The American Clipper Ship: MidCentury Maritime Hubris

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The American Clipper ShipMid-Century Maritime
Hubris

• Lecture 25December 3, 2007

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The first clipper-designed ship, Ann McKim,
launched in Baltimore in 1833 used in China
trade 140/26/500 tons
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Clipper Houqua (1844-66), owned by Abiel A. Low
and used in China trade 142/30/500 tons
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Clipper ship Nightingale (1851), built in
Portsmouth, NH
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Clipper ship Andrew Jackson (1855),Built in
Mystic, Ct. 220/41/1700 tons
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William H. Webb (1816-99), NYC-based naval
architect and designer of clipper ships
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The Clipper ship Young America (1853), built in
NYC by William H. Webb 243/43/2000 tons
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Clipper ship Comet (1851), William Webb-built,
set NYC-SF record of 76 days Currier lithograph
in 1852 hurricane off Bermuda (1855)
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Donald McKay (1810-80), Boston-based naval
architect builder of clipper ships
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Clipper Flying Cloud, built by Donald McKay
(1851) set NY-SF record in 1853
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Clipper Ship Stag Hound (1850), built by Donald
McKay, as the largest merchant ship in the world
215/40/1500 tons
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Clipper ship Sovereign of the Sea, built by
Donald McKay in 1852 265/46/2430 tons
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Clipper ship Dreadnought, off Sandy Hook and 19
days from Liverpool, Currier lithograph (1854)
212/42/1400 tons
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Josiah Cressy (1814-71), captained clipper ship
Flying Cloud in record-setting 1853 NYC-SF
89-day run
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Robert H. Waterman (1806-84), driving captain
of the clipper ship Challenge in 1851 on NYC-SF
run
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Poster advertising Clipper ship Andrew Jacksons
speed from NYC to San Francisco
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Nathaniel Currier (1813-88), lithographer and
founder of Currier Ives (1855)
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Clipper ship Flying Cloud, Donald McKay-built
(1851) 230/41/1800 tonsNathaniel Currier
lithograph (1852)
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James E. Buttersworth (1817-94), lithograph of
the clipper ship Flying Cloud (1852)
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Clipper ship The Great Republic, by Donald McKay
in 1853 (300/50/4500 tons)James E.
Buttersworth /Currier Ives lithograph
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Clipper ship Challenge (1851), built in NYC by
William H. Webb, as worlds largest merchant
ship 224/43/2000 tons
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Clipper ship Red Jacket (1853), here depicted in
Antarctic on Liverpool-Australia run Currier
lithograph (1854)
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Clipper ship Sea Witch (1846), 192/34/900
tons, used in China trade and NYC-SF runs held
record for 97-days
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Clipper in Squall off Cape Horn (Currier Ives)
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Clipper Comet, built by William H. Webb in 1851
to accommodate 500 passengers
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Coal-fired, iron hulled 22,500 ton, 700 long
Great Eastern, launched by British in 1858 built
to accommodate 2800 passengers