California (Dutch ship)

Career (Netherlands)

Owner:	L. Bienfait & sn.
Builder:	Fop Smit
Launched:	1853
General characteristics
Class and type:	Clipper
Tons burthen:	663 tons

For other ships of the same name, see California (disambiguation).

California (663 tons) is the most famous of four Dutch clippers launched in 1853. An iron-hulled clipper, she was built by Fop Smit and mastered by F.C. Jaski for the company L. Bienfait & sn. On the maiden voyage Jaski sailed her in 86 days from The Downs to Port Adelaide, delivering a hundred English immigrants.

Clipper ships, designers & builders

American-built early clippers (in year order)	Anglona (1840) • Ariel (1842) • Houqua (1844)

American-built extreme clippers, 1845–1850 (in year order)	Rainbow (1845) • Sea Witch (1846) • Memnon (1848) • Ticonderoga (1849) • Race Horse (barque) (1850) • Sea Serpent (1850) • Stag Hound (1850) • Surprise (1850) • Witchcraft (1850)

American-built extreme clippers, 1851–1855	Blue Jacket (1854) • Challenger (1853) • Champion of the Seas (1854) • Comet (1851) • Emanuela (1854) • HMS Enchantress (1854) • Flying Cloud (1851) • Golden West (1852) • Great Republic (barque) (1853) • Hornet (1851) • Ino (1851) • James Baines (1854) • John Gilpin (1852) • Lightning (1853) • Manuela (1854) • N.B. Palmer (1851) • Nightingale (1851) • Ocean Telegraph / Light Brigade (1854) • Onward (1852) • Red Jacket (1853) • Sovereign of the Seas (1852) • Sunny South (1854) • Syren (1851) • Sweepstakes (1853) • Swordfish (1851) • Westward Ho! (1852) • White Swallow (1853) • Witch of the Wave (1851) • Young America (1853)

American-built medium clippers, 1851–1855	Andrew Jackson (1855) • Antelope of Boston (1851) • Carrier Dove (1855) • Carrier Pigeon (1852) • Celestial Empire (1852) • Ganges (1854) • Golden Fleece (1855) • Harriet Hoxie (1851) • Herald of the Morning (1853) • Kingfisher (1853) • Lookout (1853) • Mary Robinson (1854)

American-built clippers and medium clippers, 1856–1859	King Philip (1856) • Seminole (1865) • Thatcher Magoun (1856)

American-built clippers and medium clippers, 1860s	Cremorne (1863) • Shooting Star (1867)

British & Scottish-built "Aberdeen" clippers, 1839–1858	Challenger (1852) • Lammermuir (1856) • Lord of the Isles (1853) • Mimosa (1853) • Robin Hood (1856) • Stornoway (1850)

British & Scottish-built newer style clippers, 1859–1870	Ariel (composite) (1865) • Blackadder (iron) (1870) • Cimba • City of Adelaide (composite) (1864) • Cutty Sark (composite) (1869) • Fiery Cross (1860) • Flying Spur (1860) • Hallowe'en (iron) (1870) • Lahloo (composite) (1867) • Lammermuir (composite) (1864) • Leander (composite) (1867) • Lothair (composite) (1870) • Norman Court (composite) (1869) • Serica (1863) • Sir Lancelot (composite) (1865) • Taeping (composite) (1863) • Taitsing (composite) (1865) • Tayleur (iron) (1864) • Thermopylae (composite) (1868) •

Dutch-built clippers	California • Kosmopoliet • Stad Amsterdam

Canadian-built clippers	Marco Polo (1851) • Stag (barque)

American designers and builders	Curtis, James O. • Curtis, Paul • Curtis, Paul & Taylor • Fernald & Pettigrew • Griffiths, John Willis • McKay, Donald • Palmer, Nathaniel • Pook, Samuel Hartt • Webb, William H • Westervelt, Jacob A.

British & Scottish designers and builders	Linton, Hercules • Lithgow, William • Russell, John Scott • Scott & Linton • Pile, William

Surviving 19th Century clippers	City of Adelaide • Cutty Sark