Comet
An extreme clipper ship built in 1851 by William H. Webb, New
York, as Yard No. 62.
Her dimensions were: 229'×41'4"×22'2" and tonnage: 1836 (old
measurement) and 1361 (new measurement).
Built with diagonal iron strapping. Her deadrise was 27".
- 1851 July 10
- Launched at the shipyard of W.H. Webb, New York, for
Bucklin & Crane, New York. The first master was Captain E.C. Gardner late of the Celestial.
- 1851 October 1 — January 12
- Sailed from New York to San
Francisco in 103 days.
- 1852 September 27 — January 18
- Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 112
days.
- 1852 May 6
- Sailed from Wampoa to New York in 83 days with a
cargo of tea and silk.
- 1853 February 12 — May 7
- Sailed from San Francisco to New York in 83 days 18 hours beating the also Webb built clipper Flying Dutchman with 30 hours.
- 1853 August 4 — December 10
- Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 128 days.
- 1853 December 27 — March 14
- Sailed from San Francisco to
New York in 76 days 7 hours anchor to anchor (76 days pilot to pilot). The time
from San Francisco to Cape Horn was 35 days 7 hours which is the record for the
route.
- 1854 June 17 — September 9
- Sailed from Liverpool to
Hong Kong in 84 days 16 hours anchor to anchor (83 days 21 hours pilot to
pilot). This passage is believed to be the record. The best day's run was 350
miles.
- 1855 August 19
- Arrived at New York from Bremen. Captain Arquit
replaces Captain Gardner.
- 1856 October 24 — February 25
- Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 123 days.
- 1856 October 23
- Arrived at San Francisco from Wampoa after 130
days.
- 1857 January 31 — June 22
- Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 142 days.
- 1858 December 15 — April 7
- Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 112 days under command of Captain Todd.
- 1859
- Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 113 days under command of Captain Todd.
- 1859 September 24 — January 17
- Sailed from Manila to New York in 115 days. The passage from Anjer was 77 days.
- 1860 March 9 — June 30
- Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 113 days under command of Captain Todd.
- 1861 March 16
- Sailed from Hong Kong to New York in 101 days.
- 1862 October 2 — February 20
- Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 141 days. The bowsprit was badly sprung off Cape Horn.
- 1862 August 6 — December 19
- Sailed from Macao to New York in 135 days. The rudderhead was sprung in the China Sea during a typhoon.
- 1863 March 11
- Sailed from New York to London in 19 days.
- 1863
- Sold to T.M. Mackay & Co., Liverpool, for £ 8100 and
was renamed Fiery Star [VNKF]. Sailed for the Black Ball Line.
- 1863 April 11 — November 20
- Sailed from London via Queenstown with 525 passengers to Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Queensland, in 93 days.
- 1864 July 25 — November 5
- Sailed from London via Queenstown to Keppel and Moreton Bay.
- 1865 April 1
- Sailed from Moreton Bay for
London.
- 1865 April 13
- The cargo of wool caught fire. All passengers and part of the crew
left the ships in the boats and were never heard of again.
- 1865 April 20
- The mate and 17 of the crew were taken off the ship
by the barque Dauntless of Kingston.
References:
Updated 19998-04-23 by Lars Bruzelius.
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Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.