescript force,

mostly recruited from the emigrant ships, and the only emblem of their

office was the regulation helmet. Indeed, dressed as they were, in

the clothes in which they had arrived out, their appearance was not

very uniform. However it was beyond the power of any force to preserve

strict law and order at such a time, and the most that was expected of

them was to keep the side walk and gutters clear of drunken miners and

to pacify the pugnacious.

The “new chum” had hardly landed before he was regaled with

hair-raising stories of bushrangers—apparently these gentry had an

awkward habit of holding one up in the Black Forest on the way to the

diggings. Thus firearms of every description were soon at a premium,

many of them being more dangerous to the man who fired than to the man

fired at.

Before leaving Melbourne for the sea, I must not omit to mention a

well-known character of those days, namely George Francis Train. He

combined the businesses of packer to the diggings and agent to the

White Star Line. He was a real Yankee with an unceasing flow of flowery

talk; and, after amassing a fortune in Melbourne, he returned to his

native State and became a candidate for the American Presidency; and

he informed everybody, that if he was elected, he intended reforming

the world. Alas! they turned him down—he went broke and sank into

obscurity. Appearances at the present day, however, seem to show that

old Train managed to plant some of his seed in the White House.

First Gold Cargoes Home.

The first ship to land Australian gold in the British Isles was

admitted by most people to be the smart little Aberdeen White Star

liner _Phoenician_, commanded by Captain Sproat, a great passage maker.

She arrived off Plymouth on 3rd February, 1852, after a passage of 83

days from Sydney. This was considered a record for the run home. She

brought 74 packages of gold dust, valued at £81,000.

The first ship to arrive in Liverpool with a gold cargo was the Eagle

Line packet, _Albatross_, Captain Gieves. She arrived on 31st August,

1852, with £50,000 of gold dust; but, what was far more remarkable, was

that she arrived with the same crew to a man with which she had left

England.

This was a very different experience to that of her sister ship, the

_Eagle_, which left Port Phillip on the 2nd September, after waiting

six months for a crew, and then paying between £50 and £60 per man for

the run home. Apparently though, the _Eagle’s_ expensive crew were

worth their money, for she made the quickest passage ever known up to

that date, arriving in the Downs on the 78th day out. She also had a

record gold shipment of 150,000 ounces.

The Great Rush to the Gold Regions in 1852.

With the arrival in England of larger and larger consignments of gold,

there was such a rush to take shipping to the Antipodes that both the

Emigration Commissioners and the shipowners found themselves unable to

put sufficient tonnage on the berth to carry the clamouring hosts of

adventurers. In London the magnificent frigate-built Blackwallers of

Green, Money Wigram and Smith were diverted from the Indian trade in a

vain attempt to stem the rush; whilst Liverpool shipowners began hiring

or buying American Transatlantic packets and clippers, besides sending

a shoal of orders across to the Boston and Nova Scotian shipbuilders.

As fast as driving could make them, ships came crowding into Hobson’s

Bay, just as they were still doing in San Francisco Bay on the other

side of the Pacific; and it soon became no uncommon sight to see a

dozen ships waiting inside the Heads for want of pilots to bring them

up to the anchorage.

In the year 1852 102,000 people arrived in the Colony of Victoria, and

in the 18 months following the discovery of Ballarat the population of

Melbourne sprang from 23,000 to 70,000, and that of Geelong from 8000

to 20,000.

In the five years 1852-7, during which the rush to the diggings was at

its height, 100,000 Englishmen, 60,000 Irish, 50,000 Scots, 4000 Welsh,

8000 Germans, 1500 French, 3000 Americans, and no less than 25,000

Chinese—not to speak of the other nationalities of the world, all of

whom were represented—landed on the shores of Port Phillip.

The Need for Fast Ships.

Though undoubtedly the chief reason of orders to builders across the

Western Ocean was cheapness, yet at the same time it was recognised

that no ships that sailed the seas could approach the sailing records

made by the “Down East” clippers of Maine and Nova Scotia. And everyone

was in a violent hurry to get to the new Eldorado, so naturally took

passage on the ship which had the greatest reputation for speed.

Thus the Australian gold boom filled the shipyards of America with

orders for large passenger carrying clippers. Indeed the only British

firm which could in any way compete with the builders of the Yankee

soft-wood ships—that of Hall, of Aberdeen—had not yet built a ship of

over 1000 tons.

Maury’s Improvements on the Old Route to the Colonies.

In more ways than one we owed America thanks for shortening the passage

to Australia—and not least to the sailing directions advocated by her

great wind expert Maury. In the days before the gold discovery vessels

followed the route laid down by the Admiralty; they kept as much to the

eastward as possible on their way south in order to avoid the dreaded

Cape San Roque and its leeward currents; they rounded the Cape of Good

Hope close to, indeed often touched there, then kept well to the north

of the forties running their easting down. Then a 120-day passage

was considered very good going, and when Captain Godfrey, of the

_Constance_ and _Statesman_, went out in 77 days by sailing on a Great

Circle track, his performance created a huge sensation in shipping

circles.

Maury did not actually advocate running the easting down on a Great

Circle; but what he did was first to dispel the bugbear of Cape San

Roque, which, however much it may have worried the leewardly craft of

the old days, could have but little effect upon the fast weatherly

ships of the fifties. He next showed the advantages of sailing on a

Great Circle from San Roque so as to get into the high latitudes as

soon as possible. He was dead against bracing sharp up against the S.E.

trades.

“Australian-bound vessels are advised,” he writes, “after crossing the

equator near the meridian of 30° W., say between 25° and 32°, as the

case may be, to run down through the S.E. trades, with topmast studding

sails set, if they have sea room, aiming to cross 25° or 30° S., as the

winds will allow, which will be generally somewhere about 28° or 30°

W., and soon, shaping their course, after they get the winds steadily

from the westward, more and more to the eastward, until they cross the

meridian of 20° E., in about lat. 45°, reaching 55° S., _if at all_, in

about 40° E. Thence the best course—if ice, etc., will allow—is onward

still to the southward of east, not caring to get to the northward

again of your greatest southern latitude, before reaching 90° E. The

highest latitude should be reached between the meridians of 50° and 80°

E. The course then is north of east, gradually hauling up more and more

to the north as you approach Van Dieman’s Land. The highest degree of

south latitude, which it may be prudent to touch, depending mainly on

the season of the year and the winds, the state of the ship, and the

well-being of the passengers and crew.”

This last sentence was a very important qualification of the Great

Circle route, and it is evident that Maury quite realised that only

very powerful, well found ships could adventure far into the fifties

without being made to pay severely for their temerity.

Early Fast Passages Outward.

_Constance_, Captain Godfrey, left Plymouth, 17th July, 1850, arrived

Port Adelaide, 1st October, 1850—76 days.

_Runnymede_, Captain Brown, left Liverpool, 21st February, 1852;

arrived Port Adelaide, 4th May, 1852—72 days.

_Anna_, Captain Downward, left Liverpool, 6th April, 1852; arrived

Port Adelaide, 21st June, 1852—76 days.

_Constance_ was owned by James Beazley, _Runnymede_ was a ship hired by

the Emigration Commissioners, and _Anna_ was a Fox Line packet. They

were all under 1000 tons. Other passages which I have been unable to

verily were—_Bride_, 75 days to Adelaide; _Raleigh_, 81 days to Perth;

_Cambridge_, 81 days to Melbourne; and _Progress_, 82 days to Melbourne.

The keen competition set about by the gold find not only produced

larger, faster ships, but much improved victualling and accommodation.

Rules and Customs aboard the “Eagle” in 1853.

The improvement is well shown by this account of life aboard an

Australian emigrant ship just nine years after that horrible 1844

report had been submitted.

The _Eagle_ is a first-class ship, 187 feet in length, has three decks,

viz., a spar or upper deck, main deck and ’tween deck. On the spar

deck are placed the small boats, entrance to the cabin and main deck.

Cabin and saloon passengers have the exclusive right to the poop; but,

through the kindness of the captain, ladies from the ’tween decks are

allowed to walk on it. On the main deck are situated the cabin and

saloon, entrance to the ’tween decks, the galleys and the ropes to work

the vessel with. The ’tween deck passengers have the right to walk on

the spar deck from the poop to the bow.

The captain generally appears on deck about 6 a.m. After breakfast he

mingles with the passengers, ready to hear and redress grievances.

At 10 a.m. Dr. Dunlevy attends at the hospital to give advice and

medicine free of charge.

The passengers are divided into four leading divisions viz.:—Cabin

passengers, saloon or house on deck passengers, second cabin

passengers, ’tween deck and intermediate or third class passengers, who

are again sub-divided into enclosed and open berths.

The accommodation in the berths is first rate. In the cabin the berths

are 8 feet 2 by 5 feet 6 for two persons. There are a few double berths

for families.

In the second cabin on deck, the sleeping berths are 6 feet by 4 feet

6 for two persons and there are a few double berths. The second cabin

’tween decks sleeping berths are divided into closed and open. The

open berths are exclusively occupied by single men. The enclosed are

occupied by families and single ladies.

Young ladies’ sleeping berths are in compartments of 4 or 6 beds and

placed on one side of the ship—young men on the opposite side of the

ship; families occupy berths on either side.

The same system is followed in the enclosed and open intermediate with

the exception that some of the compartments for single people contain 8

beds.

After being at sea for two or three days, Mr. Nolein, the purser, came

round and arranged the ’tween deck passengers into messes, giving to

each mess a card with the names of the parties forming it and also

its number. On the other side of the card is a printed list of the

provisions for each adult per week.

In the second cabin ’tween decks each mess consists of 24 adults; in

the enclosed intermediate 12; and in the open 10.

The first cabin is provided with three stewards and a stewardess, who

attend on the passengers exclusively; and they are supplied with fresh

provisions daily.

The second cabin on deck has two stewards. In both cabins passengers

have nothing to provide but bed, bedding and napery.

In the second cabin ’tween decks each mess is provided with a steward.

Passengers in this part of the ship only provide bed, bedding, napery

and a small cask or tin bottle to hold their daily supply of fresh

water.

In the intermediate no attendance is provided.

