I arrived here after a long and tedious passage of 77 days, having experienced only light and contrary winds the greater part of the passage. I have had but two chances. The ship ran in four consecutive days 1275 miles; and the next run was 3375 miles in 12 days. These were but moderate chances. I was 31 days to the equator and carried skysails 65 days; set them on leaving Liverpool and never shortened them for 35 days. I crossed the equator in 26° 30′, and went to 53° 30′ S., but found no strong winds. I think if I had gone to 58° S. I would have had wind enough: but the crew were insufficiently clothed and about one half disabled, together with the first mate. At any rate we have beaten all and every one of the ships that sailed with us, and also the famous English clipper Gauntlet 10 days on the passage, although the Sovereign of the Seas was loaded down to 23½ feet.
Sovereign of the Seas’ passage was, in fact, an exceedingly good one, considering all things, but there was not much glory attached to beating the little Gauntlet, which only measured 693 tons register and was built of iron.
The Sovereign of the Seas sailed from Melbourne with the mails and a very large consignment of gold dust; but amongst her crew she had shipped some old lags, who attempted a mutiny in order to seize the ship and get away with the gold. However, Captain Warner succeeded in suppressing these rascals without bloodshed and kept them in irons for the rest of the passage.
The Sovereign of the Seas made the splendid time of 68 days between Melbourne and Liverpool; but after this one voyage for the Black Ball she seems to have returned to her original owners, who put her into the Shanghai trade for a voyage or two before selling her to a Hamburg firm.
Best Outward Passages for 1853-4, Anchorage to Anchorage.
| Ship. | Port from. | Date Left. | Date Arrived Melbourne. | Dys. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Try | Bristol | Oct. 12, ’52 | Jan. 12, ’53 | 92 |
| Alipore | London | „ 16, „ | „ 19, „ | 95 |
| Marian Moore | Liverpool | Nov. 15, „ | Feb. 15, „ | 92 |
| Kent | London | Jan. 27, ’53 | Apl. 20, „ | 83 |
| Eagle | Liverpool | Feb. 22, „ | May. 13, „ | 80 |
| Marco Polo | „ | Mar. 14, „ | „ 29, „ | 76 |
| Bothnia | „ | „ 5, „ | June 3, „ | 90 |
| Ganges | London | „ 23, „ | „ 22, „ | 91 |
| Osmanli | Liverpool | Apl. 16, „ | July 4, „ | 79 |
| Indian Queen | „ | May 17, „ | Aug. 8, „ | 82 |
| Gibson Craig | London | June 4, „ | „ 22, „ | 79 |
| Star of the East | Liverpool | July 7, „ | Sept. 23, „ | 78 |
| Statesman | S’thampton | „ 10, „ | Oct. 5, „ | 87 |
| Tasmania | Liverpool | „ 23, „ | „ 23, „ | 92 |
| Mobile | „ | Aug. 16, „ | Nov. 16, „ | 92 |
| Sovereign of the Seas | „ | Sept. 7, „ | „ 26, „ | 80 |
| Chimera | „ | „ 17, „ | Dec. 17, „ | 92 |
| Neleus | „ | Oct. 5, „ | „ 24, „ | 80 |
| Flying Dragon | London | „ 14, „ | „ 30, „ | 77 |
| Kent | „ | „ 26, „ | Jan. 12, ’54 | 78 |
| Marco Polo | Liverpool | Nov. 8, „ | „ 31, „ | 84 |
| Salem | „ | Dec. 7, „ | Feb. 28, „ | 83 |
| Essex | „ | „ 9, „ | Mar. 12, „ | 92 |
| Marlborough | London | Jan. 1, ’54 | „ 19, „ | 77 |
| Indian Queen | Liverpool | „ 29, „ | Apl. 21, „ | 84 |
| Crest of the Wave | „ | Feb. 14, „ | „ 28, „ | 73 |
1854—The Year of the Big Ships.
The result of Sovereign of the Seas’ visit to Liverpool and that of her builder and designer Donald Mackay was a further order to America and Nova Scotia for still bigger ships.
In fact, Donald Mackay returned to Boston with James Baines’ commission to build the famous quartette, Lightning, Champion of the Seas, James Baines and Donald Mackay, which were shortly to astonish the world. Against these the White Star Line put forward the equally big White Star and Red Jacket, two vessels which both in strength, beauty and speed were worthy to be ranked on equal terms with the great Black Ballers.