Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-10-12
Elimination Race
Today to Select
American Defender

Boston, oct. 11-Rivalry between
the fishing fleets Of Boston and
Gloucester for the honor Of defend
ing the international trophy in the
fisherman's race Of Halifax. \. s.
will be put to a test tomorrow in the
elimination race to select the Ameri-
can defender.
Both cities have furnished SONG of
the ablest and fastest vessels that
have ever flown the American flag
The swiftest sailing ship that ever
spread canvas to the winds of heav-
en- was launched at Boston.
This was the extreme clipper
Lightning. launched at the begin
ming of the year 1854 from the Bos-
ton shipyard of Donald Mckay, a ma
tive of Nova Scotia. and the premier
designer of American clippers in the
classic age of the sailing ship.
When the rush to the gold fields
of Australia was at its height. James
Baines, Of Liverpool, England, man
aging owner OF the Australian Black
Ball Line, ordered four ships from
Mckay. and all were delivered in
1854. The first and most famous Of
these ships to take the water was the
lightning. of 2.OS4 tons; quickly fol-
lowed by the Champion Of the Seas.
2,44S tons; the James Baines. 1.515
tons: and the Donald Mckay. 2.59S
next to the Great Republic, the
largest clipper ever built
When the Lightning was ready for
nj
in the Australian Black. Ball Line
James \. Forbes, to take command
of her. Forbes had made his repu-
tation as commander of the Marco
Polo, the fastest clipper built in st.
John, New Brunswick. He set the
pace over the great ocean race
course between Liverpool and Mel
bourne. Australia.
One of the first shipmasters to
follow the great circle course into
high southern ATTITUDES when run
ming his Fasting down, (sailing
Eastward) Forbes had clipped weeks
off the best previous passages from
England and Australia. Bully"
Forbes, as he was known among
sailormen. was a hard driver of ships
and men when at sea-though there
is no positive evidence that he was
brutal in his methods-but ashore he
was a mild hammered man, who re-
garded himself as an authority on
theological matters.
In Boston. he met Captain LAUGH
Ian Mckay, who had made some re-
markable passages in the Sovereign
of the Seas and other clippers, and
who at the time was out of COM
mand, because the huge clipper,
Great Republic of 1856 tons, which
Donald Mckay, his brother had built
to smash the records in the Austria
liam trade, had recently been badly
| burnt in New York. Forbes got in
to an argument on theology with
Mckay, and as they were still dis
putting when the Lightning was
ready to sail, he invited Mckay to
accompany him on the voyage. He
wanted to continue the argum ent
and incidentally have assistance in
/ handling the latest creation of the
Boston shipyards.
The Lightning left Boston in mid :
February. bound for Liverpool,
Outside Boston Light the two cap
tains forgot all about their argu-
ment and devoted their attention to
tuning up the big clipper for dash
across the Atlantic. In the hands
Of these two noted shipmasters the
Lightning put her best foot forward,
and developed speed never gotten
out of her on subsequent voyages, an
unusual thing for a clipper on her
maiden voyage.
Although she encountered an un-
usual percentage of easterly gales for
the season Of the year. she made the
run round the north of ireland to
Eagles I1and in 10 days. and to the