_Messmen._—Each mess elects two of its number to act as messmen for one

week. The messmen go to the purser to receive the provisions allowed

it for the week. The day appointed on the _Eagle_ for this purpose

was Friday. They have also to go every day and receive the water; and

divide it out to each individual if required. They have also to make

puddings for the mess three times a week, as well as oatmeal cakes,

loaf bread, etc.

In the intermediate each mess has to provide bags or dishes wherein to

keep the provisions for the week; and also a dish to bring their tea,

coffee, beef, soup, etc., from the cook, as the company provide no

utensils for this part of the ship.

_Water._—Fresh water is served out by the third mate to every messman

once a day. Each adult is allowed three pints per day and the same

allowance is given to the cook for the tea, coffee, soup, etc., for

each person on board.

_Hours._—The hour appointed for passengers going to bed is 10 p.m. When

the bell strikes the purser comes round and sees that all lights are

put out except those allowed to burn all night. Parties not going to

bed at that hour must either go on deck or remain below in darkness,

and they are not allowed to make any noise that would disturb those in

bed.

Each passenger is expected to turn out of bed at 6 a.m. The doctor

generally comes round in the morning to see that all are up, more

especially in the hot weather.

_Provisions._—Provisions are served out to each mess by the purser in

rotation. He commences with the messes in the second cabin. He first

serves out tea, coffee and sugar to mess No. 4, and goes over the whole

messes by rotation with the same articles. The flour, oatmeal and

rice are then served out in the same order and so on with the other

articles until he has given out all the provisions. He then serves the

intermediate, following the same order as the second cabin.

_Cooking._—The ship has two galleys, two cooks and four assistants.

The provisions used in the first cabin, house on deck and second cabin

’tween decks are cooked in the starboard galley; and those used by the

third cabin or intermediate passengers and crew in the larboard galley.

They also cook anything extra as ham for breakfast.

Loaves, oatmeal cakes, puddings, etc., must be taken up to the galley

before a certain hour in the forenoon. Between meal times hot water is

sometimes exchanged for cold water to old and delicate passengers.

_Breakfast, Dinner, Supper._—The hour for breakfast is 8 o’clock,

dinner at 1 and tea at 6. As all the messes cannot dine at once, they

take it week about in rotation: for example, if messes 1, 3 and 5 mess

first this week, they will be last in the week following.

The stewards in the cabins grind the coffee for their respective

messes. The messmen in the intermediate grind their own coffee in the

mill in the galley and carry water from the cook to infuse the coffee

for their own mess. The stewards and intermediate messmen bring the

dinners from the galley to their respective messes.

Tea is brought in the same way as coffee. Coffee is generally used for

breakfast and tea for supper.

The floor of the intermediate saloon is scraped daily by the messes in

rotation.

_Washing Days._—Two days are set apart in each week for washing

clothes. If those washing have not saved up fresh or collected rain

water, they must wash them in salt water. Whether fresh or salt, it is

always cold and the clothes are dried by tying them in the rigging.

_Cleaning the Berths._—The stewards, besides scraping the floor,

collect the slops of the mess every day.

_Ventilation._—As regards this most important point, the _Eagle_ must

be classed A1.

The ventilation of the ship is on the same plan as that of the Cunard

steamers. The first cabin saloon has two ventilators on deck, covered

with glass panes at top and opening in the sides. The sleeping berths

in the cabin are ventilated by windows in the sides and openings above

each door.

The second cabin on deck sleeping berths have the windows in the sides,

which slide so as to admit plenty of fresh air and also openings above

each door. The saloon into which the sleeping berths open is ventilated

by a large skylight on deck.

The second cabin ’tween decks has two ventilators, one on each side of

the main deck. They are made of iron with openings all round, and are

glazed on the top to prevent the water from coming down. The berths in

the after part of it, right astern, are ventilated by windows in the

stern and in the sides.

In addition to all this, there are three hatchways, and a ventilator on

the upper deck, glazed on the top; and four windows on each side of the

main deck, which slide up to admit fresh air. A space is left at the

top of each berth for the same purpose.

The vessel is lighted by these windows and also by dead lights in the

deck during the day; and at night by lanterns in each compartment and

also by lanterns belonging to private individuals. The lights must

be put out by 10 p.m., but one is allowed to burn all night in each

division.

_Liquors._—Ale and porter are sold to the ’tween deck passengers from

10 to 12 a.m. Passengers must obtain an order from the captain to

obtain wine or spirits. Provisions or groceries can be purchased at any

hour of the day.

_Luggage._—Two small boxes, say 30 inches by 19 by 16, are much better

than a large one. The one marked “not wanted on the voyage” is placed

in the hold and brought to deck, if requisite, every three weeks.

The other is for use on the voyage and is placed under the owners’

sleeping berth. A carpet or canvas bag with pockets in the inside will

be found a most useful article.

_Clothing._—Each passenger must have two suits of clothing: one for

cold, the other for warm weather. Any old clothing, provided it is

whole, is good enough for use on the voyage. Coarse blue cloth trousers

or fustian ones, with a short coat or jacket and vest of the same

material, stand the voyage well; and light trousers such as canvas or

shepherd tartan ones, that wash well, with an alpaca coat, are good for

warm weather.

_Articles for Daily Use._—A knife, fork, table and tea spoon, a pen

knife, a hook pot, a baking can, a tin pot, capable of holding 2 or 3

gallons of water, a lantern, brushes, combs, a mirror and tooth and

hair brushes with washing basin and a slop pail for each mess.

THE WEEKLY DIETARY SCALE.

_Second Cabin._

+------------+------------------+-------------------+--------------+

+------------+------------------+-------------------+--------------+

| | | | |

| Monday. | do. |Pea soup, & pork, | do. |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| Thursday. | do. |Same as Sunday. | do. |

| | | | |

| Friday. | do. |Pork & pea soup | do. |

| | | | |

+------------+------------------+-------------------+--------------+

_Intermediate Cabin._

+------------+------------------+-------------------+--------------+

+------------+------------------+-------------------+--------------+

| | | | |

| Monday. | do. |Pork, pea soup & | do. |

| | | | |

| Tuesday. | do. |Salt beef, plum | do. |

| | | | |

| Wednesday. | do. |Pork, pea soup, & | do. |

| | | | |

| Thursday. | do. |Preserved meat, | do. |

| | | | |

| Friday. | do. |Pork, pea soup & | do. |

| | | | |

| Saturday. | do. |Salt beef, rice, | do. |

+------------+------------------+-------------------+--------------+

Each mess may have oatmeal cakes and loaf bread fired three or four

times a week.

The _Eagle_, which was commanded by Captain Francis Boyle and owned

by Gibbs & Bright, of Liverpool, may be taken as a good example of a

well-run ship in the Australian emigrant trade during the fifties.

The above account was published in a newspaper printed on board, and

gives a very thorough account of the routine. This, of course, varied

in different ships and under different captains, but in the main points

the methods of the best lines were the same.

On the passage during which the foregoing account was written, the

_Eagle_ went out from Liverpool to Hobson’s Bay in 80 days, her best 24

hours’ run being 315 miles.

Liverpool Shipowners in the Australian Trade.

Thanks to the activity and enterprise of Liverpool shipowners in

ordering new ships, Liverpool became the starting point of the rush to

the gold regions—the chief emigration port in the British Isles, not

even excepting London. And such a name did Liverpool ships gain for

their speedy passages that “Liverpool on her stern and bound to go”

became a regular saying amongst seamen in the fifties.

Though many of the ships sent away from Liverpool to the Colonies

were hired by the Government Emigration Department, these were only

a small fraction of the vast fleet sailing out of the Mersey between

1852 and 1857. The most prominent firms in the great emigration trade

from Liverpool to Australia were:—James Baines & Co., of the Black Ball

Line; Pilkington & Wilson, of the White Star Line; James Beazley; Henry

Fox, of the Fox Line; Miller & Thompson, of the Golden Line; and Fernie

Bros., of the Red Cross Line.

[Illustration: MR. JAMES BAINES.]

Many of these firms, including the Black Ball and White Star, were

brokers as well as owners, and very often the ships advertised in their

sailing lists were privately owned.

James Baines, of the Black Ball Line.

The Black Ball Line, the most celebrated line of passenger ships,

perhaps, in its day, owned its existence to a little self-made man

named James Baines. And the Black Ball Line would never have become the

great concern that it was in its palmy days if it had not been for this

man’s foresight and enterprise. He, it was, who realised the genius of

the great American shipbuilder, Donald Mackay, and gave him an order

for four ships, the like of which the world had never seen before—ships

which knowing men in the business pronounced to be too big and likely

to prove mere white elephants once the first rush of gold seekers was

over. However, James Baines, although he was but a young man of barely

thirty, had the courage of his convictions, and he proved to be in

the right, for it was these big Mackay clippers which really made the

reputation of the Black Ball Line.

James Baines was a very lively, little man, fair with reddish hair. His

vitality was abnormal and he had an enthusiastic flow of talk. Of an

eager, generous disposition, his hand was ever in his pocket for those

in trouble; and he was far from being the cool, hard-headed type of

business man. He was as open as the day and hail-fellow-well-met with

everybody, nevertheless his far-sightedness and his eager driving power

carried him to the top in so phenomenally short a time that his career

has become a sort of romantic legend in Liverpool.

He was born in Upper Duke Street, Liverpool, where his mother kept a

cake and sweet shop, in which many a present-day Liverpool shipowner

can remember stuffing himself as a boy. Indeed, Mrs. Baines had such a

reputation that she is said to have made one of the wedding cakes for

the marriage of Queen Victoria.

The following is the most generally-accepted story of James Baines’

first venture in ship-owning. In 1851 a dirty-looking ship with stumpy

masts and apple-cheeked bows lay in the Queen’s Dock, Liverpool, with

a broom at her masthead, thus indicating that she was for sale. This

ship, which seafaring men contemptuously compared to a barrel of pork,

had been cheaply built at Miramichi, and was evidently going for a

song. James Baines scraped together what little money he had and bought

her, sent her out to the Colonies and made a good profit on her; and

this was the humble beginning of the great Black Ball Line, which in

1860 possessed 86 ships and employed 300 officers and 3000 seamen.

How James Baines came to take the house-flag and name of the well-known

line of American packet ships, which had been running between New York

and Liverpool since 1816, I have been unable to find out. One cannot

but think, however, that this must often have occasioned confusion in

Liverpool business circles.

