Best Homeward Passages, 1855-56.
The honours for the year 1855 were, however, taken by the Duthie built Aberdeen clipper Ballarat, 713 tons, owned by Duncan Dunbar, which went out to Sydney in under 70 days, and came home Melbourne to Liverpool in 69 days with 110,000 ounces on board. The Ocean Chief, Captain Tobin, was a Black Baller on her second voyage. On her previous passage home in the autumn of 1854 she made the run in 86 days, during which she was embayed by ice for three days in the Southern Ocean, had the unusual experience of being becalmed for three days off the Horn and finally had N.E. winds from 18° N. to soundings.
| Ship. | Port from | Date Left | Gold on Board | Date Arrived | D’ys Out. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 | 1855 | ||||
| Oliver Lang | Sydney | Jan. 3 | Mar. 20 | 76 | |
| James Baines | Melbourne | Mar. 11 | 40,000 oz. | May 20 | 69 |
| Indian Queen | Hobart | „ 17 | June 5 | 78 | |
| Shalimar | Melbourne | „ 24 | 42,000 oz. | „ 5 | 75 |
| Lightning | „ | Apl. 11 | 69,000 oz. | „ 29 | 79 |
| Ocean Chief | Sydney | June 3 | Aug. 26 | 84 | |
| Marco Polo | Melbourne | July 26 | 125,000 oz. | Oct. 20 | 86 |
| White Star | „ | Aug. 31 | 80,000 oz. | Nov. 27 | 88 |
| Donald Mackay | „ | Oct. 3 | Dec. 28 | 86 | |
| 1856 | |||||
| Champion of the Seas | „ | „ 27 | Jan. 25 | 90 | |
| Lightning | „ | Dec. 27 | 12,000 oz. | Mar. 23 | 86 |
| 1856 | |||||
| Red Jacket | „ | Jan 12 | Apl. 8 | 86 |
The Oliver Lang, 1236 tons, was called after her designer, being a British built ship from the famous Deptford yard.