The “James Baines,” “Champion of the Seas,” and “Lightning” race out to India with Troops in the Time of the Mutiny.
In 1857, the James Baines regained her reputation, coming home in 75 days against the Lightning’s 82 days. Both ships, together with the Champion of the Seas, were at once taken up by the Government, and sent round to Portsmouth to load troops for India, on account of the Mutiny. It was confidently believed that the great Black Ballers would lower the record to Calcutta and the importance of getting the troops out as quickly as possible, was, of course, very great at such a crisis.
After being carefully prepared for the voyage, the James Baines and Champion of the Seas sailed from Portsmouth at the beginning of August. Before sailing the James Baines was inspected by the Queen, when she is stated to have remarked that she did not know she had such a fine ship in her Dominions.
On the 17th August the two ships were met by the homeward bound Oneida, and reported to be making great progress. Both ships were under a cloud of canvas—the James Baines had 34 sails set, including 3 skysails, moonsail and sky stunsails—and presented a splendid appearance as they surged by, their rails red with the jackets of the cheering troops. Unfortunately for the hopes of countless anxious hearts, the two Black Ballers reached the Bay of Bengal at the worst season of the year, and as they had not been built to ghost along in catspaws and zephyrs like the tea clippers, their progress up the Bay was very slow.
Both ships arrived off the Sandheads on the same day, the James Baines being 101 days out and the Champion of the Seas 103. This was a disappointing performance. The Lightning did not sail till the end of August. Owing to the illness of his wife, Captain Enright was obliged to give up his command, and was succeeded by Captain Byrne. On 24th August, the day before her departure from Gravesend, a dinner was given to Captain Enright aboard his old ship, at which several well-known public men, amongst whom was Mr. Benjamin Disraeli, paid their tribute to the world famous sea captain.
The Lightning made a better passage than her sisters, being off the Hooghly, 87 days out.