James Baines’ success was, as I have said, meteoric, and to the end

of the fifties he flourished exceedingly. He lived in a beautiful

house, where he dispensed princely hospitality, drove a four-in-hand,

and thought nothing of buying five ships in one day at Kellock’s

Auction Rooms. But in the year 1860 his star began to set. Like many

another, he was tempted by the steam-kettle, with the result that he

amalgamated with Gibbs, Bright & Co., who had already deserted sail for

that doubtful investment, auxiliary steam, and had started a service

with the ill-fated _Royal Charter_ and the equally well-known _Great

Britain_.

The packets and steamers of the combine provided a service to Australia

from Liverpool twice a month, but it is doubtful if the experiment

proved a success financially. The chief cause, however, of James

Baines’ downfall was the failure of Barnard’s Bank. At the same time

it must be remembered that his soft-wood ships, many of which were old

Yankee clippers already past their prime when he bought them, were

becoming more and more strained and water-soaked, with the result that

his repair bill was ever on the increase, and this just when other

firms were building iron ships on purpose to compete with his wooden

ones. The two last ships, in which he had any interest, were the _Great

Eastern_ and the _Three Brothers_, once upon a time Vanderbilt’s yacht

and famous for its unsuccessful chase of the _Alabama_, now a hulk at

Gibraltar.

Misfortunes, once they begin, have a habit of crowding upon one, and

poor old James Baines, for some years before his death, had to depend

for his subsistence on the charity of his friends. Indeed he was

absolutely penniless when he died of dropsy on 8th March, 1889, in a

common Liverpool lodging house. He was only 66 years of age at his

death. Yet it will be a very long time before he and his celebrated

ships are forgotten in Liverpool.

In the Black Ball Line I served my time.

Hurrah! for the Black Ball Line.

The White Star Line.

The White Star Line, the great rival of the Black Ball, was started by

two young Liverpool shipbrokers, John Pilkington and Henry Threlfall

Wilson. The actual ships owned by them were never very numerous, though

they included the famous _Red Jacket_ and _White Star_.

In 1867 Pilkington & Wilson wisely sold their soft-wood ships, which

by this time were thoroughly strained and water-soaked, to various

purchasers; and parted with their well-known house-flag to the late

Mr. T. H. Ismay for £1000. Mr. Ismay was joined in partnership by Mr.

Imrie, and these two men started the present White Star Line with iron

sailing ships for the Australian trade, whilst Messrs. Pilkington &

Wilson retired on their laurels.

The Mail Contract.

I do not think anything shows the enterprise of the Black Ball and

White Star Lines more clearly than the contracts which they signed in

1855 with Earl Canning, the Postmaster-General, for the carriage of the

mails to Australia. Messrs. Pilkington & Wilson undertook to carry the

mails in the following ships, _Ben Nevis_, _Shalimar_, _Red Jacket_,

_Emma_, _Fitzjames_, _Mermaid_ and _White Star_; and to land them in

Australia in 68 days, or pay a penalty of £100 a day for every day

over that time. James Baines was even more daring, for he accepted a

contract to land the mails in 65 days with the same penalty attached.

The “Marco Polo.”

The first ship to shorten the voyage between England and Australia was

the famous _Marco Polo_, generally spoken of as the pioneer ship of

the Black Ball Line.

[Illustration: “MARCO POLO.”]

The _Marco Polo_ was built by Smith, of St. John’s, N.B., and is

described by those who remember her as a common six-year Quebec timber

ship, “as square as a brick fore and aft, with a bow like a savage

bulldog,” a big thick lump of a black ship with tremendous beam, a

vessel you could carry on to glory in, even to sporting lower and

topmast stunsails in a strong gale.

The story goes that on her maiden voyage she arrived in Liverpool

from Mobile with a cargo of cotton. Old Paddy McGee, the rag man and

marine store dealer, bought her cheap and resold her at a great profit

to James Baines, who refitted her from stem to stern for the emigrant

trade.

It is hard to say whether there was really a touch of genius in the

designing of _Marco Polo_, or whether she owned most of her reputation

for speed to the wonderful driving power of her famous skipper. I am

inclined to give James Baines credit for possessing a good eye for a

ship, and this opinion is strengthened by the following description

taken from the _Illustrated London News_ of 1852.

The distinguishing feature of the _Marco Polo_ is the peculiarity of

her hull. Her lines fore and aft are beautifully fine, her bearings

are brought well down to the bilge; thus, whilst she makes amidships

a displacement that will prevent unnecessary “careening,” she has

an entrance as sharp as a steamboat and a run as clean as can be

conceived. Below the draught line her bows are hollow; but above she

swells out handsomely, which gives ample space on the topgallant

foc’s’le—in fact, with a bottom like a yacht, she has above water all

the appearance of a frigate.

The _Marco Polo_ is a three-decker, and having been built expressly

for the passenger trade is nothing short in capacity or equipment.

Her height between decks is 8 feet, and no pains have been spared

in her construction to secure thorough ventilation. In strength she

could not well be excelled. Her timbering is enormous. Her deck

beams are huge balks of pitch-pine. Her timbers are well formed and

ponderous. The stem and stern frame are of the choicest material. The

hanging and lodging knees are all natural crooks and are fitted to

the greatest nicety. The exterior planking and ceiling is narrow and

while there has been no lack of timber there has been no profusion of

labour.

The length of the _Marco Polo_ from stem to stern (inside

measurement) is 185 feet; her beam is 38 feet; her depth of hold from

the coamings 30 feet. Her registered tonnage is 1625, but her burthen

will considerably exceed 2000 tons.

On deck forward of the poop, which is used as a ladies’ cabin, is

a “home on deck” to be used as a dining saloon. It is ceiled with

maple and the pilasters are panelled with richly ornamented and

silvered glass—coins of various countries being a novel feature of

the decorations. Between each pilaster is a circular aperture about

6 feet in circumference for light and ventilation; over it is placed

a sheet of plate glass with a cleverly painted picturesque view in

the centre with a frame work of foliage and scroll in opaque colours

and gold. The whole panels are brought out slightly by the rim of

perforated zinc, so that not only does light from the ventilator

diffuse itself over the whole but air is freely admitted.

The saloon doors are panelled in stained glass bearing figures of

commerce and industry from the designs of Mr. Frank Howard. In the

centre of the saloon is a table or dumb-waiter made of thick plate

glass, which has the advantage of giving light to the dormitories

below. The upholstery is in embossed crimson velvet.

The berths in separate staterooms are ranged in the ’tween decks and

are rendered cheerful by circular glass hatch-lights of novel and

effective construction.

This mid-Victorian account of a passenger ship and her internal

decorations is interesting in more senses than one, but I fear that

in these days when everyone seems to be an expert in the artistic

merits of old furniture and house decoration, many of my readers will

shudder at the _Marco Polo’s_ crimson velvet cabin cushions, stained

glass panels and richly ornamented pilasters. However, at the time all

these fittings and arrangements for passengers were considered a great

advance on anything previously attempted.

Captain James Nicol Forbes.

_Marco Polo’s_ first commander was the notorious Captain James Nicol

Forbes, who had previously commanded with great success the Black Ball

ships _Maria_ and _Cleopatra_ in the Australian trade.

Bully Forbes is one of the best known characters in the history of the

British Mercantile Marine. His career was as meteoric as his owner’s

and had as sad an end. By two wonderful voyages in the _Marco Polo_ and

a still more wonderful one in the _Lightning_, he rushed to the head of

his profession. Then came his eclipse in the wreck of the _Schomberg_.

A life of Captain Forbes was printed in Liverpool at the time of his

triumphs, but it is very scarce and practically unobtainable, and thus

the history of this remarkable man has become shrouded in legend and

fairy tale, and at this length of time it is difficult to separate the

fact from the fiction.

He was born in 1821, a native of Aberdeen. In 1839 he left Glasgow for

Liverpool without a shilling in his pocket; but he was a man who could

not be kept down and he soon gained command of a ship; and at once

began to astonish everybody by the way in which he forced indifferent

ships to make unusually good passages. One of his first commands

appears to have been an old brig, in which he made two splendid

passages to the Argentine. His success with the Black Ball ships

_Maria_ and _Cleopatra_, which were neither of them clippers, gave him

the command of _Marco Polo_ and his chance to break all records.

In character Captain Forbes was a most resolute man, absolutely

fearless, of quick decisions, but of a mercurial temperament. It goes

without saying that he was a prime seaman—his wonderful passages

in _Marco Polo_ and _Lightning_ are proof enough of this. And with

regard to the _Schomberg_, I have little doubt in my own mind that

Forbes was disgusted with her sluggishness and by no means sorry when

she tailed on to the sandspit. But he evidently failed to foresee the

bad effect her loss would have on his own reputation. In Liverpool,

at the many banquets in his honour, he had been rather too ready to

give wine-tinted promises as to what he would do with the _Schomberg_,

and the chagrin of this, his first failure, was the real cause of his

downfall.

After the wrecking of the _Schomberg_, he sank into obscurity, for

though he was acquitted of all blame by the Court of Inquiry, he could

not weather the disgrace. For some time he remained in Australia,

a “very sad and silent man,” the very opposite of his usual self.

However, in 1857 he obtained command of the _Hastings_, but lost her

in December, 1859. All this time his star was setting, and for a while

he was regularly “on the beach” in Calcutta. Then in 1862 we find him

home again and acting as agent for the owners of a Glasgow ship called

the _Earl of Derby_, which was in distress on the Donegal Coast. Soon

after this in 1864, in the time of the cotton famine, he bobbed up in

Hongkong in command of a ship called the _General Wyndham_, one of

Gibbs, Bright & Co.’s, and there loaded cotton for Liverpool. He is

described then as being a seedy, broken-down looking skipper, with the

forced joviality of a broken-hearted man. He discussed the passage down

the China Seas (it was S.W. monsoon time) with some of the tea clipper

captains, and displayed all his old bravado, declaring that he would

“force a passage.” However in spite of his big talk, he took 50 days to

Anjer.

I have come across one characteristic story of his visit to Hongkong.

He was insulted by two Americans on the Water Front; in a moment he

had his coat off and did not let up until he had given them a good

thrashing.

