_-_SLV_H91.325-1033.jpg) Taeping | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Builder | Robert Steele & Company,Greenock |
| Launched | 1863 |
| In service | 1863–1871 |
| Out of service | 1871 |
| Fate | Wrecked nearLadd Reef 1871 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Clipper |
| Tonnage | 767 NRT |
| Length | 183 ft (56 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
TheTaeping was a teaclipper built in 1863 byRobert Steele & Company of Greenock and owned by Captain Alexander Rodger of Cellardyke, Fife. Over her career,Taeping was the first clipper to dock in London in three different tea seasons. This compares with the highly successfulFiery Cross, who won the "premium" in four separate tea seasons.[1]: 120-123
Taeping was one of the front runners in the very closeGreat Tea Race of 1866. DespiteAriel being ten minutes ahead ofTaeping atDeal,Taeping docked 28 minutes beforeAriel as she did not need to wait so long for the tide to rise to allow entry to her dock – and it was whoever docked first that was the winner.
The ship's first captain was Donald MacKinnon (Dòmhnall ’ic Nèill ’ic Dhòmnaill Ruaidh) of Heanish,Tiree. He was taken ill on the outward passage to China for the 1867-68 tea season and put ashore in South Africa, where he died. The first mate, J. Dowdy took over command, remaining in that position until he moved to another clipper in 1871.[1]: 146-147, 336-239
Taeping was wrecked on 22 September 1871 onLadd Reef in theSouth China Sea while traveling to New York.[1]: 147
Taeping was the first ship built ofcomposite construction in the yard of Robert Steele and Company. Composite construction, a metal framework with wooden planking, gave a stiffer hull that occupied less internal volume, but could still be sheathed with copper (to avoid marine fouling) as the timber electrically insulated the copper from the underlying iron structure – so preventinggalvanic corrosion.
She was launched on 24 December 1863. She measured 183.7 feet (56.0 m) length on deck, had a beam of 31.1 ft (9.5 m) and a depth of hold of 19.9 ft (6.1 m) feet. She was 767 tons.
Taeping encountered a typhoon on her first trip back from China with a cargo of tea. She left Shanghai on 1 July 1864. After losing her bowsprit, foremast and the main and mizzen topmasts in the storm, she was towed into Amoy byHMS Flamer on 23 July. After the substantial repairs that were needed, she sailed again on 8 October and made the very quick passage of 88 days to Deal.[1]: 146-147
Her 1865 outward passage from London to Hong Kong was 94 days. The homeward passage started on 29 June and was of 104 days.[1]: 146-147, 234
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In May 1866Taeping was one of 16 clippers waiting to load tea in Foochow (Fuzhou). This was the port where the new crop of tea became available at the earliest point in the season – so this is where ships trying to be the first back to London had to load. She sailed on 30 May, as didAriel (after a delay getting over the bar) andSerica. A multiple previous winner of tea races,Fiery Cross had been the first to sail the day before, andTaitsing left on 31 May.[1]: 155-157
The very close race that followed became known as theGreat Tea Race of 1866. Though these ships were out of sight of each other for much of their passage back to England, they were a few days apart for most of that time. Ariel was the first to enter theEnglish Channel, but withTaeping in sight as soon as the sun rose.[1]: 155-157 [2]
Ariel was ten minutes ahead ofTaeping atDeal, where both ships signalled their numbers and collected pilots. After taking tugs, the two ships had to wait for the tide atGravesend before proceeding to their respective docks in London. Taeping had the advantage that there were two sets of lock gates to enterLondon Docks. When the tide was high enough, she was able to pass through the outer set of gates and the lock was topped up from the water in the basin.Ariel's destination,East India Docks, only had a single set of lock gates. So she had to wait for the tide to rise a little further before she could enter. The result was thatTaeping docked 28 minutes beforeAriel, being the winner under the rules.[1]: 155-157
Serica docked late on the same tide, so three tea clippers had arrived, in commercial terms, at the same time. This would cause a glut in the market for new crop tea. To avoid the tea merchants (who were obliged to pay a "premium" of 10 shillings per ton, as written into the bills of lading, to the winning ship) calling the race void through some technicality, Taeping's owners agreed to share the premium with Ariel if they did not contest the result – and this agreement was put into effect. This was the last tea season in which a "premium" was written into any bill of lading for being the first clipper home from China.[1]: 155-157 [2]: 152
OnTaeping's next outward passage to China, Captain MacKinnon, her master, became seriously ill and was landed atAlgoa Bay. He died on the way home, at the age of 41. The first mate, Dowdy, took over command. On the return trip to London, for the 1867–68 season,Taeping was the fourth ship to sail from Foochow, withSerica andMaitland having crossed the bar of the Minh river 3 days before. By the timeSerica was passing Hong Kong, 5 days later,Taeping had caught up. With a total passage time of 102 days,Taeping was the first tea clipper to dock in London that season.[1]: 146-147, 236
In the 1868-69 tea season,Taeping was one of the front runners, putting in a passage of 102 days, but was beaten both on passage time and arrival date byAriel andSpindrift.[1]: 182-184, 237 She was the first tea clipper home in the 1870–71 season.
Taeping struckLadd Reef in the China Sea on the night of 22 September 1871. She was on route to New York from Amoy.[1]: 182-184, 237 Every effort was made to get her off, but she was stuck fast. The crew took to the ship's three boats and stayed with the ship in the hope that she would be lifted off by the tide. She was abandoned on 24 September and the boats set off forSaigon. They became separated in rough weather. One was picked up bySerica, who was also bound for New York with tea. The other two boats made it safely to land.[3]
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