Northern Light

Medium clipper ship built in 1851 by E. & H.O. Briggs, South Boston, MA, to the design of Samuel H. Pook. Dimensions: 171'4"×36'×21'9" and tonnage 1021 tons. The figurehead was an angel carrying a torch with a golden flame in an outstreched arm.

1851 September 25: Launched at the shipyard of E. & H.O. Briggs, South Boston, MA, for James Huckins.
1851 November 20 - March 8: Sailed from Boston to San Fancisco in 109 days under command of Captain Bailey Loring.
1852: Sailed from San Francisco to Boston in 100 days.
1852 October 29 - February 23: Sailed from Boston to San Francisco in 117 days under command of Captain Freeman Hatch (1820-1889).
1853 March 13 - May 29: Sailed from San Francisco to Boston in 76 days and 8 hours, the record to that date. From the latitude of Rio de la Plata to the Boston Lights, Northern Light required 24 days which is believed to be the fastest passage on record. The best day's run on the passage from San Francisco was 355 miles.
The New York built clippers Contest and Trade Wind sailed from San Francisco on March 12 and 10 and arrived at New York after 80 and 84 days respectively. This race aroused considerable interest in the Boston newspapers.
1854: Sold at auction for $60.000 to Captain Doane.
1856 December 11 - March 23: Sailed from Boston to Angaur Island in 103 days.
1859 May 20 - September 13: Sailed from Boston to San Francisco in 116 days.
1861: Captain Lovell assumed command.
1861 December 25: Left Le Havre in ballast for New York.
1862 January 2: Collided with and sank the French brig Nouveau St. Jacques which crew was gotten aboard the Northen Light. Due to the damages received in the collision the latter had also to be abandoned. Part of the crew was picked up by the Norma and the rest by the Bremerhaven and were landed at Falmouth and Cowes respectively.

Updated 1997-01-23 by Lars Bruzelius

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives | Ships | American clipper ships