He commanded the _General Wyndham_ till 1866, and that was the end of

his sea service. He died at the early age of 52, on 4th June, 1874,

in Westbourne Street, Liverpool. His tombstone is in Smithdown Road

Cemetery, and on it is carved his claim to fame, the fact that he was

“Master of the famous _Marco Polo_.”

As long as square-rig flourished, Forbes was the sailor’s hero, and of

no man are there so many yarns still current in nautical circles.

He is the original of the story, “Hell or Melbourne,” though it has

been told of Bully Martin and other skippers. The yarn goes that on one

of his outward passages, his passengers, scared by the way in which

he was carrying on, sent a deputation to him, begging him to shorten

sail, and to his curt refusal, he added that it was a case of “Hell

or Melbourne.” His reputation for carrying sail rivalled that of the

American Bully Waterman, and the same methods are attributed to him,

such as padlocking his sheets, overawing his terrified crew from the

break of the poop with a pair of levelled revolvers, etc.

Captain Forbes was a very lithe, active man, and one day, as the result

of a challenge, he crawled hand over hand from the spanker boom end to

the shark’s fin on the jibboom, not such a difficult feat, though not

a usual one for the master of a ship. Whilst on the _Lightning_, it

was his custom to go out on the swinging boom when the lower stunsail

was set, and to calmly survey his ship from the boom end, when she was

tearing along before the westerlies. The danger of this proceeding can

only be realised by an old sailor. If a man at the wheel had brought

the ship a point or two nearer the wind, the probability is that Forbes

would have been flung into the sea as the boom lifted or perhaps the

boom itself would have carried away, as that was the usual way in which

lower stunsail booms were smashed up.

Every man is supposed to have a lucky day, and Bully Forbes’ lucky day

was a Sunday. On his record voyage in _Marco Polo_, he left Liverpool

on a Sunday, sighted the Cape on a Sunday, crossed the line on a

Sunday, recrossed the line homeward bound on a Sunday, and arrived back

on Liverpool on a Sunday. After this you may be sure that he took care

to start his second voyage on a Sunday.

“Marco Polo’s” First Voyage to Australia.

On her first voyage to Australia _Marco Polo_ was chartered by the

Government Emigration Commissioners. She took out no less than 930

emigrants, these were selected with care and reported to be nearly

all young and active Britishers. The married couples were berthed

amidships, single women aft, and single men forward. There was a

special hospital or sick bay and she also carried two doctors. In

ventilation and comfort she was far ahead of any previous emigrant

ship; on deck there were even provided large tubs, lined with lead,

which the women could use for washing clothes. And the proof of her

great superiority in arrangements for emigrants was at once proved on

her passage out when she only had two deaths of adults on board,

both from natural causes, and only a few of children from measles, this

at a time when ships carrying half the number of emigrants arrived in

Hobson’s Bay with from 50 to 100 deaths aboard.

[Illustration: House Flags.]

Her officers were chosen from the best ships sailing out of Liverpool,

Forbes’ chief mate being McDonald, who succeeded Forbes in command of

_Marco Polo_ and afterwards made a great name for himself in command of

_James Baines_.

The regular crew of the _Marco Polo_ numbered 30 men, but 30 other

seamen worked their passage, so Forbes could afford to carry on till

the last moment, especially as in emigrant ships the passengers

were always ready for “pully-hauly,” in order to get exercise, and

invariably tailed on to halliard or brace when there was occasion.

_Marco Polo_, of course, had her full outfit of flying kites, and set

three skysails on sliding gunter masts, man-of-war fashion, but she

did not send aloft a moonsail at the main like her great successors

_Lightning_, _James Baines_ and _Champion of the Seas_. She had

Cunningham’s patent topsails, and on one occasion reduced sail from

royals to double reefs in 20 minutes.

_Marco Polo’s_ departure was not allowed to take place without the

usual banquet aboard previous to sailing, which was such a custom in

the fifties. The _dejeuner_, as the reporters called it, was served on

the ship’s poop under an awning. Mr. James Baines presided, and his

partner Mackay and Captain Forbes were vice-chairmen. After the usual

round on round of toasts, there was the usual speechifying.

James Baines opened the ball by the customary optimistic speech.

Mr. Munn, of the Cunard Company, followed with the hope that as the

_Marco Polo_ was the largest ship ever despatched to Australia, so

she would be the most prosperous. Mr. Mackay said that he never felt

so much responsibility, as he did that day, when he found nearly 1000

souls on board the _Marco Polo_; and Captain Forbes finished up by the

characteristic remark that “he judged from the appearance of her sticks

and timbers that she would be obliged to go; and that they must not be

surprised if they found the _Marco Polo_ in the River Mersey that day

six months.”

This prophecy the people of Liverpool duly saw fulfilled. The _Marco

Polo_ was advertised to sail on the 21st June, but she did not actually

sail until Sunday, 4th July.

The following is the first shipping notice of this wonderful ship:—

SPECIAL NOTICE,

And under engagement to sail on the 21st June.

The Splendid New Frigate-built Ship—

“MARCO POLO.”

A1 at Lloyd’s. 2500 tons burthen; coppered and copper fastened; now

only on her second voyage[A]; is the largest vessel ever despatched

from Liverpool to Australia; and expected to sail as fast as any ship

afloat; has splendid accommodations and carries two surgeons—

Apply to JAMES BAINES & CO.

After sailing on 4th July, the _Marco Polo_ arrived inside Port Phillip

Heads at 11 a.m. on 18th September, 1852, after a record passage of 68

days, having beaten the steamer _Australia_ by a clear week. Running

her easting down her best day’s work was 364 miles, and in four

successive days she covered 1344 miles, an average of 336 a day.

On his arrival in Hobson’s Bay, Captain Forbes found some 40 or 50

ships waiting to sail, held up for want of crews; whereupon he promptly

had his own crew clapped into prison on a charge of insubordination,

with the result that they were ready to hand when he wanted them and

thus he was able to set sail again for Liverpool on 11th October, 1852.

Leaving at 5 a.m. on the 11th, the _Marco Polo_ passed Banks Straits on

the 12th and sighted the Auckland Islands on the 17th. On her passage

to the Horn she made three successive runs of 316, 318 and 306 miles,

and on 3rd November when she made the Horn she logged 353 knots in the

24 hours, the weather being recorded as fine. On the 5th November she

passed Staten Island; and on 19th December saw a barque apparently

abandoned, and an empty long-boat painted stone colour. Forbes showed

blue lights and fired rockets, but, receiving no reply and being

naturally in a great hurry, proceeded on his way; and finally arrived

off Holyhead at 3 p.m. on Christmas Day and anchored in the Mersey on

Sunday, 26th December, 1852, 76 days out from Melbourne and only five

months and 21 days out on the whole voyage.

This was so much a record that many shipping people when they

recognised her lying in the Mersey thought that she must have put back

disabled in some way.

And the story goes that a waterman, meeting James Baines in the street,

said:—“Sir, the _Marco Polo_ is coming up the river.” “Nonsense, man,”

returned Mr. Baines, “the _Marco Polo_ has not arrived out yet.” Less

than an hour after this assertion, James Baines found himself face to

face with Captain Forbes.

When the ship hauled into the Salthouse Dock, the quays were crowded

with people. Between her fore and main masts a huge strip of canvas was

suspended with the following painted on it in huge black letters:—THE

FASTEST SHIP IN THE WORLD.

On this passage she again beat the _Australia_ by more than a week,

many bets having been made in Melbourne as to which ship would arrive

first. After such a voyage _Marco Polo_ was at once considered to be

the wonder of the age and people flocked from all parts of England to

see her.

Her officers declared that she made 17 knots an hour for hours

together; and Doctor North, the chief Government surgeon on board, who

had been in the ship _Statesman_ when she made her celebrated passage

of 76 days from Plymouth to Australia, declared that the _Marco Polo_

was by a long way the fastest vessel he had ever sailed in and vastly

superior to the _Statesman_.

The _Marco Polo_ brought home £100,000 in gold dust, and her officers

related that on her arrival out she was surrounded by boats, the

occupants of which threw small nuggets amongst her passengers. She also

brought home a nugget of 340 ounces, purchased by the Government of

Victoria as a present for the Queen.

“Marco Polo’s” Second Voyage to Australia.

After such a record voyage, I find the following notice advertising her

second departure for Australia.

BLACK BALL LINE OF AUSTRALIAN PACKETS.

For passengers, parcels and specie, having bullion safes, will be

despatched early in February for Melbourne.

THE CELEBRATED CLIPPER SHIP “MARCO POLO.”

1625 tons register; 2500 tons burthen; has proved herself the fastest

ship in the world, having just made the voyage to Melbourne and back,

including detention there, in 5 months and 21 days, beating every

other vessel, steamers included.

As a passenger ship she stands unrivalled and her commander’s ability

and kindness to his passengers are well known.

As she goes out in ballast and is expected to make a very rapid

passage, she offers a most favourable opportunity to shippers of

specie—

Apply to JAMES BAINES & CO., Cook Street.

Before the _Marco Polo_ was hauled out of the Salthouse Dock for her

second voyage, another large _dejeuner_ was given on board, at which

testimonials were presented to Captain Forbes and Charles McDonald, his

first officer. The usual flowery speeches were made, but the remarks of

Bully Forbes were especially characteristic. He said that “as regards

his recent voyage, he had done his best and he could not say he would

do the same again, but if he did it, he would do it in a shorter time.

(Laughter.) He was going a different way this time, a way that perhaps

not many knew of, and the _Antelope_ must keep her steam up or he would

thrash her (referring to the challenge of a race round the world sent

him by Captain Thompson, of the steamer _Antelope_). Captain Thompson

only wanted to get outside Cape Clear and he could make a fair wind

into a foul one. (Laughter.) That he (Forbes) would do his best for the

interests of his employers and while the Black Ball Line had a flag

flying or a coat to button, he would be there to button it.”

