Comet (clipper)

Career (United States)
Name:	Comet
Owner:	Bucklin & Crane, New York
Builder:	William H. Webb, New York
Launched:	July 10, 1851
Career (United Kingdom)
Owner:	T.M. Mackay & Co., Liverpool, for the Black Ball Line
Acquired:	1863
Renamed:	Fiery Star [VNKF]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Extreme clipper
Tons burthen:	1836 tons OM, 1361 tons NM
Length:	241 ft. LOA
Beam:	41 ft. 4 in.
Draft:	22 ft. 2 in.
Notes:	2 decks [1] [2]

This article is about a clipper ship. For other ships, see Comet (disambiguation).

The Comet was an 1851 California clipper built by William H. Webb which also sailed in the Australia trade and the tea trade. This extreme clipper was very fast. She had record passages on two different routes: New York to San Francisco, and Liverpool to Hong Kong, and beat the famous clipper Flying Dutchman in an 1853 race around the Horn to San Francisco.

Voyages

Comet made four voyages between New York to San Francisco, with times ranging from 103-128 days. Other ports of call included Whampoa, Hong Kong, Manila, Macao, Liverpool, and Bremen. She sailed out of London, England in the Australia trade, with voyages to Queenstown, Moreton Bay, and Brisbane.

Record passages

Comet made a record passage from San Francisco to Cape Horn of 35 days 7 hours which is the record for the route. Her full passage to New York on this trip was 76 days.

In 1854, she made a record passage from Liverpool to Hong Kong in 83 or 84 days, with a best day's run of 350 miles.

Race with Flying Dutchman

In 1853, Comet beat the Flying Dutchman, another William H. Webb-built clipper, in a race from San Francisco to New York by 30 hours. Comet arrived on May 7th, after a passage of 83 days and 18 hours.^[2]

Loss of the ship

Comet left Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia for London on April 1, 1865. Fire broke out in the cargo of wool in her hold on April 13. The captain and 80 people, including all the passengers, abandoned ship in 3 boats, and were lost. On April 17, just as the Comet was about to sink, the 17 crew members remaining on board were rescued by the British barque Dauntless of Kingston. ^{[2] [1]}

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Crothers, William L. (1997). The American-Built Clipper Ship, 1850-1856: Characteristics, Construction, Details. Camden, ME: International Marine. pp. xv, etc.. ISBN 0070145016. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Bruzelius, Lars (1998-04-23). "Sailing Ships: Comet (1852)". Comet. The Maritime History Virtual Archives. http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/Ships/Clippers/Comet%281851%29.html. Retrieved June 21, 2010. 

External links

• Launch and Description of the Comet, Daily Alta California, July 1851 and Jan. 13, 1852, Maritime Heritage Project
• Comet Passenger List, Daily Alta California, January 13 1852, Maritime Heritage Project