Lightning (clipper)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lightning was a clipper ship, one of the last really large extreme clippers to be built in the USA. She was built by Donald McKay for James Baines of the Black Ball Line, Liverpool, for the Australia trade.^[1]

[edit] Statistics

Builder:	Donald McKay of East Boston, MA
L.O.D.:	237.5 ft. (72.4 m)
Beam:	44 ft. (13.4 m)
Draft:	23 ft. (7.0 m)
Tonnage:	2,084 tons

[edit] History

James Baines, owner of the Black Ball Line of Liverpool, ordered Lightning from Donald McKay of East Boston in the U.S.A. Like other McKay ships, she was a fast ship and achieved many quick passages. In 1854-55, she made the passage from Melbourne to Liverpool in 65 days, completing a circumnavigation of the world in 5 months, 9 days, which included 20 days spent in port.^[2]

Lightning caught fire at around 01:00 on 30 October 1869 at Geelong in Australia when fully loaded and ready to sail with 4,300 bales of wool, 200 tons of copper, 35 casks of wine and some tallow. Unable to control the fire the decision was taken at around mid-day to sink her. The initial attempts were by cannon fire from the shore to try and hole her below the waterline but this was unsuccessful. At about 16:00 some of the crew scuttled her by cutting holes on the waterline and she sank in 27 feet (8 m) of water.

[edit] References