The _Marco Polo_ sailed on her captain’s favourite day and also on

the 13th of the month, namely, on Sunday, 13th March, 1853. She had

on board 648 passengers and £90,000 of specie. The emigrants were

composed chiefly of men of the artisan class, and there were very few

women amongst them. This seemed to be a matter of great regret, and as

the ubiquitous newspaper reporter had it:—“One young gentleman, whose

incipient moustache and budding imperial showed that he was shaping his

course for the diggings, was heard to express his sorrow that there

were not more ladies, as ‘they exercised such a humanising tendency on

mankind, don’t you know.’” The reporter goes on to describe how one

of the passengers was arrested for burglary just before sailing and

his luggage found to be full of jewellery and watches; and how a first

class passenger (who had left a good legal practice for the land of

nuggets), dressed in huge sea boots, a blue shirt and marine cap, lent

a ready hand in hoisting the anchor and setting the sails and joined

in “the boisterous refrains of the sailors with evident pleasure.” The

anchor was weighed soon after 10 o’clock and the _Marco Polo_ was towed

to sea by the _Independence_. The day was beautifully fine, and James

Baines and his partner Miller proceeded in the ship to beyond the N.W.

Lightship, returning in the tug.

Bully Forbes was in a very confident mood, and, as soon as the ship was

under weigh, had his passengers called together and addressed them as

follows:—“Ladies and gentlemen, last trip I astonished the world with

the sailing of this ship. This trip I intend to astonish God Almighty!”

Then turning to his ebony cook, who went by the name of Doctor Johnson,

he said:—“Search well below, doctor, and if you find any stowaways, put

them overboard slick.”

“Ugh, ugh!” chuckled the sable doctor as he shuffled below. In a short

time he reappeared with an Irishman whom he had found concealed in the

quarters of a married couple.

“Secure him and keep a watch over the lubber, and deposit him on the

first iceberg we find in 60° S.,” growled Forbes, with mock fierceness.

The stowaway, however, was returned in the tug with the ship’s owners.

The _Marco Polo’s_ best runs on the outward passage were the following:—

May 1 314 miles.

„ 2 300 „

„ 3 310 „

„ 4 304 „

„ 5 285 „

„ 6 288 „

„ 12 299 „

These were nothing extraordinary; however she again made a very good

passage and arrived at Melbourne on 29th May, 75 days out. She left

Melbourne again at 5 p.m. on 10th June, with 40 cabin passengers and

£280,000 of gold dust.

Her best runs this passage were, of course, made on the way to the

Horn, being:—

June 15 314 miles.

„ 16 322 „

„ 17 294 „

„ 18 260 „

„ 19 324 „

„ 20 316 „

„ 21 322 „

Total for week 2152 miles.

But on the 23rd in 60° S. her progress was severely stopped by large

quantities of small ice, which tore all the copper off her bow.

On the 26th June, when in 141° W., a large ship was sighted astern

which proved to be Money Wigram’s famous Blackwaller _Kent_, which had

sailed 5 days ahead of _Marco Polo_.

From 27th June to 1st July only small runs could be made, the ship

being surrounded by ice, but with strong northerly winds to help her,

she cleared the ice on the 1st and at once started to make up time,

running 303 miles on 2nd July, 332 on the 3rd, 364 on the 4th and 345

on the 5th. And on 18th July in 49° 30′ S., with strong S.W. wind, she

made her last run of over 300.

However, in spite of these fine runs to the southward, the passage was

a good deal longer than Forbes anticipated, as _Marco Polo_ was 95 days

out when, on 13th September she arrived in the Mersey.

Nevertheless she had made the round voyage in the very good time of

exactly 6 months, and when Captain Forbes appeared “on Change” about 1

o’clock on the 13th “the cheering was long and loud and he received a

hearty welcome from all the merchants assembled.”

After-Life of “Marco Polo.”

At the end of her second voyage Bully Forbes left the _Marco Polo_ to

take over the _Lightning_, and was succeeded by his chief mate Charles

McDonald.

Leaving Liverpool in November, 1853, with 666 passengers, McDonald

took her out in 72 days 12 hours or 69 days land to land, and brought

her home in 78 days. Then he left her to take over the _James Baines_

and a Captain W. Wild had her. By this time it is probable that she

was getting pretty badly strained, being a soft-wood ship, and whether

Captain Wild and his successor Captain Clarke were not sail carriers or

did not like to press her too much, I do not know, but her fourth and

fifth voyages were not specially good, her times being:—

4th voyage, 1854-5, outward 95 days, under Captain Wild.

homeward 85 days, under Captain Wild.

5th voyage, 1855, outward 81 days, under Captain Clarke.

homeward 86 days, under Captain Clarke.

She was still, however, a favourite ship, taking 520 passengers out and

bringing home 125,000 ounces of gold under Captain Clarke.

On her sixth voyage she for the first time got into trouble as she

parted her tow rope when leaving the Mersey and got aground off the

Huskisson Dock, after first colliding with a barque at anchor in the

river. However she came off on the flood without damage and sailed for

Melbourne on 7th December, 1855, arriving out on 26th February, an

83-day passage. In 1856 she went out in 89 days, leaving Liverpool 5th

September.

Her most serious mishap was on her passage home in 1861, when she

collided with an iceberg on 4th March. Her bowsprit was carried away,

bow stove in and foremast sprung; in fact, so seriously was she damaged

that she was very near being abandoned. Eventually, however, she

managed to struggle into Valparaiso after a month of incessant pumping.

Here she was repaired and, continuing her voyage, at length arrived at

Liverpool on 21st August, 183 days out from Melbourne.

Though Messrs. James Baines sold her to another Liverpool firm in

the early sixties, she still continued regularly in the Melbourne

trade, and as late as 1867 I find another fine passage to her account,

which is thus described by Captain Coates in his _Good Old Days of

Shipping_:—“Captain Labbet, of Brisbane, once told me that in January,

1867, he took passage home in the steamship _Great Britain_. The _Marco

Polo_ left at the same time and was soon lost sight of. A week later

the look-out man of the _Great Britain_ reported a sail right ahead,

and shortly afterwards expressed his belief that it was the _Marco

Polo_, in which ship he had previously sailed. His opinion, however,

was scoffed at; on the ship being neared he proved to have been right.

She was again distanced and the _Great Britain_ made what was esteemed

a good passage. On taking the pilot off Cork, the first question asked

was:—“Have you seen the _Marco Polo_?” The reply came:—“Yes, she passed

up 8 days ago.” She had made the passage in 76 days.

Most Notable Clippers of 1853.

The _Marco Polo_ was followed across the Atlantic by numerous other

Nova Scotian built ships from the yards of W. & R. Wright and Smith.

The most notable of these were the _Ben Nevis_, which arrived during

the summer of 1852, and the _Star of the East_, _Miles Barton_,

_Guiding Star_ and _Indian Queen_, which arrived at Liverpool in 1853.

All these ships were intended to lower the colours of _Marco Polo_, but

not one of them succeeded in doing so, though they made some very good

passages.

“Ben Nevis.”

The _Ben Nevis_ was the first ship owned by Pilkington & Wilson. She

was, however, too short and deep for her tonnage, her measurements

being:—

Length over all 181 feet.

Beam 38 feet 6 inches.

Depth of hold 28 feet.

Registered tonnage 1420.

Commanded by Captain Heron, she sailed for Melbourne on 27th September,

1852, with 600 passengers, a cabin passage in her costing £25, and she

took 96 days going out.

The “Star of the East.”

A far more worthy ship to compete with the _Marco Polo_ was the _Star

of the East_, which arrived in Liverpool on 5th March, 1853, 20 days

out from St. John’s against strong N.E. winds. She was built by W. &.

R. Wright, her dimensions being:—

Length of keel 206 feet.

Length over all 237 „

Beam 40 feet 10 in.

Depth of hold 22 feet.

Registered tonnage 1219 tons.

The following are some of her spar measurements:—

Mainmast—extreme length 84 feet; diameter 41 inches.

Main topmast—extreme length 53 feet; diameter 19 inches.

Main topgallant mast—extreme length 75 feet; diameter 14 inches.

Bowsprit and jibboom—outboard 55 feet.

Mainyard 89 „

Main topsail yard 70 „

Main topgallant yard 52 „

Main royal yard 36 „

Main skysail yard 27 „

Sail area (studding sails excepted) 5500 yards.

At the time of her launch she was considered the finest ship ever built

at St. John’s. On her arrival in Liverpool she was at once bought by

Mr. James Beazley, having cost him when ready for sea £22,683. She

loaded for Australia in the Golden Line, and went out to Melbourne

in 76 days under Captain Christian, late of Beazley’s _Constance_.

From Melbourne she went to Sydney and loaded across to Shanghai; then

sailing from Shanghai in the favourable monsoon, arrived home in 104

days, 4 of which were spent anchored off Gutztaff Island in a typhoon.

The whole voyage only occupied 9 months 27 days, and she cleared £8018

clear profit. Her second voyage on the same route she did still better,

clearing £8920.

The “Miles Barton.”

The _Miles Barton_ measured:—

Length 175 feet.

Beam 35 „

Depth 22 „

Registered tonnage 963 tons.

She also was bought by James Beazley and loaded in the Golden Line. On

her maiden voyage she went out to Melbourne in 82 days, and followed up

this performance with two trips of 76 days each.

The “Guiding Star.”

Arrived in Liverpool in October, 1852, and was at once chartered by the

Golden Line for £12,000, considered a huge sum in those days. Her life,

however, was not a long one, as she was lost with all hands between

January and April, 1854, and it was generally supposed that she became

embayed and back-strapped by a huge ice island in about 44° S., 25° W.

Tragic encounters with ice were by no means unusual in the fifties when

every passage maker was trying to follow out Maury’s instructions by

running far down into southern latitudes in search of strong fair winds.

The “Indian Queen.”

The _Indian Queen_, 1041 tons, the most notable Black Baller launched

in 1853, and advertised as _Marco Polo’s_ sister ship, was a very fast

vessel, her first voyage to Australia being made in 6 months 11 days,

and in 1855 she came home from Hobart in 78 days. In 1859 she narrowly

escaped the fate of _Guiding Star_. On 13th March, 1859, she sailed

from Melbourne for Liverpool under Captain Brewer, with 40 passengers

and the usual cargo of wool and gold dust. All went well until she was

half way to the Horn, when on the 27th March the weather became thick

with a strong N.W. wind and heavy westerly swell.

