Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-03-21
FAMOUS CLIPPERS.
Tho Wild WAYS, Prlda Of America and
Gaunllette
Well Remembered by Richmond People
and All Sailors.
Especial to the KEssEBEo JOURNAL. I

Especial to the KEssEBEo JoURsAL.J
RICHMOND, March 19.-Nothing so se.s
Richmond mans heart afame with en-.
thusiam IS the mention of the days when
along the water front Of the little village in
the Kennebec valley the music of the Ak
mans blow and the cslkei's msllet chimed
together. From ls40 to 1854, exceptional
conditions, both at home and abroad made
ship building profitable industry in New
England ard particularly in Mains whose
rugged hills yielded ample material for the
construction of ships which made her sors
famous for their mechanical skill in the
busy parts Of the word.
To meet the demands Of New England. I.
growing trade On the Pacific coast, conse-
9uent upon the discovery Of gold in Call
fornis, which called for faster clsss Of
vessels than was then oat three clipper
ships, the Gsuntlette, The Pride Of America
and the Wild Wave were built in Richmond
yards BY home skill snd enterprise in 1858
The JOURNAL representative fell in with
Master George II Fsrrin from whom he
got the following Interesting narrative con-
cerning the ships before mentioned:
The Wild Wave" ssid Mr.. Farrip,
twas launched from my yard late in tbs
fall of 1858 She was about 1000 ions
burthen, q large ship for those days, and
like her sisters the Gsuntlette and the Pride
Of America, was lofty spared and graceful
as fawn. As fhsve said she wss designed
Tor the California trade bat before she WAS
flushed things took another turn which up
set the owners plans.
The ship made her frs, voyage from
Bath to New Or cans. bringing c)ttoh
back to Boston. She was then chartered
for a foreign voyage and made one Of the
quickest passages sround the world that has
ever been made by a sailing ship.
When about three years old she was lost
on an unknown rock in the iodisn Ocean
The Pride Of America and the G4untletse
both fne s2ecimels of marine srchtec ure,
were launched fe. months earlier in the
season than the Wild Wave.
Both of them took fteiehts for Europe
and on their arrival were sold, the former
to the British government ard the latter 90
the French government for service in the
Crimean war
Concerning the Gsuntlette, which was
built by Hon. I J. Southsri, whose fore
man was J. 2. Smith, a Hsllnwell boy, then
young mechabIc and more recently a
Chicsgo capitalist, Al amusing story is told.
The Gsuntlette was fssf sailor and with
the wind free could make IL knots. After
changing hands she wss commanded By a
Frenchmsn VINO had been accustomed TO
sailing ship that would make only nine or
10 knots an hour and the Gxuatlette
knocked him out Of his reckoning Oh
hrs fl -st trip to the Black sea he took his
course when of the entrance to the Straits
Of Gibrsltsr with thick and heavy weather
aud when he came to make his reckoning
he found that he was $50 miles ahead of
where be thought he was. OF course the
London and Liverpool papers published the
joke and one of the forecsstle and ship yard
arms Of the day WAS about the Yankee
clipper runri0g away with the French cap
tsiu.