Northern Light (clipper ship)

In 1853 won a bet among captains during a head-to-head clipper ship race from San Francisco to Boston. In that race, the Northern Light roundly beat two New York-built clippers, the Contest and Trade Wind. In addition to winning the bet, Captain [Freeman Hatch] of Eastham, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, set a speed record aboard the Northern Light for the fastest passage by a sailing vessel around Cape Horn, from San Francisco to Boston that has stood for more than 150 years. That record for a single-hulled sailing vessel still stands today.

Description of the Northern Light

Medium clipper ship built in 1851 by E. & H.O. Briggs, South Boston, MA, to the design of Samuel H. Pook. Dimensions: 171'4"×36'×21'9" and tonnage 1021 tons. The figurehead was an angel carrying a torch with a golden flame in an outstreched arm.

Chronology of the Northern Light

1851 September 25 Launched at the shipyard of E. & H.O. Briggs, South Boston, MA, for James Huckins.

1851 November 20 - March 8 Sailed from Boston to San Fancisco in 109 days under command of Captain Bailey Loring.

1852

Sailed from San Francisco to Boston in 100 days.

1852 October 29 - February 23

Sailed from Boston to San Francisco in 117 days under command of Captain Freeman Hatch (1820-1889).

1853 March 13 - May 29

Sailed from San Francisco to Boston under command of Captain Freeman Hatch of Eastham, Cape Cod, MA (1820-1889), in 76 days and 8 hours, the record to that date.

From the latitude of Rio de la Plata (Uraguay) to the Boston Lights, Northern Light required 24 days which is believed to be the fastest passage on record. The best day's run on the passage from San Francisco was 355 miles.

The New York-built clippers Contest and Trade Wind sailed from San Francisco on March 12 and 10 and arrived at New York after 80 and 84 days respectively. This race aroused considerable interest in the Boston newspapers.

1854

Sold at auction for $60.000 to Captain Doane.

1856 December 11 - March 23

Sailed from Boston to Angaur Island in 103 days.

1859 May 20 - September 13

Sailed from Boston to San Francisco in 116 days.

1861

Captain Lovell assumed command.

1861 December 25

Left Le Havre in ballast for New York.

1862 January 2

Collided with and sank the French brig Nouveau St. Jacques which crew was gotten aboard the Northen Light. Due to the damages received in the collision the latter had also to be abandoned. Part of the crew was picked up by the Norma and the rest by the Bremerhaven and were landed at Falmouth and Cowes respectively.

References

• Carl C. Cutler (1930), Greyhounds of the Sea, Halcyon House (especially pp. 266 ff.)

• Lars Bruzelius, The Maritime History Virtual Archives | Ships | American clipper ships

• Samuel E. Morison, The Maritime History of Massachusetts, 1783-1860. ISBN 0930350049

• Freeman Hatch memorial: http://www.capecodgravestones.com/easthampixweb/hat89ev.html