Built by the yard of William H.Webb, New York for N.L. & G Griswold, New York, as an extreme clipper.
24 May 1851 launched under the name "CHALLENGE". The launching ceremony was watched by the largest crowds that had ever attended a launching in New York.
Tonnage 2006 BD (old measurement) 1.365 (new measurement), dim, 224 x 43.2 x 25ft.. Building cost $ 150.000. She was the first three decked clipper built.
As figurehead she carried a huge eagle in flight, and a vine and scroll on her round stern. Carried five boats.
She sailed from New York and anchored at the South West spit on the 13 July 1851. Sailed the same day bound for San Francisco under command of Capt. R.H.Waterman. Capt. Waterman was a driver but a first class seaman and the "CHALLENGE" sailed slowly down the Atlantic in light winds and calms, she rounded Cape Horn in 12 days with gales, and after a voyage of 108 days she arrived at San Francisco on 29 Oct. 1851. During this voyage only on one day she made 300 miles and it was a disappointment for Captain and Owners. After arrival there were a lot of rumors even articles in newspapers that Capt Waterman was very hard for his crew and a brute. But after a trial at the captain owns request he was completely exonerated by the testimony of his passengers and crew.
Command was taken over by Capt Land and under his command she sailed to Shanghai to pick up a cargo of coolies and she sailed back to San Francisco in 34 days. She sailed then to the Hong Kong anchorage, where Capt Land died, command was taken over by Capt Pitt, before first mate of the "WITCHCRAFT". And under his command she loaded her first cargo of tea at Whampoa for London, sailed on 05 August 1852 and arrived at London on 22 November in 109 days.
From London she sailed direct back to China to load again a cargo of tea for the London market, sailed from Canton on 13 July 1853, but during the passage had to put in at Fayal, Azores on 20 Oct. 1853, leaky with crew and passengers manning the pumps. She arrived at Deal, England after a passage of 160 days on 20 December. She never loaded tea again for the London market.
After discharging she crossed the North Atlantic bound for New York and sailed again from this port on 4 Sept. 1854 under command of Capt. Kenney, bound for San Francisco where she arrived after a passage of 120 days on 2 Jan. 1855. During this voyage was she 20 days off Cape Horn. Then some of her history is missing. She appears again when she sailed from New York on 17 July 1858 under command of Capt. Fabens, and arrived at San Francisco on 12 Nov. after a passage of 117 days. Then she sailed to Hong Kong in 46 days, and returned to San Francisco in 46 days. She sailed again from San Francisco on 10 Aug. 1859 still under command of Capt. Fabens bound for Hong Kong, first the "CHALLENGE" experienced adverse winds and calms, but on the 17th Sept. she was in a typhoon in a position circa 20 degree North and 129 West. The logbook of the 17th Sept. gives. Laying too under main spencer, all other sails furled and extra gaskets (studding sail gear) passed. Typhoon in every sense of the world. At 3 p.m. the three royal masts blew over the side at 7 p.m. all three lower mast heads were twisted off and the ship completely dismasted, the spars chafing the ship badly outside, tearing up the decks, etc., blew away one boat and injured five or six others, some copper torn off. The twisting of the masts was so sudden that not one shroud backstay or stay gave way, but were obliged to cut away all our rigging to clear the wreck which hung alongside all night. Capt Fabens and his crew cleared the mess and the ship made it to Hong Kong after a passage of 49 days where she was laid up.
End 1860 she was sold to Captain Haskell, for $ 9.350. He used her around eastern ports for some time, thereafter was she sold in Bombay to the British firm of, Thomas Hunt & Co., Liverpool in 1861, and renamed "GOLDEN CITY". An other source gives she arrived Bombay 21 December 1861 from Calle leaking badly. and was thereafter sold to Thomas Hunt & Co. She was sold for 78.000 rupees renamed "GOLDEN CITY", call sign QLKN.
1866 Sold to Joseph Wilson & Co., South Shields, G.B. who put her in the trade to India and the Far East. 1867 Sailed from Liverpool to Bombay in 71 days. 23 July 1875 on a voyage from South Shields to Anjer loaded with a cargo of coal, her decks were swept clean by a heavy sea in the Indian Ocean, she lost 7 men including all officers except third mate. 07 Feb. 1877 lost at Abervache off Ushant on the French Coast in a position of 49 18N 06.44 W on a voyage from South Shields to Genoa loaded with 1.590 ts of coal and a crew of 26 men.
Grenada /Carriacou & Petite Martinique 2001 $6 sg?, scott?
Source Greyhounds of the Sea by Carl C. Cutler. The Tea Clippers by David R MacGregor.
http://pc-78-120.udac.se:8001/WWW/Nauti ... enge(1851).
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