The Wasdale must not be confused with the later Wasdale, which was not launched until 1881. This one must have been a very fast ship, for on this passage she made five 24-hour runs over 300, her best being 332 miles.
Many well-known heelers were just over the 80 days; for instance, Miltiades was 81 days from the Start, Thessalus 83 from the Lizards, Theophane 83 from the Tuskar, Cassiope 81 from the Tuskar, Marpesia 83 from the Tuskar, Thyatira 80 from the Start, all to Melbourne, whilst Patriarch was 82 days from Torbay to Sydney.
Two writers to the Nautical Magazine, both of whom were serving on the Cutty Sark during her 1875-6 voyage, claim that she was 50 miles south of Melbourne on her 54th day out from the Channel, and that owing to strong head winds she was compelled to go round Australia.
As will be seen, she was 67 days from the Lizard to the S.W. Cape, Tasmania, and I fear that a mistake of ten days has been made. Captain Watson also stated in a personal letter to me that she ran 2163 miles in six days. I have 14 years of her abstract logs, and from what her logs tell me I consider that she was quite capable of accomplishing such a run with a strong steady breeze, but it is very rarely that you get such a breeze for six days on end even in the roaring forties. She left London on 20th November but collided with the Somersetshire off Gravesend, and lost her main topgallant mast, besides other damage, so that she had to put back to refit.
“Sir Walter Raleigh.”
The Sir Walter Raleigh, commanded by Captain W. Purvis, was a very well-known and regular wool clipper of the type of Romanoff. I do not think she was quite in the first flight, but she was never very far behind, and in 1880 she shared with Ben Voirlich the distinction of making the best outward run of the year.
The following extracts are from Patriarch’s log, when homeward bound in 1878, 79 days out from Sydney.
Feb. 8.—18° 41′ N., long. 38° 55′ W.—Spoke the Sir Walter Raleigh, Melbourne to London, 77 days out.
Feb. 9.—Sir Walter Raleigh still in company.
Feb. 10.—Sir Walter Raleigh ahead.