![]() ![]() ![]() On longer routes, clippers would average 150 nautical miles /day and 200 nm/day would set records. ![]() There are a dozen recorded cases of clippers travelling over 400 nautical miles in 24 hours almost exclusively by US ships. ![]() In the heyday of clippers (1840-1860), many sailing records were set for voyages between distant ports. The tea and mail trade was taken over by steamships and most of the clippers transferred to the Australian route, carrying general cargo and passengers to either Sydney or Melbourne, and returning with wool. The opening of the Suez canal in 1869, marked the end of the Clipper era. The most memorable race took place in 1866, when starting from Fuzhou, after 100 days at sea, Taeping and Ariel raced neck and neck up the Thames and arrived within 20 minutes of each other. The winner would get a higher price for his cargo as well as the glory of winning. In particular, clippers would compete to bring the season's first tea to London or to New York. Clippers would be used for transportation of passengers and valuable cargo like mail, tea or spices. Site documenting Sugar & Opium trade Clippers Stung by their inability to counter the naval blockade by the British during the war of 1812, the Americans would concentrate on the development of fast sailing ships the result was the clipper, often capable of reaching 20 knots, in contrast to the 5-6 knots attained by other ships of the day. They also seem to have started a style: black hull with a white stripe. These frigates were also popular for the Opium trade. Many Indiamen were built in India with teak hulls better suited to tropical waters.Įventually the need for such large armed ships for commerce waned, and during the late 1830s a smaller, faster ship known as a Blackwall Frigate was built for the premium end of the India and China trades. Built for the Royal Navy, as 56-gun Fourth Rate Ships of the Line, the Arniston measured 175 feet overall length, 43 feet beam, 17 feet draft. The Arniston shown below is typical of such a versatileBritish East Indiamen measuring between 11 registered tons. Return to Early Sailing Ships Evolution of shipsAt the end of the 18th C., we see faster sleeker vessels that could serve both for war and for commerce. ![]()
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