page_title: Schomberg (1855)
section_title: Dimensions
hierarchical_section_title: Schomberg (1855) / Dimensions
caption_attribution_description: English: The wooden ship 'Schomberg', 2284 tons, at Aberdeen in Sept 1855, a wooden ship, 2284 tons, 262.0 x 45.0 x 29.2. Built 1855 by A. Hall and Co. Aberdeen. Owners James Baines and Co., registered Liverpool. She left Liverpool on her maiden voyage in Oct 1855 flying a signal 'To Melbourne in 60 days' but she was a very heavy ship carrying railway iron etc., and was proving rather slow. She was wrecked 27 Dec 1855, on her maiden voyage on the Victorian coast at a spot near Curdie's Inlet, now called 'Schomberg Reef'. Her captain James 'Bully' Forbes was charged with wrecking her, and other offences in Melbourne as a result of the accident. He was cleared but it was the end of his career as a commander of fast sailing clippers. The Christchurch NZ paper Sun, 15 March 1975 published an article stating that the remains of a large portion of this ship had been discovered washed up on the West Coast of New Zealand. It is claimed that the major portion of the upperworks (the hull above the load waterline) had broken free from the bottom of the ship and as a partially submerged wreck carried across the Tasman Sea.
context_page_description: The SS Schomberg was a clipper built in Aberdeen by Alexander Hall & Co. for "the Black Ball line" for carrying large cargoes and steerage passengers, and to "outdo the Americans". When built, she was regarded as the most luxurious and well-built clipper of the period.
  Baines & Co were the owners of the SS Great Britain, and Alexander Hall & Co. was the leading clipper shipbuilder in Britain.
  She was named after Captain Charles Frederick Schomberg R N., the Emigration Commissioner for Liverpool, an influential man when it came to securing government contracts for the carriage of emigrants. The Black Ball Line’s owners clearly sought his favour.
  She was launched in Aberdeen, Scotland, on 7 April 1855, and christened by A. H. Layard M.P..
  She was sunk on her maiden voyage in 1855 on the Shipwreck Coast of Victoria, Australia.
context_section_description: She was 2600 tons, 288 feet long, 45 feet broad, 29.2 feet deep. The Encyclopedia Britannica tell us "The frames of the vessel were of British Oak, and the planking consisted of four layers of Scotch Larch, each 2 inches thick. The 1st 2 layers were fixed in a diagonal position, passing down 1 side of the vessel and up the other, beneath the inside keel.  The 3rd layer was put on in a perpendicular position, and also passed under the vessel; and over this the outer layer was fixed horizontally.  By arranging the planking in the way described, great strength was obtained." She was built to carry 1000 passengers. The vessel cost £43,103.
  She was described as very "sharp forward", with a long clean run, and "considerable dead rise" at her midship section. She was heavily sparred, with single topsail yards, and three skysails. 
  It was believed that for speed she could outdo her American rivals.
caption: The Schomberg newly launched in Aberdeen
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