“TORRIDON.”

Photo by Captain Schutze, Sydney.

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Compared to most ships of their size, they had narrow sail plans, and with greater carrying power, they were not as fast as Cimba or Romanoff. For some reason Nicol gave up the green and gold colours of Aberdeen and gave them the conventional painted ports. No doubt the days were passed when crowds of landsmen thronged Circular Quay of a Sunday and gaped in awe, reverence and admiration at the tall green clippers.

Captain Shepherd left Romanoff to take the Torridon, but he could only manage to get her out to Sydney in 90 days from Deal on her maiden trip, and Yallaroi took 99 from Grangemouth. However, both ships held on in the Sydney trade until 1906, when they were sold to the Italians, Torridon for £4250 and Yallaroi for £4400.

Torridon was sunk by a German submarine on 27th August, 1916, but Yallaroi disguised as Santa Catarina is still sailing the seas.

“Loch Carron” and “Loch Broom.”

The last ships to be built for the famous Loch Line were the two fine four-mast barques Loch Carron and Loch Broom.

The Loch Carron was taken from the stocks by Captain Stainton Clarke, one of the best known skippers in the Australian trade and the bosom friend of Captain Pattman, the pair being known in the ports they frequented as the “Corsican Brothers.” Captain Clarke was brought up in those beautiful little tea clippers, Skinner’s “Castles.” At the age of 28 he became master of the Douglas Castle, which he used to say was “one of the prettiest models that ever sailed.” When she was sold he was given the Lennox Castle, and he left her to take the Loch Carron.