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Sir Lancelot and others. the Sir Lancelot, which in the same year made the passage to London in ninety days[1] (her owner*
- ↑ 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 fore-*mast
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 "
