Flying Spur (clipper)

From SpottingWorld, the Hub for the SpottingWorld network...
Career Great Britain
Name: Flying Spur
Owner: John Robertson & Co, London[1]
Builder: Alexander Hall & Sons, Aberdeen
Cost: £13.787
Launched: 1860
Out of service: 1881
Fate: Wrecked on Martin Vas, North Rock, in the South Atlantic.[2]
General characteristics
Class and type: Extreme clipper
Tons burthen: 732
Length: 184 ft.
Beam: 31 ft. 4 in.
Draught: 19 ft. 4 in.

Flying Spur was a British Tea Clipper, built of teak and greenheart in 1860.[2]

Voyages in the tea trade

For twenty years, Flying Spur sailed with cargoes of tea between London and the Chinese port of Foochow, with voyages to Canton, Nagasaki, and Deal as well. [2]

"On 13 February 1881 she stranded on Martin Vas, North Rock in South Atlantic, having aboard cargo of coal and crew of 18 (compared to 36 in her days as tea clipper)."[1]

The Great Tea Race of 1866

Along with nine other ships, Flying Spur sailed from China to England in The Great Tea Race of 1866, but was not considered a contender, as she left on the 6th of June; the favorites had already departed on May 30th and June 1st.[3] Flying Spur placed fourth in the Tea Race of 1867, "(116 days with 49,710 lbs tea). First was [Ariel|Ariel] (102 days, 1,283,000 lbs tea).[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Aberdeen City Council (2010). "Aberdeen Ships, Flying Spur". Aberdeen Built Ships. http://www.aberdeenships.com/single.asp?offset=990&index=100140. Retrieved 2010-02-21.  Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "aberdeen" defined multiple times with different content
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lars Bruzelius (2003-04-28). "Clipper Ships: "Flying Spur" (1860)". http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/Ships/Clippers/Flying_Spur%281860%29.html. Retrieved 2010-02-21. 
  3. Lars Bruzelius (Wednesday, September 12, 1866). "The Great Tea Race, 1866". The Shipping and Mercantile Gazette. pp. p. 5. http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/News/SMG/SMG%281866-09-12%29_p5ab.html. Retrieved 2010-02-21.