On the 31st March she was in 58° S., 151° W. by account; the day was

wet, foggy and very cold and the ship logged a steady 12 knots with the

wind strong at N.W. At 2 a.m. on the following morning those below were

aroused by a violent shock, the crash of falling spars and a grinding

sound along the port side, and the first of the frightened passengers

to arrive on the poop found the ship lying broadside to broadside with

an immense iceberg. All her spars and sails above the lower masts were

hanging over the starboard side, the foremast was broken off close to

the deck and was held at an angle by its rigging, the mainyard was in

half, the bowsprit was washing about under the bows, and though the

mizen topmast was still standing the topsail yard was in two, broken in

the slings.

The night was dark and rainy and at first the watch below and

passengers thought that all was lost. They found no one at the wheel,

the port life-boat gone, and not a soul on the poop, but they were

somewhat reassured by the appearance of the carpenter who had been

sounding the pumps and pronounced the ship to be making no water. Then

the second mate appeared aft and announced that the captain, mate and

most of the crew had gone off in the port life-boat. Apparently there

had been a disgraceful panic which involved even the captain, who

actually left his own son, an apprentice, behind on the ship.

However those who had been so shamefully deserted began to buckle

to with a will, headed by the second mate, Mr. Leyvret, and the

cool-headed carpenter, a man named Thomas Howard. Passengers, cooks,

stewards and those of the crew left on board were promptly divided into

watches, the captain’s son was sent to the wheel, and whilst some set

about clearing up the raffle of gear and getting things ship-shape as

far as possible, others shovelled the ice, which lay in masses on the

decks, overboard.

With some difficulty the crossjack was backed and the head of the

spanker hauled in. At the same time the boat was perceived tossing in

the swell on the port beam and apparently endeavouring to regain the

ship, and faint cries for help could be heard against the wind. She

seemed to be without oars and with sea after sea washing over, she was

soon swept past the ship by the back wash off the ice and lost sight of

in the fog never to be seen again. The ship, though, with the backed

crossjack, began to drift along the side of the berg and presently

dropped clear of it into smoother water to leeward.

Day now began to break and all hands set about cutting away the wreck,

but the mainyard and the rest of the raffle hanging from the stump

of the mainmast was hardly clear before the terrible cry of “Ice to

leeward!” arose and a huge berg appeared looming out of the mist. The

crossjack was at once braced up, the spanker set and the foresail

trimmed in some fashion or other, then in a tense silence the survivors

watched the ship slowly forge ahead and, dragging the wreck of masts

and spars and torn sails along with her, weather the new danger by a

bare 100 yards. And scarcely had she done so when the foremast fell

crashing on to the long-boat, the other boats having been already

stove in by falling spars. The next business was to get the wreck of

the foremast over the side and clear of the ship. Here the carpenter

displayed the greatest coolness and skill, being ably backed up by

the second mate and the 4 seamen left on board. With the last of the

wreck overside, time was found to muster the survivors, when it was

discovered that the captain, chief mate and 15 men had been lost in the

port life-boat, leaving behind the second mate, carpenter, bosun, 4

A.B.’s, 1 O.S. and 2 boys, besides the cooks, stewards, doctor, purser,

and passengers who numbered 30 men, 3 women and 7 children.

A course was now steered for Valparaiso, some 3800 miles away. It

was not until the 7th April that the ship got finally clear of the

scattered ice, but on the 3rd the wind came out of the south and with

a lower stunsail and main staysail set on the main, the ship began to

make 3 or 4 knots through the water.

One iceberg of huge size and square like a mountainous box was only

just cleared before it broke in two, the smaller portion bursting into

the sea like an avalanche, and sweeping a huge wave in front of it, did

not bring up until it was 2 to 3 miles away from the rest of the berg.

The last ice was seen in 54° S., it being reckoned that the accident

had happened in 60° S.

As soon as 49° S. was reached, a direct course was shaped for

Valparaiso. Sheers were now rigged and a topmast secured to the stump

of the foremast, then topsail yards were crossed on the jury foremast

and mainmast, which improved the ship’s progress another knot. In this

condition the _Indian Queen_ slowly wandered north, weathering out gale

after gale. On the 7th May a welcome sail was sighted. This proved to

be the New Bedford whaler _La Fayette_, whose captain boarded them,

offered them every assistance and corrected their longitude, which

was 3° out. On the following day the French man-of-war _Constantine_

appeared and promised to convoy them in. On the 9th May land was made

some 20 miles south of Valparaiso, and on the morning of the 10th, as

the crippled _Indian Queen_ approached the Bay, the boats of H.M.S.

_Ganges_, 84 guns, came out to her aid and towed her in to the Roads,

where she anchored safely, just 40 days after her collision with the

iceberg.

The Famous “Sovereign of the Seas.”

My notes on the emigrant ships sailing from Liverpool in 1853 would not

be complete without some mention of the celebrated American clipper

_Sovereign of the Seas_. This ship was built by Donald Mackay for the

American Swallowtail Line and at the time of her launch, June, 1852,

was hailed as the largest merchant ship in the world, her measurements

being:—

Length of keel 245 feet.

Length between perpendiculars 258 „

Length over all 265 „

Beam 44 „

Depth 23 „

Tonnage (American Register) 2421 tons.

Her lower masts from deck to cap were:—

Foremast 89 feet; mainmast 93 feet; mizen 82 feet.

Her lower yards measured in length:—

Foreyard 80 feet; mainyard 90 feet; crossjack yard 70 feet.

And her topsail yards:—

Fore topsail yard 63 feet; main 70 feet; mizen 56 feet.

She spread 12,000 yards of canvas in her working suit.

On her maiden voyage she carried a crew of 105 men and boys, including

2 bosuns, 2 carpenters, 2 sailmakers, 3 stewards, 2 cooks, 80 A.B.’s

and 10 boys before the mast. She was commanded by Donald Mackay’s

younger brother, Captain Lauchlan Mackay, one of the best known

skippers in the United States.

Loading 2950 tons of cargo and receiving 84,000 dollars freight,

she sailed from New York for San Francisco on 4th August, 1852; and

considering the season of the year, she made a wonderful run south,

crossing the equator in 25 days and reaching 50° S. in 48 days.

[Illustration: “SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS.”]

She was nine days making the passage of the Horn from 50° S. to 50° S.;

but shortly after rounding the Horn she carried away her fore and main

topmasts and sprang her foreyard. Captain Mackay, however, kept the

seas and refitted his ship in 14 days, during the whole of which time

he is said to have remained on deck, snatching what little sleep he

allowed himself in a deck chair. The _Sovereign of the Seas_ in spite

of this mishap arrived in San Francisco only 103 days out, and this was

considered the best passage ever made at such an unfavourable season of

the year.

From San Francisco she went across to Honolulu in ballast and there

loaded a cargo of sperm oil; it being the custom of American whalers to

call in there and leave their oil for transhipment so as to clear their

holds for a fresh catch.

The _Sovereign of the Seas_ left Honolulu on 13th February, 1853, for

New York, and once again made a most remarkable passage in spite of

a sprung fore topmast, jury fore topgallant mast and a weak crew—no

doubt a large number of her original crew deserted in San Francisco in

the hope of reaching the gold diggings, but more probably only to be

shanghaied on some homeward bounder.

Like all Mackay’s wonderful creations, the _Sovereign of the Seas_ was

at her best in the roaring forties, and on the run to the Horn she made

3144 miles in 10 days, her best 24-hour runs being:—

March 11 332 miles.

„ 12 312 „

„ 16 396 „

„ 17 311 „

„ 18 411 „

„ 19 360 „

During this time she had strong quartering winds and a heavy following

sea, which drove her at times as much as 19 knots through the water.

After rounding the Horn, she had the usual weather up through the

tropics, and arrived at New York on 6th May, 1853, having made the

record passage of 82 days from Honolulu.

As she was considered to be too big for either the San Francisco or

China trades, she was at once loaded for Liverpool, there to take part

in the booming Australian emigrant trade.

And crossing the Western Ocean she once more made an extraordinary

passage, as the following epitome shows:—

June 18—Sailed from New York, passed Sandy Hook at 6.30 p.m.

„ 24—Sighted Cape Race at 6 a.m.

„ 26—Becalmed on the Banks.

„ 28—Distance run 344 miles—ship close-hauled under single

reefed topsails.

„ 30—Distance run 340 miles, under all sail to skysails and

royal stunsails off Cape Clear at 6 a.m.

July 2—Anchored in the Mersey at 10.30 p.m.

Passage New York to Liverpool, from dock to anchorage, 13 days 22

hours 50 minutes, and 5 days 17 hours from the Banks of Newfoundland.

Donald Mackay crossed the Atlantic on the ship and spent his whole time

watching her every movement, and it was probably the experience gained

on this passage which had much to do with the wonderful success of his

later vessels.

On her arrival in Liverpool the _Sovereign of the Seas_ was at once

chartered by the Black Ball Line. Captain Lauchlan Mackay, however, did

not remain in her, but returned to New York, his place being taken by

Captain Warner, who had been in the ship since she was launched.

Captain Warner sailed from Liverpool on 7th September, 1853, with 25

first cabin, 40 second cabin passengers and a cargo valued at £200,000,

and wrote the following account of his passage to the _Liverpool

Mercury_:—

I arrived here after a long and tedious passage of 77 days, having

experienced only light and contrary winds the greater part of the

passage. I have had but two chances. The ship ran in four consecutive

days 1275 miles; and the next run was 3375 miles in 12 days. These

were but moderate chances. I was 31 days to the equator and carried

skysails 65 days; set them on leaving Liverpool and never shortened

them for 35 days. I crossed the equator in 26° 30′, and went to 53°

30′ S., but found no strong winds. I think if I had gone to 58° S. I

would have had wind enough: but the crew were insufficiently clothed

and about one half disabled, together with the first mate. At any

rate we have beaten all and every one of the ships that sailed with

us, and also the famous English clipper _Gauntlet_ 10 days on the

passage, although the _Sovereign of the Seas_ was loaded down to 23½

feet.

_Sovereign of the Seas’_ passage was, in fact, an exceedingly good

one, considering all things, but there was not much glory attached to

beating the little _Gauntlet_, which only measured 693 tons register

and was built of iron.

