The Clipper Ship Young America vs. the Clipper Ship Sovereign of the Seas.— When the Young America was loading at new York, parties interested in obtaining freight for her, brought her before the public as a match for the Sovereign of the Seas. Her builder, W.H. Webb, Esq., no doubt ignorant of the trick, came boldly forward and offered to bet $10,000 that she would beat the Sovereign of the Seas. The bet was a sate [?] one, for the ship was not up for California; but it had the desired effect of obtaining freight, although it made Mr. Webb appear rather ridiculous when the trick was exposed. The Young America has completed her voyage, which was the same as that performed by the Sovereign of the Seas. It will be interesting, therefore, to compare their performances.

the Sovereign of the Seas, though she lost her fore and main topmasts and foreyard, made the passage from New York to San Francisco in 103 days, and the passage from Honolulu to New York, with a crippled foretopmast, and one-third manned, in 79 days. the Young America, made the passage from New York to San Francisco in 112 days, and from Honolulu to new York in 97 days, having been beaten on the voyage 27 days. We hope this fact will convince Mr. Webb that other people can build fast ships as well as himself, and that though he spoke disrespectfully of Eastern ships when he was in England, yet an Eastern built ship has beaten the fastest clipper he ever produced.

Boston Daily Atlas, 1854, April 8

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius

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