The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-08

as a tea clipper for the Thompsons. of
London. formerly the White Star clipper
line. For the nine years following she
won every prize worth winning, and on
her first trip. which was to Melbourne.
Australia. made the unprecedented rec
ord OF fifty-six days. This Is the fastest
trip made before or since, and she next
went from Sydney to Shanghai I'm TWEEN
ty-eight days. which record has never
been lowered nor enatched by seven days.
From Foochoo to London she made the
remarkably quick passage OF only eighty
nine days.
The fame of me great clipper had by
that time spread from ocean to ocean, far
and wide. and was heralded In every port
OF the globe. and many were the incred-
uloIs seafaring people and clippers In
general who said she could not do IL
again. Immense sums of money have
been lost and won on her. but she never
proved a disappointment to her admir-
trs. On her second trip to Melbourne she
made the run IN sixty days. thus demon
sirating TO any practical navigator that
ner speed had not been overrated. The
varying tradewInds In that long passage
and the differences In any season would
more than account for a slight loss or
four days
Big Sums Won on Her speed.
The Thermopylae was operating In the
tea trade. which in the decade from 1858
10 ISIS was at It's height For the first
cargo OF the seasons tea big premiums
we're offered. and the Thermopyiae never
lost premium. Her original cost was
s-S0oo0 and she paid for herself over ana
cN.f again I'm the freights and In secur-
I'd these advances for the first crops.
frequently four 90 six of the neetest
vessels would make IL a point TO start
simultaneously and she never alicwed
her r;va's 20 win the iaurels. she was
Their 2 full-rigged ship. with SKY SANS
sna s;adding sails. and she carried one
fourth more canvas than the ordinary
ship and at shat time had a crew or
forty-eight men. For carrying tea she
received s. 50 and SIC a ton. which Was
very profitable. but now the rates have
fallen 20 maximum OF s.. leaving the
traffic little better than ballast.
Then she Turned to Wool.
For a number of years after the decline
OF the tea business the vessel was enSaSen
IN the wool trade from Australia 20 Eng
land and carried general cargo on return
voyages. In this line she continued on
asohedule equal to any or the pest eucfes
q her early history but the competition
fer premiums not being a factor. the IN
terest declined and clipper ships oegsn
With the advent OF swift Atlantic liners 10
lose attention.
Now She Flies With Lumber.
Five years ago the Thermopytae was
purchased BY her present owners. the
Mount Royal Milling and Manufacturing
torpany. OF Montreal whose owners aa4
representative name in Victoria u te
vel known shipping firm OF Han. Ross \
20 She was then rc-rigsed into park
and her home port was changed from
aberdeen 10 Victoria. Il. g. she mas neeh
engaged in the Oriental trade carrying rice
Tor Hall, Ross & Co.'S mill and more fe-
Gently In lumber shipments 10 Shansnsi.
ter average time from Victoria 10 thit
PORT is farty~three days. From cape tia'-
terry 10 Hongkong by the way OF the ha-
NaAan Islands she made the never aes IN
sAe q thirty nine days. and on her i9s'
tip, arriving abau, three weeks since
sae ran 'gou Shanghai 20 NiciorsA 81
sNenty-niue days. with FIVE days OF nesNs
nea4 Winds. which IS as good az stesns''p
Tine, and better than Was ever before
oone M sailing vessel. her own receta
Included. She Will sail for the tniie1
Kingdom about July . Win $50 90 feet OK
taafoer. ara expects 20 easily make In
sfpool N - days. beating the average OF
tae best ssllers by twenty days In the
.essEe she VIII encounter northeast
,fsees in the north Pacific and north A.
.ehite ard southeasters IN the south ia
ssae and sough Atlantic. with GoldFurns or
s@stahle winds and rains In The eauatoriai
Regions.
The Good Points OF Her kutid.
from the beauty Of outline and SYM
@etfy az form one does not have 70 De
ssssaaa or ship carpenter 10 see az giaFace
saat ne Thermopylae IS an unusually fast
,oAt The model is distinctive Naent
So{toQ NTH q Very zhsro Head rise 81 SIX