The _Sovereign of the Seas_ sailed from Melbourne with the mails and

a very large consignment of gold dust; but amongst her crew she had

shipped some old lags, who attempted a mutiny in order to seize the

ship and get away with the gold. However, Captain Warner succeeded in

suppressing these rascals without bloodshed and kept them in irons for

the rest of the passage.

The _Sovereign of the Seas_ made the splendid time of 68 days between

Melbourne and Liverpool; but after this one voyage for the Black Ball

she seems to have returned to her original owners, who put her into the

Shanghai trade for a voyage or two before selling her to a Hamburg firm.

Best Outward Passages for 1853-4, Anchorage to Anchorage.

+----------------+------------+---------------+---------------+----+

+----------------+------------+---------------+---------------+----+

| _Try_ | Bristol | Oct. 12, ’52 | Jan. 12, ’53 | 92 |

| _Alipore_ | London | „ 16, „ | „ 19, „ | 95 |

| _Marian Moore_ | Liverpool | Nov. 15, „ | Feb. 15, „ | 92 |

| _Kent_ | London | Jan. 27, ’53 | Apl. 20, „ | 83 |

| _Eagle_ | Liverpool | Feb. 22, „ | May 13, „ | 80 |

| _Marco Polo_ | „ | Mar. 14, „ | „ 29, „ | 76 |

| _Bothnia_ | „ | „ 5, „ | June 3, „ | 90 |

| _Ganges_ | London | „ 23, „ | „ 22, „ | 91 |

| _Indian Queen_ | „ | May 17, „ | Aug. 8, „ | 82 |

| _Statesman_ | S’thampton | „ 10, „ | Oct. 5, „ | 87 |

| _Tasmania_ | Liverpool | „ 23, „ | „ 23, „ | 92 |

| _Mobile_ | „ | Aug. 16, „ | Nov. 16, „ | 92 |

| _Sovereign of | „ | Sept. 7, „ | „ 26, „ | 80 |

| _Chimera_ | „ | „ 17, „ | Dec. 17, „ | 92 |

| _Neleus_ | „ | Oct. 5, „ | „ 24, „ | 80 |

| _Flying Dragon_| London | „ 14, „ | „ 30, „ | 77 |

| _Kent_ | „ | „ 26, „ | Jan. 12, ’54 | 78 |

| _Marco Polo_ | Liverpool | Nov. 8, „ | „ 31, „ | 84 |

| _Salem_ | „ | Dec. 7, „ | Feb. 28, „ | 83 |

| _Essex_ | „ | „ 9, „ | Mar. 12, „ | 92 |

| _Marlborough_ | London | Jan. 1, ’54 | „ 19, „ | 77 |

| _Indian Queen_ | Liverpool | „ 29, „ | Apl. 21, „ | 84 |

| _Crest of the | „ | Feb. 14, „ | „ 28, „ | 73 |

+----------------+------------+---------------+---------------+----+

1854—The Year of the Big Ships.

The result of _Sovereign of the Seas’_ visit to Liverpool and that of

her builder and designer Donald Mackay was a further order to America

and Nova Scotia for still bigger ships.

In fact, Donald Mackay returned to Boston with James Baines’ commission

to build the famous quartette, _Lightning_, _Champion of the Seas_,

_James Baines_ and _Donald Mackay_, which were shortly to astonish the

world. Against these the White Star Line put forward the equally big

_White Star_ and _Red Jacket_, two vessels which both in strength,

beauty and speed were worthy to be ranked on equal terms with the great

Black Ballers.

Only two wooden ships were ever launched in England which could

compare in size with these six giants. One of these was the ill-fated

_Schomberg_ and the other the beautiful _Sobraon_, which, however,

had iron frames and was not launched until the palmy days of the gold

rush were over. Both came from the famous yard of Hall, of Aberdeen.

_Schomberg_ was, of course, wrecked on her maiden passage, but

_Sobraon_, though never as hard sailed as the great Black Ball and

White Star ships, made equally good passages, and being built of the

finest Malabar teak retained her speed right up to the end of her long

and successful career.

In comparing the measurements of the American built, Nova Scotian built

and Aberdeen built ships the most noticeable point is the greater beam

of the Nova Scotians and the greater length of the British.

This is well shown by the following table:—

{ _Lightning_ 5.54 beams to length.

{ _Red Jacket_ 5.54 beams to length.

American { _Champion of the Seas_ 5.55 beams to length.

Built { _James Baines_ 5.70 beams to length.

{ _Donald Mackay_ 5.72 beams to length.

British { _Schomberg_ 5.82 beams to length.

Built { _Sobraon_ 6.80 beams to length.

Nova Scotian { _Marco Polo_ 4.86 beams to length.

Built { _White Star_ 4.84 beams to length.

=Carrying On.=

Perhaps no ships ever sailed the seas which held on to their canvas

longer than these great Black Ball and White Star clippers; and yet the

carrying away of spars and sails, which was so common an occurrence

with the earlier American clippers and also with the early British iron

clippers, was quite rare on these big emigrant ships.

There is no difficulty, however, in finding reasons for their freedom

from dismasting and heavy casualties aloft, their designers and

builders had learnt something by the dismastings and constant losses of

spars which overtook their earlier ships, and thus no ships were more

scientifically stayed than these big ships, at the same time in their

outfit we find hemp rigging and wooden spars in their highest state of

efficiency. Strength of gear had for some time been one of the chief

problems that a clipper ship builder had to contend with, and in the

rigging of these six famous ships we see this problem finally mastered.

Topsails, topgallant sails and even royals were diagonally roped from

clew to earing. The rope used for standing rigging was the very best

procurable and of immense thickness; for instance, _Lightning’s_ lower

rigging, fore and main stays and backstays were of 11½ inch Russian

hemp; whilst in regard to spars, here are the diameters in inches of

some of _James Baines’_ masts and yards:—

Mainmast 42 inches in diameter.

Main topmast 21 inches in diameter.

Main topgallant mast 16 inches in diameter.

Main royal mast 14 inches in diameter.

Mainyard 26 inches in diameter.

Main topsail yard 21 inches in diameter.

Main skysail yard 8 inches in diameter.

Advantages of a Light Load Line and High Side.

But added to their greater strength aloft these great clippers had

another advantage over their older sisters in the Californian trade.

They sailed on a lighter load line and showed a higher side. Four or

five hundred emigrants made them dry and buoyant instead of wet and

hard mouthed. Besides being very easy in a sea-way, these big emigrant

clippers were extraordinarily steady ships without any tendency to

heavy quick rolling. This is easily proved from their logs, for one

constantly reads that their passengers were able to enjoy dancing on

the poop when the ships were running 15 and 16 knots before the strong

gales and big seas of easting weather.

Speaking at a dinner given in Melbourne in honour of Captain Enright,

Mr. Alexander Young, a veteran voyager to and from the Antipodes, who

had just travelled out in the _Lightning_, remarked:—“I have much

pleasure in adding my slight testimony to her well-earned fame by

stating that she is the driest and easiest ship I have ever sailed

in. I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, that we scarcely shipped a

bucketful of water all the passage, and when going 16 knots an hour

there was scarcely any more motion than we feel at the present moment.”

And here are other proofs of the _Lightning’s_ steadiness taken from

the _Lightning Gazette_, a newspaper published on board:—

9th February, 1855.—14 knots upon a bowline with the yards braced

sharp up and while going at this extraordinary rate she is as dry as

possible, seldom shipping a spoonful of water. During the greater

part of the day the carpenter was employed on a stage below the fore

chains, where he worked as easily as if it had been calm.

18th March, 1857.—The wind increases a little towards evening and we

make 15 to 17 knots an hour, yet the ship is so steady that we danced

on the poop with the greatest ease (Lat. 42° 34′ S., Long. 17° 04′ W.)

21st February, 1855.—During this time the ship was going 16 knots an

hour and in the saloon the motion was so slight that we thought she

had only a light breeze.

=Examples of Carrying Sail.=

Two or three quotations also from the log books and shipboard

newspapers may be of interest to show the power of these ships to carry

sail in heavy weather and strong winds.

Here are two days from the log of the _James Baines_ when running her

easting down in 1856:—

16th June.—Lat. 43° 39′ S., Long. 101° E.; Bar. 29.80°. Wind, S.W.

to W.S.W. Commences with fresh breezes and squalls of sleet, 8 a.m.,

more moderate. Noon, sighted a ship ahead; at 1 p.m. was alongside

of her and at 2 p.m. she was out of sight astern. _James Baines_ was

going 17 knots with main skysail set, the _Libertas_, for such was

her name, was under double-reefed topsails.

18th June.—Lat. 42° 47′ S., Long. 115° 54′ E. Bar. 29.20°. Wind,

W. to S.W. First part breeze freshening. At 6 p.m. wind S.W. and

freshening. At 8.30 p.m. in all starboard studding sails; ship going

21 knots with main skysail set. Midnight, fresh gale and fine clear

night. 8 a.m., wind and weather the same. Noon, less wind attended

with snow squalls. Distance 420 miles.

Then in the _Lightning Gazette_ I find the following entries:—

15th January, 1855.—Lat. 39° 42′ N., Long. 19° 25′ E. Wind. S.S.E.,

strong breezes and cloudy, with occasional squalls and showers; the

ship going 13 knots close-hauled. In the morning we passed a ship

outward bound with topgallant sails in and exchanged colours with

a Swedish brig homeward bound—this vessel was under close-reefed

topsails, while we were carrying three royals and main skysail.

26th February, 1855.—Lat. 45° 48′ S.; Long., 16° 55′ E. Wind, N.N.W.,

course, S.E. Another wet uncomfortable day; thick mist and small

rain. The barometer had been falling for a day or two back and went

down half an inch last night. The change took place at 4 p.m., when

the wind suddenly shifted to the west and soon afterwards to S.W.,

from whence it blew hard with squalls and occasional showers of hail

and snow. At 8 p.m. it backed again to west, where it remained all

night, blowing a fresh gale, the ship running 16 and occasionally 18

knots per hour with main skysail and topgallant studding sails set.

