The design of this beautiful vessel may be said to embrace the most advantageous points contained in the ships Surprise and Game Cock. Her ends are sharper than those of the Surprise, and she has about the same fore rake, or inclination of stem, but more buoyancy of floor. Her dead rise is 27 inches, and her floor, owing to the uprightness of her stem, for she has only 5 feet fore rake, is carried well forward and aft, and is therefore available for speed and buoyancy almost the whole length of the keel.
She has 24 inches sheer, and broadside on has somewhat the appearance of our fast vessel of war, but aft, the outline of her stern is lighter, and is fashioned to curve along the line of the monkey rail, and below, to form a complete arch, like the stern of the Game Cock. Her sides swell about 4 inches, but their fore and aft sweep is bold and easy. She has rounded lines, and ends of great beauty. A female figure, placed in a graceful and airy attitude, imparts ease and elegance to the bow, and the style in which the mouldings of the planksheer and main rail is carried forward, is excellent. Her ornamental work fore and aft, corresponds well with the beauty of her hull.
She will register about 1066 tons. Her length on the keel is 173 feet, on deck 178 feet; her extreme breadth of beam 36 feet, and depth of hold 21½ feet. Her frame is of white oak, and the style of her construction is not surpassed by that of any clipper we have ever seen. She is coppered and copper fastened, well ventilated and salted, and in every other detail is a vessel of the first quality, and we feel confident that she will be both swift and weatherly. She is well sparred and rigged, and looks as neat aloft as she is below. Her accommodations, fore and aft, are spacious, and well designed. Her sailors have a fine house amidships, and her cabin is under a half-poop deck, with a house in front. She has two splendid cabins, finished with satinwood, mahogany, rosewood, &c., and set off with gilding, pilasters, and a variety of rich carving, which much be seen to be appreciated. Both cabins and staterooms are finished and furnished in a style of elegance that we have not yet seen surpassed in any vessel of her size.
Outside she is painted black, and inside buff color, and take her all in all, she looks the clipper to a charm.
She is owned by Messrs. Phineas Sprague & Co., of this city, and is designed for the California and China trade. Mr. Samuel H. Pook designed and modelled her, and she was built by Mr. James O. Curtis, who built the clipper Shooting Star, and it is but fair to add that both designer and builder have performed their work well and satisfactorily. Mr. F. Waterman superintended her constructionand equipment. Capt. Kimball Harlow, well known as an enterprising and experienced sailor, commands her. She will leave this afternoon at 4 o'clock, in tow of steamer Ajax, for New York, and will there load for San Francisco. As she will have quick despatch, she offers an excellent opportunity to those who wich to ship goods by her. Good luck to her.
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius.
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Copyright © 1997 Lars Bruzelius.