Ariel (clipper)

The Taeping and Ariel

The Ariel was a three-masted full-rigged ship, which was constructed in 1865 in a composite of Robert Steele & Co., Greenock. She was next to her sister ship Sir referred to as one of the fastest clipper China Lancelot.

History

In the 1860s, the rigged three-masted ship had reached its final hull shape. What was new was introduced for only a few decades a composite structure in which a wooden planking was applied to a manufactured from iron bulkhead framework. This design was almost unknown until the 1850s, and after 1885 only very rarely applied, as set by the metal construction. But sailing vessels were produced with incredible seaworthiness during this period. A large number of these ships were built in Scotland for the expanding and highly profitable tea trade with China. Their purpose was solely to bring the new Chinese tea in the United Kingdom. One of the most outstanding of 16 ships was the Ariel, which include Serica, Sir Lancelot, the Taeping and Titania included. Her first captain, John Keay, described the ship as "a perfect beauty for every sailor who saw her ." The construction costs for the Ariel totaled 1865 15.350 British pounds, a considerable sum at that time. However, the ship lived up to expectations, so she left on her third voyage under the command of Captain Keay on May 30, 1868 at 10:30 clock Fuzhou on China's southeast coast with a cargo of 554,076 kg of tea and reached on September 6, after a journey of only 99 days London and was at 10.15 clock in the East India Docks established, which brought a lot of times earnings compared to the construction and operating costs. During a trip from London to Sydney in 1872 the ship was lost after only a short period of service.