[210] By Parliamentary Papers, 176, 1871, no less than 1,846,400l. had been advanced up to that date, on loan for the improvement of trade harbours, and since then, 350,000l., making in all about 2,200,000l.
[211] The aggregate reductions since 1853 are estimated (see Parliamentary Paper, No. 27, 1875) at more than 750,000l., or at the rate of 237 per cent. on the present income of about 316,000l. per annum. Nor has economy been consulted at the cost of efficiency during the last twenty years, due in a great measure to the exertions of the late Sir Frederick Arrow, Deputy-Chairman of the Trinity House.
[212] Passages of clippers from China, 1868 to 1872 inclusive, see [Appendix No. 8], p. 611.
[213] The log of this ship on her first voyage from London to Melbourne, thence to Newcastle (N.S.W.), thence to China, and thence home, will be found in the [Appendix, No. 9], p. 613. She is a “composite” vessel, that is, constructed with iron frames and wood planking; she is 947 tons register, and her dimensions are 210 feet in length; 36 feet width of beam, and 21 feet depth of hold. She was designed by Mr. B. Waymouth, now Secretary to Lloyd’s Register. She was built in 1868 by Messrs. Walter Hood and Co., of Aberdeen, for her present owners, Messrs. George Thompson, Jun., and Co.
[214] This passage of the Thermopylæ, was eight days quicker than those of the Ariel, Taeping, and Serica, in the great race of 1866[215], and six days quicker than the Ariel and Spindrift in 1868; the nearest competitor was the Titania in 1871. By her log (see [Appendix No. 9], pp. 613-17) the Thermopylæ, in one day of twenty-four hours, made a run of 330 nautical miles (about 380 statute miles), see log, 3rd January 1870; or at the average rate of close upon 16 statute miles per hour!!
[215] This race excited extraordinary interest at the time among all persons interested in maritime affairs, five ships started for it, the Ariel, Taeping, Serica, Fiery Cross, and Tartsing. The three first left Foo-chow-foo on the same day, but lost sight of each other for the whole voyage until they reached the English Channel, where they again met, arriving in the Thames within a few hours of each other!!
[216] The Sir Lancelot is also a composite vessel. She was built by Mr. Steele, of Greenock, for her owner, Mr. James MacCunn, of that place, and was commanded by Captain Richard Robinson, a native of Maryport, who was brought up in the service of Messrs. Broklebanks, of Liverpool, and who had, previously to being placed in command of the Sir Lancelot, made very fast passages in the Fiery Cross. She is 886 tons register; and her dimensions are—length, 197 feet 6 inches; breadth, 33 feet 7 inches, and depth, 21 feet. This celebrated sailing ship, in her racing days, spread, when under full sail, 45,500 square or superficial feet of canvas. She was manned by 30 hands all told, and delivered 1430 tons of tea (of 50 cubic feet to the ton), and her draught of water, when thus laden, was 18 feet 7 inches forward, and 18 feet 9 inches aft. In addition to about 200 tons shingle ballast, there was 100 tons of iron kentledge (specially cast for the purpose), stowed in the limbers—that is, between the ceiling and the outer skin. This was fitted to the vacant spaces and distributed along the keelson, tapering towards the foremast and mizen-mast. It gave the ship great stability, and compensated for the immense height of the masts, which, without the kentledge, would have made the ship too tender. In the opinion of her owner, it contributed greatly to the ship’s success. I may add that the bottom, which consists of teak, was carefully planed before the metal was put on, and was quite as smooth as the bottom of a yacht.
As everything relating to this famous sailing ship must prove interesting and instructive to my nautical readers, I do not hesitate to furnish the following details of her performances, courteously supplied to me (4th October, 1875) by Mr. MacCunn. “The log,” he says, “of the Sir Lancelot, I regret, is not by me, but I have pleasure in handing you exact leading particulars of the celebrated passage referred to (extracted by me at the time, with great minuteness, from the log on board the ship, 14th October 1869).
“The particulars speak for themselves, and there is no parallel on so distant a voyage in ocean clipper sailing:—
| 1869. | |
| Up anchor at Foochow, and left the anchorage 7 A.M. | 17th July. |
| White Dogs bore N.N.E. 15 miles | 18th ” |
| Anjer Light bore E.S.E. 10 ” | 7th August. |
| Land about Buffalo River (Cape) | 28th ” |
| Signalled St. Helena | 11th September. |
| Sighted Lizard | 10th October. |
| Passed Deal | 13th ” |
| Berthed in West India Dock | 14th ” |