The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-02-01
Pirate Graft.
Wreck of Fleet Clipper Flying Cloud on
Scotland Shores Sailed Spanish Main.
Crew Put to Death After Fight With Cum

Wreck Of Fleet Clipper Flying Cloud on
Scotland Shores Sailed Spanish Main.
Crew Put to Death After Fight With Gun
boat.
At the Grant homestead at Peaks Is
land there hangs on the wall beautiful
painting Of the clipper ship Flying Cloud.
The painter, Frank Beale OF Portland,
has beautifully displayed his art. The
old sailor who views the picture recalls
the days when this was one OF the noted
ships of the marine list. The Flying
Cloud was one of the most classy of the
square-rigged vessels. She was recog-
nlzed among the seamen as the fastest
clipper that ever sailed the Spanish Main,
and she has an interesting history. So
great was her speed in sailing that those
who wanted to engage in smuggling,
privateerlng and slave carrying purchase
ed her. For long time this craft and
her crew got mixed up in attacking
merchant vessels, taking what they
wanted and then setting a ship on fire
There is saying that every dog has his
day, and this is sometimes true of priv
ateers. 1t was so with the Flying Cloud.
She made an attack on one of the Span
ish frigates, and much to her surprise
she was forced to run. With every yard
OF canvas set, and a good breeze the
Cloud tried to get away from the gun
boat, but the captain fired on her just as
she was coming on top of comber in
which the she'll cut away the miZZen-
mast and forced her to drop in the rear.
A hand-to-hand battle took place. The
crew OF the pirate ship were overpoW-
cred, and without any further proceed
ing Tor trial they were put to death.
The vessel was taken in tow as prize.
Not much was heard about her after
this incident. The ship certainly had a
good record for fast sailing. She was
New England built, having been con-
structed at the Donald Mckay shipbuild-
ing yards in East Boston in the year
1851. Her dimensions were: Length of
keel, 2OS feet; length of deck, 225 feet;
length over all from knight heads to taft
rail, 235 feet; beam, 45 feet; depth of
hold, q 12 feet. Her tonnage was
l750. The Flying Cloud only by slight
margin had it over the Sovereign of
TIE Sea. which was built at the same
yard. The Flying Clouds day run from
noon to noon as recorded by Lieut.. Maury,
gives her sailing 374 knots. Lieut. Maury
gives the equivalent in land miles as
432.2 statue miles, which was "a hours,
~ minutes, seconds, equal to 427.5
statue miles for "a hours. In speaking
OF those who come next to making a
record like that of the Flying Cloud, the
old tale recalls the James Bains, another
OF the clipper style. 1t was said that
this vessel is being credited with making
a days run of APO, but the exact details
are wanting. The Flying Cloud, so it is
stated, went from New York to Frisco
In "a days. That is going some for
sailing vessel of her type. Next to the
Flying Cloud and the Bains, the ship
Red Jacket, a Maine built craft, can be
looked up to as being one of the fast
sailers. She was at one time the White
Star liner running for New York to
Liverpool. The Red Jacket was built at
Rockland by the concern of G. Thomas.
This vessel was also depended upon to
make good time crossing the Atlantic
contemporaries of the Flying Cloud,
Red Jacket and James Bains were the
SHIPS Lightning, Donald Mckay, Cham
pion of the Seas, Marco Polo, Blue jack
eft ard others. From 1853 upwards was
called the palmy days of sailing. Tn,
tea clippers that sailed across the west
ern ocean, reached perfection soon after.
Later developed in the building of YES
Lancelot was one of new design, with
iron framing and wood planking. In her
racing days when under sail spread
40, 200 feet of canvas. This was when
the sailmakers did good business and
there was plenty of work on hand all the
time. The Sir Lancelot foundered in
cyclone in the year 1895. We then hear
again of the Atlantic packet, Dread
nought, which was probably the most
famous IN the merchant marine. Her
fastest time from New York to Liver
pool was 10 days. Ii was magnificent
sight to see any of these vessels plough
ing through the briny deep with a bone
in their teeth.
But the romance of the sea today has
gone, and with it has also disappeared
the songs sung while on the deep. No
more the young commander is seen pac-
ing his quarter deck, with the canvas
! bellying out overhead, the meteor flag
cracking abaft, and firing his broad
sides into the enemy, while the gallant
thunder bomb surges along beneath his
tread. The days of piracy and privateer-
ing are over. And goes with them the
carrying on of the reefing topsails, which
all gave romance to sailors life. No
more is heard the singing of shantys.
The theme of song has passed. In weigh
ing anchor how often the old tar has been
heard singing the anchor Song" Had
Kipling but arrived years previous to
this time he would have made splendid
shantyman. But today his theme does
not exist. His verse has no meaning to
seaman of today.
What crew of a steamer today would
enjoy the singing Of shantys? Even on
our old-time sailing vessels where can be
learned shanty song? Remains OF
some, tits true, but the character has all
gone out of them. 1t would be absurd
to think of Frenchman, Dutchman,
Italian or Portuguese singing shanty
song. They could not appreciate our
ancient wild 'hoorawing" chorus. These
songs were very appropriate in the mouth
of an old packet rat. They have nc
sense of meaning to the seamen of today
who man our deep water fellows. The
packets are all gone, and SO are the roar.
ing brutal sea dogs, who sailed in them.
1t might be said that the birth of the
shanty songs came about among the
sailors during the destruction of the
Spanish Armada. 1t is said the songs
began to get popular among the seamer
from 1915 to 1872. Along with the
shanty song has disappeared the ship
itself. The Flying Cloud, according to