The Clippers : 275 



from Liverpool by the name of James Baines came to McKay with 

 orders for a hne of clipper ships to operate in the Australian trade, 

 and the series of handsome ships that McKay produced proceeded to 

 /tstablish good business, prosperous runs and record passages in an 

 entirely new section of the world. 



Some of McKay's best ships were produced in this period. When 

 Lightning was launched McKay invited representatives of Baines to 

 sail with him on the first trip to England. They replied that they 

 were extremely busy and had planned therefore to sail with the 

 Cunard steamer out of Boston. Possibly this offended McKay, cer- 

 tainly it stimulated him. He sailed with Lightning from New York 

 the same day that the Cunarder sailed from Boston. Lightning passed 

 the steamer on the way over and was in Liverpool the same day that 

 the Cunarder arrived in Cork in Ireland. 



This great ship went on to break many records and to establish 

 also a record of prosperous operation for her owners, but what was 

 memorable about her was not only her speed but her beauty. The 

 feeling which the vessel created has never been better expressed than 

 in the words of a rival designer. 



No timid hand or hesitating brain gave form and dimension 

 to the Lightning. Very great stability; acute extremities; full, 

 short midship body; comparatively small dead rise, and the long- 

 est end forward are points in the excellence of this ship. 



John Willis Griffiths 



Monthly Nautical Magazine 

 August 1855 



This tells us not only about the quality of the vessel but also about 

 the character of the man that built the great ships. 



These were the great years. It was exciting enough when a ship 

 like the Lightning showed that she could hold her own against a 

 steamer, but what chiefly moved the people was the duels between 

 vessels sailing in the same trade and often the fleets that sometimes 

 left port on a single tide. Four American ships in the China trade 

 passed Java Head together and this started a race in the open ocean 

 to New York. These were the Samuel Russell, the N. B. Palmer, 

 the Wild Pigeon and the Joshua Bates. This meant that they were 

 traveling 12,000 miles to their port of destination. The Palmer came 

 in two days ahead; the Russell and the Wild Pigeon practically sailed 

 together the entire way and came in neck and neck. 



Another list shows that between October 11 and November 17, 



