Note 216 — Chapter XIV

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 ”

ANALYSIS.

White Dogs to Lizard 84 days.

Foochow anchorage to St. Helena 56 ”

Foochow anchorage to Deal 88 ”

Foochow anchorage to West India Dock 89 ”

“The greatest day’s work of the Sir Lancelot was crossing from Anjer to the Cape, when she made, by observation, 354 miles in 24 hours. For 7 days (consecutive) she averaged on the same track, with a beam wind, slightly over 300 miles per day; but I think the most remarkable feature in the sailing of this ship was the maintenance of a comparative high speed in light winds, and the great power she had to beat dead to windward against a strong breeze.

“I may mention that after the racing premium was abolished, and with it the sort of mania for China clipper sailing, I had 8 feet cut off all the lower masts, and reduced the masts aloft and the yards in proportion.

“Notwithstanding this the Sir Lancelot is now arrived in London after a voyage from London to Shanghai with general cargo, thence to New York with a tea cargo, thence to London with a general cargo—all in 9 months and 2 days.

“I am afraid I am troubling you with too many details, but I feel proud that this celebrated clipper, one of the very few China clippers left, proves herself in the tenth year of her life as swift as ever.”

Mr. MacCunn may well be proud of his ship, and such pride is one of the chief causes of our power and greatness as a maritime nation.