FAMOUS SAILING RACE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 84, 10 April 1945, Page 4

FAMOUS SAILING RACE

In reply to "Bobstay" for information of the famous race from San Francisco to Australia in 1888, I (although not an "old hand") can supply one or two details. Lubbock is my authority for the following. As "Bobstay" says, six ships (four full rigged and two barques) took part in this race. They all appear to have been well favoured by winds, and all made exceptionally good passages. The winner was James Beazley's British Ambassador, which sailed from San Francisco at 11 a.m. on February 17 and arrived at Newcastle (New South Wales) at daylight on March 27, This time, 38 days, was a record for iron ships. She was followed on March 29 by the Jubilee (Captain Hawkins), 40 days out. The next day the four-masted barque, Kenilworth (Captain MacNair), arrived, her time being 41 days. Then on April 2, three days after, the Port Jackson, Beecroft and Queen's Island, made port, all 44 days out. The record for all ships (so says Lubbock) was made by the American wooden, Glory of the Seas, in 35 days, although I do not know in which year this was done. As a further matter of interest, the Queen's Island was, at the time of her launch, the largest three-masted barque in the world. Built by Harland and Wolff, of Belfast in 1885, she came under the flag of the Aberdeen White Star in 1890 and was renamed Strathdon. O. D. PEEK.