Sierra Nevada 1854 Clipper

[kc]

We came across this photo of what we think is the four-masted American clipper from 1854, Sierra Nevada. If we could get confirmation of that, great, but information on the internet seems scant to say the least. We understand it broke it's back in Liverpool docks in the UK in 1855, and this could have been when the photo was taken, but I've never seen a photo so clear from 1855 before. Would be great to see if anyone has any info on this one. (The name Sierra Nevada is very clear on the ship)

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/images/bld0012_sierranevada.jpg

Sierra Nevada.

[The Sailor]

kc the name on the ship that is shown in the pic is Lucinda something. I can't make the second word out. It appears to be hyphenated like a Spanish name.
How did you get to Sierra Nevada?

[kc]

Trust me sailor, it is Sierra Nevada.

That image is scaled down for the internet. The original is about 15 inches high and you can make out the name very clearly. I would post a detailed section to prove it, but I'm not at work just now, where the image is kept.

[The Sailor]

I have to believe you Kc. But I dont get it. Look at the name on the ship in the pic. The first word is the biggest of the two. Must be distortion doing it.

[kc]

Looking at it on the screen, I think you are seeing the NE of NEvada as part of the first word. It does look like that now I'm studying it here. Must just be a visual trick which makes it look like that. Normally I'd be happy to question the name of a ship in a photo so old, but this one is remarkably clear, so much so it is unquestionable, and is also helped by being such a large photo in the first place.

[cissystar650]

Blimey...not an easy one to research! I thought I had found it, but then read the Ship's description, and obviously not. This one I hoped was more likely, until you see the photo of the 'Royal Dane' which has three masts, not four.

Here's the article anyway.... but feel free to say "wrong one" cos it probably is!


Royal Dane's Career. the Sierra Nevada (to use her original name)

Built at New York, [registered Portsmouth USA] in 1854, proved herself worthy of inclusion among the best of the clippers by her early passages on the Cape Horn route between New York and San Francisco. [The Royal Dane was a big three decked ship of 1616 tons] When acquired by James Baines and Coy. for the Black Ball fleet her name was changed to Royal Dane, as a compliment to the Danish princess, Alexandra, who had married the Prince of Wales, afterwards Edward VII. On her first appearance in Queensland waters she was bound for Keppel Bay, with 540 immigrants, and she dropped anchor in that harbourage on July 25, 1865, after an excellent passage of 93 days. She was then commanded by Captain Lewis Davies, who afterwards brought her out to Moreton Bay in 1867 and 1869, each time with a large number of new settlers. In 1870 Captain Daniel R. Bolt and Mr. George Cater, who had been master and mate respectively in the Young Australia, transferred in like capacities to the Royal Dane. Both were well and favourably known in Queensland over a long course of years. Under Captain Bolt the Royal Dane voyaged to Keppel Bay in 1870 and to Moreton Bay in the following year. It was rather a coincidence that the next commander of the Royal Dane, Captain James Cooper, should also have been master of the Young Australia just before his appointment to the other ship. It was after the wreck of the Young Australia on Moreton Island, an unfortunate happening, for which Captain Cooper was not in any way blamed. Under Captain Cooper, the Royal Dane made two voyages to Moreton Bay - in 1873 and 1874. She was then withdrawn from the Queensland trade; and, with the same commander, made two or three voyages from Mobile, Alabama, to London or Liverpool, with cotton. She ended her career by foundering off the Chilean coast, near San Carlos, on June 15, 1878.[when homeward bound with guano.] Captain Cooper afterwards returned to and settled in Queensland, and was for some years in the service of the Harbours and Rivers Department. Captain Bolt was subsequently appointed by the Queensland Government as inspector of immigrant ships in London. He later went to sea again, and had command of the ship Harbinger, a well known passenger vessel on the London to Melbourne run.

The following is from the excellent Clipper Ship pages of Lars.Bruzelius

Sierra Nevada:
A royal-yard rigged wooden clipper ship built in 1854 by Toby & Littlefield, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Her dimensions were 222'2"x44'4"x19'4" [note that her draft was given as 21 feet in 1874 by the passenger Charles French - D.H.] and tonnage: 1942 tons (old measurements), 1616 tons (British), 1061 under deck tonnage.
1854 May 25 - Launched at the shipyard of Toby & Littlefield, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for Glidden & Williams, Boston. The commander on the first voyage, which was Boston - Callao in 97 days, was Captain Penhallow. [Callao is the port for Lima in Peru. Guano from offshore islands was the return cargo usually. D.H.] [Howe & Matthews have September 29 as launch date]
1855 - Ran foul of the Jane Leach and lost her figurehead. 1855 - Stuck on the dock sill at Wellington Dock, Liverpool, which broke her back. Sold for $ 9000.
1856 - Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 128 days. After that San Francisco - Callao in 53 days and then Callao - Hampton Roads in 69 days. The last voyage for the year was Boston - San Francisco, 140 days.
1858 - Sailed from New York to Melbourne in 105 days under command of Captain Blaney. Melbourne - Hong Kong, 53 days. Anjer - New York, 79 days. Captain James G. Foster, Boston - San Francisco, 97 days. San Francisco - New York, 98 days.
1861 - Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 114 days. San Francisco - New York, 101 days. New York - San Francisco, 105 days, under command of Captain Horton. San Francisco - Callao, 52 days. Callao - London, 80 days.
1862 - April 29 - Missed stays while beating out of the Golden Gates, San Francisco, and went ashore at Fort Point. Repairs at the Mare Island Navy Yard cost $22,000. When ready for sea she dragged her anchors and drifted on to the clipper ship Phantom and caused damages to the rigging of $3000.
1862 - October 12 - December 31 - Sailed from Callao to London in 80 days with a cargo of guano.
1863 March - Sold to Mackay & Baines, London, for £ 10,750 and was renamed Royal Dane.
1866 - August 18 - Sold to J.P. Foulkes, London.
1866-1870 - On charter to the Black Ball Line.
1875 - [?] - Sold to John Harris, London.
1877 -[June 15, 1878? D.H.] Wrecked on the coast of Chile on voyage from Callao to Liverpool with a cargo of guano.

Updated 1997-04-26 by Lars.Bruzelius@udac.se
The Maritime History Virtual Archives | Ships | American clipper ships
Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.