CATALOGUE OF THE WATERCRAFT COLLECnON. 13 



to contest for the palm of superiority. The Alexander Baring^ John 

 O'Gcmnt^ Euphrates^ Monarchy Foam, and other ships of that class 

 were equal to any under the flag of the United States in capacity, 

 spread of canvass, and speed. This, in turn, stimulated the pride of 

 the American houses, who responded between 1840 and 1850 with 

 vessels of good and carefully studied form. The vessels sat low in 

 the water, in strong distinction from the fashion of earlier times. 

 The beam was broad, the bow sharp, and the water lines fine. The 

 masts were tall and raking and the yards were so long that the ships 

 spread an enormous cloud of canvas in a favoring wind. With 

 these vessels the Americans kept their position ahead of all com- 

 petitors." 



The experience gained by American builders in constructing packet 

 ships prepared them for the highest achievements in producing great 

 white-winged clippers, such as had never previously sailed the seas, 

 and which for j-ears were the wonder of the world, carrying the name 

 and fame of American naval architects to the remotest corners of the 

 globe. The size, as well as the performances, of these vessels may 

 well be considered phenomenal and mark a proud era in the history 

 of American sea commerce. It is a remarkable fact that as late as 

 1880 an American clipper ship held the world's record for a 24-hours 

 run, which at that time had never been exceeded by an ocean steamer. 



The early clippers were of modest proportions, but they rapidly in- 

 creased in size. Clipper ships were first built at New York. The 

 ship, Helena, of 650 tons was the pioneer. She was built for the China 

 trade by William H. Webb in 1841. She was followed by the Rainbow 

 of 750 tons, built by Smith & Dimon. The Houqua, of 706 tons, 

 built in 1844, the Sea Witch of 907 tons, and the Samuel Russell, of 

 940 tons, were others of the early clippers that attained celebrity in 

 their day. The carrying capacity of these vessels was, however, 

 limited, and their construction was so light that, when driven hard in 

 heavy weather, they became strained so much that " the cost of repairs 

 was discouraging." 



William H. Webb, a shipbuilder of New York, with marked bold- 

 ness of conception and unfaltering energy, determined to " solve the 

 problem of combined speed, capacity, and strength." In 1851 he put 

 upon the stocks four clipper ships designed for this purpose. These 

 were the Sicord Fish, of 1,150 tons, which established the record be- 

 tween Shanghai and San Francisco, by sailing the distance between 

 those ports in 31 days, making an average of 240 miles a day; the 

 Cornet,^ 1,209 tons, "remarkable for speed, seaworthiness, strength, 

 productiveness, and good luck " (the round trip to San Francisco was 

 made by her in seven months and nine days ; the run home was made 

 in 76 days, the shortest time on record) ; the Challenge, of 2,000 tons, 



5 The model of this famous vessel is In the Museum collections. 



