Chaa-sze

An extreme clipper ship originally designed by William Rennie as an aux. steam whaler and built in 1860 by Alexander Hall & Sons, Aberdeen, at a total cost of £ 10.285. Her dimensions were 170'02×29'2"×18'2 and tonnage 556 GRT, 556 NRT, and 495½ tons under deck

Constructed with three layers of diagonal of teak planking under the traditional longitudinal planking. The planking was fastened with screw treenails. Originally ordered as an aux. steam whaler by a Peterhead company which did not take delivery of the vessel. Rigged with Cunningham's patent roller reefing top-sails and a mainmast skysail. Was the second ship equipped with the Emerson & Walker's patent windlass.

The figure head was two Chinamen supporting a shield with the ship's name painted in Chinese characters.

1860 May: Launched at the shipyard of Alexander Hall & Sons, Aberdeen, for J. Dudgeon, London. Assigned the Official British Reg. No. 28388 and signal PWGL. Command of the ship was given to Captain Andrew Shewan.
1860 June 15 — October 4: Sailed from Sunderland to Hong Kong in 111 days after having been partially dis-masted off the Nautuna Islands in the China Sea. While in Hong Kong the yards were shortened.
1861 July 23 — November 25: Sailed from Whampoa to London in 125 days with a cargo of tea.
1862 August 15 — December 15: Sailed from Canton to London in 122 days with a cargo of tea.
1863 June 22 — November 5: Sailed from Shanghai to London in 136 days with a cargo of tea.
1864 August 6 — December 6: Sailed from Hong Kong to Liverpool in 122 days with a cargo of tea.
1865 August 1 — December 18: Sailed from Foochow to London in 139 days with a cargo of tea.
1866: Sold to Finlay & Co., London. [Course]
1867: Sold to Baring Bros, London.
1868 April 2 — August 3: Sailed from Macao to London in 123 days with a cargo of tea.
1868: Sold to Devitt & Moore, London. Used in the Australian passenger trade under command of Captain L.W.E. Bowen.
1874: Sold to J. Delaney, London.
1876 June 28: Stranded north of the Grand Connetable Islands, French Guiana.

Updated 1997-05-06 by Lars Bruzelius

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