Bald Eagle

An extreme clipper ship built in 1852 by Donald McKay, East Boston, MA. Dimensions: 215'×41'6"×22'6" and tonnage 1705 tons, old measurements. She had no head or trailboards.

1852 November 25: Launched at the shipyard of Donald McKay, East Boston, for George B. Upton of Boston. Put on the California trade under Captain Philip Dumaresq.
1852 December 26: Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 107 days.
1853 May 8 - August 13: Sailed from San Francisco to New York in 96 days. Captain Caldwell replaced Capt. Dumaresq who was given command of the new clipper Romance of the Sea.
1853 October 1 - January 25: Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 115 days.
1854 March 1 - May 19: Sailed from San Francisco to New York in 78 days 22 hours. This is the fastest passage on record for a laden vessel.
1856 July 18: Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 120 days.
1856 December 7 - February 5: Sailed from San Francisco to Calcutta in 59 days.
1857 September 21: Sailed from Boston to Hong Kong in 109 days.
1858: Was put on the China trade.
1860 February 21 - June 25: Sailed from Liverpool to Shanghai and passed Anjer on May 24, 93 days out.
1861 October 15: Left Hong Kong for San Francisco with a cargo of rice, sugar, tea, and $ 100.000 of treasure. Disappeared en route to San Francisco under Captain Morris.

References:

Clipper ships, general references.
Howe, Octavius T. & Matthews, Frederick C.: American Clipper Ships 1833-1858. 1926. pp 33-35.
McKay, Richard: Some Famous Sailing Ships and Their Builder Donald McKay. 1928. pp 210-225.
McLean, Duncan: : The New Clipper Ship Bald Eagle of Boston. Boston Daily Atlas, 1852.

Updated 1998-02-01 by Lars Bruzelius.

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