Ben Cruachan

An iron fullrigged ship built in 1873 by Barclay, Curle & Co., Glasgow. Dimensions 255'5"×37'0"×21'7" and 1538 GRT, 1468 NRT and 1314 tons under deck.

Sister ship to the same owner's Ben Voirlich (1873).

1873 August: Launched at the shipyard of Barclay, Curle & Co., Glasgow, for Watson Bros., Glasgow. Assigned the official British Reg. No. 68051 and signal MHLR. Employed in the Australian wool trade until 1887.
1873 October 5 - December 13: Sailed from Glasgow under command of Captain Bully Martin to Hobson's Bay where she arrived 67 days out from Tuskar.
1874 September 4 - November 14: Sailed from Cape Clear to Hobson's Bay, Melbourne, in 71 days.
1877 April 17 - June 23: Sailed from Lizard to Melbourne in 67 days.
1880 April 18 - June 27: Sailed from Lizard to Melbourne in 70 days.
1884: Captain Douglas late of the Ben Voirlich changed ship with Captain Martin.
1886: Captain A. Roberts.
1887 May 4 - October 15: Sailed from the Tyne to San Francisco in 164 days.
18__: Sold to Mexican owners and was renamed Carmela.

References:

Square-rigged ships, general references.
Lubbock, Basil: The Colonial Clippers.
Brown, Ferguson & Son, Glasgow, 1948 (2nd).

Updated 1997-04-27 by Lars Bruzelius

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives.