New York, June 13, 1853
The the Editors of the Atlas: -- Gentlemen -- Several statements having appeared in your city papers, to the effect that the clipper ship Northern Light had beaten the clipper ship Contest, on the last voyage to San Francisco and back, and as this is not the fact, I appeal to you to give the following communication, which was published in the Herald of the 4th inst., a place in your paper. The Boston papers were requested to copy it, but thus far, they have taken no notice of it whatever. Now as your paper is considered here the official organ of Clipperdom, I appeal to your sense of fair play to do the Contest justice.
New York, June 3, 1853.
To the Editor of the Herald: -- As our Boston friends seem highly elated with the crack passages made by their ship Northern Light, from San Francisco, and are disposed to disparage her competitor, the Contest, perhaps it would be well to give a history of the voyage of the two ships, that the public may judge which came out the winner.
The Northern Light sailed from Boston, Oct. 29, 1852, and arrived at San Francisco, Feb. 23, 1853, making the passage in 117 days.
The Contest sailed from New York, Nov. 16., 1852, and arrived at San Francisco, Feb. 24, 1853, making the passage in 100 days. Difference in favor of the Contest, 17 days on the outer passage.
On the return voyage, the Contest sailed from San Francisco, March 12, and arrived at New York, May 31 -- making the passage home in 80 days. The Northern Light sailed from San Francisco, March 13 [?], and arrived at Boston, May 29, making the passage in 77 days -- a difference of 3 days in favor of the Northern Light. We now proceed to sum up: -- Northern Light completed the voyage in precisely 7 months -- average passage out and home, 97 days. Contest completed the voyage in six months and fourteen days -- average passage, out and home, ninety days.
A number of squibs having appeared in the Boston papers in regard to the meeting of these two ships off Cape Horn -- in one of which it is said the captain of the Northern Light "could not hold up his horse" -- we will give some extract from the log book of the Contest, that the public may judge which had occasion to hold up the strongest:
"April 29, discovered a ship off the lee bow. At meridian, ship abeam -- made her out the Northern Light. April 21, Northern Light four points abaft the beam. April 22, Northern Light four miles astern. April 23, Northern Light fifteen miles astern, and out of sight in the course of the day."
As we have to make up the account with the Northern Light alone, we would only add, that the crack clippers Game Cock, Telegraph, Meteor, Whirlwind and Queen of the Seas, (belonging to Boston,) sailed on or before the Contest, all of which she beat from eight to seventeen days on the passage to San Francisco,
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P.S. The Boston papers in their eagerness to glorify the Northern Light, seem to have forgotten that she is the only Boston vessel, except the John Bertram, which returned from San Francisco in ballast, and this ship on her outward passage beat the Northern Light 12 days. The Flying Fish, built about the same time, made her first passage to San Francisco in 100 days, and her second in 92, or both passages in 192 days; whereas the Northern Light made her first passage in 109 days, and her second in 117 , or both passages in 226 days, having been beaten by the Flying Fish 34 days. The John Gilpin, too, a much fuller modelled ship that the Northern Light, beat her 19 days on the last passage to San Francisco. With these facts staring them in the face, it appears wonderfully strange that the Boston papers should be so silly as to call the Northern Light "their fastest ship". If the owners of the Northern Light feel inclined to bet a reasonable sum upon her next passage to San Francisco against the next passage of the Contest, I think a note of that effect addressed to her owners, would receive attention.
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Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius.
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