The frigate "United States" vs. Clippers.

THE FRIGATE UNITED STATES VS. CLIPPERS. The Bunker Hill Aurora has committed the same error as the Traveller, by supporting that the passage of the Game Cock and Flying Cloud from San Francisco to the Sandwich Islands, were noted as instances of speed, instead of the reverse, and to show that the passage has been made in less time from Monterey, nearly the same distance, the Aurora has made the following extract from the log of the frigate. To show the comparative speed of our clippers, we have ranged alongside of this great run, the performance of the Flying Cloud and Surprise, in the same number of consecutive days:

United States			Flying Cloud.			Surprise
		Miles.			Miles.			Miles.
Nov.	23	172	July	30	284	March	6	187
"	24	204	"	31	374	"	7	235
"	25	174	Aug	1	231	"	8	261
"	26	177	"	2	264	"	9	235
"	27	202	"	3	206	"	10	203
"	28	222	"	4	208	"	11	204
"	29	211	"	5	216	"	12	202
"	30	187	"	6	226	"	13	210
Dec	1	205	"	7	230	"	14	201
"	2	216	"	8	199	"	15	115
"	3	188	"	9	247	"	16	158
"	4	102	"	10	199	"	17	284
		----			----			----
		2260			2987			2514

The Surprise had light winds the greater part of the time; and when the Flying Cloud made her greatest day's work she carried topgallant sails, with the wind one point before the beam. From these facts the B.H. Aurora will see, that our clippers, range far ahead of the "unrivalled" run of the United States. The Stag Hound, less than half-manned, passed the Sandwich Islands in nine days from San Francisco, thus beating the frigate's run two days. For ten consecutive days on the passage from China to New York, she averaged by observation 286 miles per day; for two consecutive days she ran 658 miles, and in one day, carrying royals, she made 350 miles. You must wake up, Mr. Aurora, if you wish to keep the run of our clippers.

The Boston Daily Atlas, March 19, 1852.

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius.

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives | The Boston Daily Atlas | Search.