27th February, 1855.—Lat. 46° 22′ S., Long. 26° 15′ E. Wind, west,

course S.E. All last night it blew a fresh gale with heavy squalls

and occasional showers of hail and snow, the sea running high. From

noon yesterday till noon to-day, we ran down 9 degrees and 20 miles

of longitude and 34 miles of latitude, making 390 geographical miles

or 450 English miles direct course in the 24 hours, giving an average

of 16¼ knots or 18¾ statute miles per hour. During 6 hours in the

morning the ship logged 18 knots per hour with royals, main skysail

and topgallant studding sails set, the wind blowing a fresh gale from

the westward.

21st October, 1855.—Lat. 36° 4′ S., Long. 24° 52′ W. During the

afternoon the wind chopped round and blew strongly from the S.W. At

5 p.m. sighted a large ship on our weather quarter, sailing under

double-reefed topsails and we apprehend they must have taken us for

the _Flying Dutchman_ seen occasionally in these latitudes, for

notwithstanding the strong breeze we could be observed carrying our

skysails with studding sails ‘low and aloft.’

14th March, 1857.—Lat. 34° 47′ S., Long. 35° 06′ W. The breeze a

splendid one. A barque on the port beam about 3, homeward bound. The

wind was as fair for her as wind could be, yet she had no royals set.

We formed a striking contrast to her, for we—on a wind—had all sail

set up to main skysail.

20th March, 1857.—Lat. 43° S., Long. 0° 55′ E. We have made during

the last 47 hours the greatest run that perhaps ship ever made, yet

all the time we have carried our main skysail and all sorts and

conditions of studding sails.

Extraordinary 24-hour Runs.

I have quoted the above passages to show the way in which a Black

Baller could carry sail either with a fresh favouring gale or in a

strong head wind. This is sufficiently astonishing in itself, but

what amazes most present day sailors and compels many of them to be

incredulous are such statements as the much quoted one concerning

_James Baines_—“Ship going 21 knots with main skysail set.”

This and other log book statements have been looked upon by many as

far-fetched exaggerations, but, after careful study of the subject,

during which I have pricked off the different voyages on a track chart,

I have come to the conclusion that these amazing performances were in

no way a stretching of the imagination.

To begin with, I will give the main arguments advanced against them by

the sceptics.

The late Mr. J. N. Barry, writing in an Australian paper, remarks:—

Where American records are concerned much caution must be observed

in taking their feats of speed for granted. Our cousins had a canny

fashion of, no matter where they might be sailing, always reckoning

60 miles to a degree of longitude whilst doing their easting, so that

a day’s run of, say, 240 miles upon a parallel of 45°, would by this

means give the distance covered as exactly 100 miles in excess of

what it should be.

Another nautical writer remarks:—

The skippers of many of the celebrated Black Ball clippers were not

above adopting this mode of calculation, viz., 60 miles to a degree

of longitude, but while it gave some wonderful results for a single

24 hours, it did not as a matter of fact make their passages any more

rapid.

And I have had letters scoffing at the Black Ball records, remarking

that their skippers were a leery lot and provided “palatable pabulum

for the proud passengers.”

I will now try and show that these arguments were altogether too

sweeping, and if they may possibly have applied to certain individuals,

they are by no means fair to the greater number of the skippers.

In the first place, not one of the Black Ball or White Star ships was

commanded by an American, and though the accusation was levelled at

Americans, it was evidently done in the belief that the American built

Australian clippers were commanded by Americans.

In the second place, such men as Anthony Enright, of the _Lightning_,

James Nicol Forbes, of the _Marco Polo_, Charles McDonald, of the

_James Baines_, Sam Reid, of the _Red Jacket_, Captain Pryce, R.N.R.,

of the _Donald Mackay_, and Alexander Newlands, of the _Champion of

the Seas_, were known and respected all over the world as leading men

in their profession, occupying a position in the Mercantile Marine

which would correspond with that of Orient and P. & O. commanders

nowadays, whilst their performances were very much more widely known,

thus such elementary cheating as giving 60 miles to a degree in the

roaring forties would have been exposed at once.

The greatest 24-hour run ever accomplished by a sailing ship was one of

436 nautical miles made by the _Lightning_ when crossing the Atlantic

on her maiden passage. The second greatest run was also made by the

_Lightning_. This was 430 miles when running her easting down bound out

to Australia in 1857, and on the following day her run was 360. This

wonderful performance drew the following letter from Captain Enright to

his passengers, and I think it will dispose of the 60 miles to a degree

accusation, at any rate as far as the _Lightning_ and her commander are

concerned:—

21st March, 1857.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,—I cannot help informing you of the

extraordinary run we have made during the last 48 hours—or rather

allowing for change of time, 46 hours and 48 minutes. During this

time we have run, by thoroughly good and trustworthy observation, no

less than 790 knots or 920 statute miles, being an average of nearly

17 knots or more than 19½ statute miles per hour. Yesterday our noble

ship made no less than 430 knots amounting to an average during the

24 (23½) hours of more than 18 knots. Our change of longitude has

amounted to 18 degrees, each degree being equal to 44 miles.

I firmly believe this to be the greatest performance a sailing ship

has ever accomplished.

I hope this information will in some degree compensate you for the

inconvenience which the heavy weather has occasioned you.

And I remain, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

Very faithfully yours,

A. ENRIGHT, _Commander_.

If further proof is wanted that Captain Enright did not allow 60 miles

to a degree, but only 44 as he states to his passengers, here are the

noon positions found by observation, not account only, from which the

runs can be verified on the chart.

March 18, Lat. 42° 34′ S., Long. 17° 04′ W.

19, Lat. 43° 0′ S., Long. 7° 17′ W.

20, Lat. 43° 0′ S., Long. 0° 55′ E.

The following is a list of all runs of 400 miles and over, which I have

been able to verify.

March 1, 1854.—_Lightning_ 436 miles.

March 19, 1857.—_Lightning_ 430 miles.

February 6, 1855.—_James Baines_ 423 miles.

February 27, 1855.—_Donald Mackay_ 421 miles.

June 18, 1856.—_James Baines_ 420 miles.

February 27, 1854.—_Red Jacket_ 413 miles.

January 27, 1855.—_James Baines_ 407 miles.

July 6, 1854.—_Red Jacket_ 400 miles.

All these performances were made running east, making the day’s work

under 24 hours.

Several other ships claimed runs of over 400 miles, but I have not

included these as I have not sufficient particulars to verify them.

_Marco Polo_ is supposed to have done a run of 428 miles under Captain

McDonald on 7th January, 1854, and _Shalimar_ 420 miles in 1855 on

her first passage to Australia, under Captain Robertson. With this

general account of their powers I must now return to a more detailed

description of the giant clippers themselves.

The “Lightning.”

The _Lightning_ was built by Donald Mackay to the order of James

Baines in the winter of 1853-4 at a cost of £30,000, and on her arrival

in Liverpool was furnished and decorated below at a further cost of

£2000.

[Illustration: “LIGHTNING.”

_From a painting._]

Her measurements were:—

Tonnage (builders) 2096 tons.

(register) 1468 „

(burthen) 3500 „

Length 244 feet.

Beam 44 „

Depth 23 „

Dead rise at half-floor 20 inches.

Her poop was 92 feet long and her saloon 86 feet, whilst she had 8 feet

under the beams in her ’tween decks, a most unusual height for those

days.

With regard to design, she was one of the sharpest ships ever launched.

Her model is thus described by Captain H. H. Clark:—“She had long,

concave water-lines and at her load displacement line a cord from her

cut-water to just abaft the fore rigging showed a concavity of 16

inches. Her stem raked boldly forward, the lines of the bow gradually

becoming convex and blending with the sheer line and cut-water, while

the only ornament was a beautiful full-length figure of a young woman

holding a golden thunderbolt in her outstretched hand, the flowing

white drapery of her graceful form and her streaming hair completing

the fair and noble outline of the bow.

“The after-body was long and clean, though fuller than the bow, while

the stern was semi-elliptical in form, with the plank sheer moulding

for its base, and was ornamented with gilded carved work, though this

really added nothing to the beauty of the strong sweeping outline of

her hull.”

The _Lightning’s_ spar and rigging measurements were tremendous:—

Mainmast, deck to truck 164 feet.

Foremast „ „ 151 „

Mizenmast „ „ 115 „

Mainyard „ „ 95 „

Lower stunsail booms 65 „

She spread 13,000 yards of canvas when under all plain sail. Donald

Mackay had her rigged as a three skysail yard ship, but later Messrs.

James Baines fitted her with a moonsail on the main by lengthening the

skysail mast. This was also done in the case of _James Baines_. And

these two ships had the proud distinction of being perhaps the only two

ships afloat which regularly crossed a moonsail yard.

The _Lightning_ was provided with iron water tanks holding 36,000

gallons of water—a novelty at that date. And in various other ways her

accommodation for passengers was an improvement on anything attempted

before.

The great Bully Forbes was sent out to Boston to superintend her outfit

and take command of her, and he was lucky in finding a valuable friend

and adviser in Captain Lauchlan Mackay, who made the trip to Liverpool

in her as builders’ representative.

The “Red Jacket.”

The _Red Jacket_, _Lightning’s_ great rival, was designed by Samuel A.

Pook, of Boston, the well-known designer of _Game-cock_, _Surprise_,

_Northern Light_, _Ocean Telegraph_, _Herald of the Morning_, and other

famous clipper ships. She was built by George Thomas at Rockland,

Maine, for Messrs. Seacomb & Taylor, and only took the water a few days

before the _Lightning_.

Her measurements were:—

Tonnage (registered) 2460 tons.

(burthen) 5000 „

Length 260 feet.

Beam 44 „

Depth 26 „

Though her bow and stern were very sharp and beautifully modelled

and she had concave bow lines, she was not so extreme a ship as the

_Lightning_.

[Illustration: “RED JACKET.”

_From an old lithograph._]

Donald Mackay’s ships were chiefly distinguished for their powerful

workmanlike appearance rather than for delicate beauty—they showed

strength rugged and unmistakable, but the _Red Jacket’s_ strength

was more disguised under graceful curves; for instance, she had

the graceful arched stem and clipper bow of a China ship, whereas

_Lightning’s_ stem was almost straight, with only a very slight curve

in it.

_Red Jacket_ was not named after Tommy Atkins, but after a great

Indian chief, and her figure-head was a beautiful representation of

this warrior in all the magnificence of feather head-dress and beaded

buckskins.

Race across the Atlantic between “Lightning” and “Red Jacket.”