Great Republic

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Launched in October 1853, the Great Republic is noteworthy as the largest wooden clipper ship ever constructed. Originally designed by naval architect/shipbuilder Donald McKay as a four-deck medium clipper, the Great Republic—at 4555 tons registry (most likely Gross Register Tonnage or GRT measurement)—was intended to be the most profitable wooden sailing ship ever to ply the Australian gold rush and southern oceans merchant trade. After being launched and outfitted, the Great Republic sailed from Boston to New York, where in December 1853 its first cargo was loaded.

On December 27, 1853 a fire broke out near the piers where the Great Republic and several other wooden merchant vessels were moored. The fire quickly spread to the merchant vessels and the Great Republic was consumed to near the waterline. The ship was declared a total loss and Donald McKay was compensated by insurers. The remaining sunken hulk was then sold by the insurance underwriters to Captain Nathaniel Palmer who salvaged and rebuilt it as a three-deck vessel with reduced masts. Still the largest clipper ship in the world at 3357 tons registry, the Great Republic started back in merchant service in February 1855 and continued until March 1872 when a hurricane off Bermuda caused the ship to leak badly and be abandoned. During its 19-year merchant career, the Great Republic proved to be very fast under leading breeze conditions and often out-distanced the fastest merchant steamers on Mediterranean routes. Sailing around the horn of South America, the Great Republic averaged 17 knots to set a record by logging 413 nautical miles in a single day.

A wooden sailing vessel larger than the Great Republic was launched nearly three decades earlier in June 1825; however the 5294 ton crudely built Baron of Renfrew—a so-called disposable ship—was never intended for the merchant trade but for just a single voyage from Quebec to London only to be dismantled and sold piecemeal to English shipbuilders at premium prices since large timbers were in short supply. The vessel itself was exempt from British taxes imposed on "oak and square pine timber cargoes" and thus gained an economic advantage. Unfortunately, the Baron of Renfrew was wrecked as it was being towed toward London in a storm. Although reports differ, most indicate the timbers were recovered, sold and the venture was ultimately successful. Nevertheless, when the British tax on timber cargoes was changed shortly afterwards, the economic advantage disappeared and disposable ship construction ceased.