The ORIENTAL a clipper ship was built by Jacob Bell, New York for the New York merchants A.A.Low & Brother.
04 August 1849 launched under the name ORIENTAL.
Tonnage 1,003 tons, dim. 185 x 16 x 21ft.
Built under the supervision of Captain Nat Palmer.
Built of live oak, white oak, locust and cedar, her decking being of white oak.
Building cost US$70,000.
Built for the China trade.
10 September 1849, maiden voyage under Captain N.B. Palmer bound for Canton, China. The ORIENTAL returned 21 April 1850 at New York after a voyage of 81 days after sailing from China.
Captain Palmer signed off after arrival he was 50 years old, and an old man for the clipper service.
Under command of his younger brother Theodore Palmer the ORIENTAL sailed on 18 May 1850 from New York bound for Hong Kong via the Cape of Good Hope. In the record time of 81 days, her best day run was 302 miles. It is still a record for a clipper ship between New York and Hong Kong.
By her agent in Hong Kong, Mr. Russel & Co. she was offered of £6 per ton of 40 cubic feet if she would load for London, which was 2 to 3 pound per ton more than other vessels received.
She sailed from Whampoa on 27 August 1850, with on board 1,618 tons of tea, arrived off Anjer against the monsoon by 18 September, passed the Lizard (south coast England) after 91 days out and berthed in the West India Docks at London on 4 December after a voyage of 99 days. A very fast passage in consideration that she was sailing against the monsoon.
1851 After discharging at London she obtained a charter for a round voyage to Hong Kong and back sailing out in 116 days and returned against the monsoon this voyage in 128 days.
She made a other voyage to China, this time loaded at Shanghai for New York were she arrived on 16 December 1852 after a passage of 106 days. Two years and seven months had elapsed since she left Sandy Hook, in that time she had sailed 97,000 miles.
26 January 1853 she sailed from New York under command of Captain Fletcher arrived at San Francisco on 7 May, after a passage of 101 days. Off Cape Horn she lost her foremast which was repaired at sea.
After discharging at San Francisco she sailed across the Pacific to China to load again a cargo of tea for London, first at Canton then completing in Foochow.
She was lost on the River Min when she was towed out from Foochow by local boats and under pilot directions, she hit a rock and sank on 25 February 1854.
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