Wednesday May 23, 2007 | 3 comments
In the daybreak hours on Monday May 21st, the Cutty Sark burned and was reduced to a blackened hull. British authorities are treating the fire as a suspicious incident.
At 138 years, the Cutty Sark was the last surviving British tea clipper specifically designed for speed. She left the port of London on her maiden voyage for Shanghai on February 16th, 1870 with “large amounts of wine, spirits and beer†and returned merely 8 months later with 1,450 tons of Chinese tea. She travelled to China for a total of 7 more times between 1871 and 1877. After her tea trade years, she continued to engage in various maritime activities until December of 1954 when she was towed into a specially constructed dry dock at Greenwich, England.
Chris Levett, the chairman of Cutty Sark Enterprises, has expressed confidence that the vessel could be restored. “This is going to make us even more determined to get this ship back up and running and keep her as original as possible,†Levett said.
For more history on the last tea clipper, visit the website of The Cutty Sark Society.
References: MSNBC, BBC, and The Cutty Sark Society.
Well that’s interesting. I’d seen this story on CNN’s site, I think, and they’d incorrectly listed the ship’s name as “The Cutty Shark.” I’d hate to be that fact checker, for sure.
I’m glad they’re determined to restore it!
I myself did not know the history behind the Cutty Sark. When I read the headline on MSNBC, I thought the facility of the Scotch whisky producer by the same name was on fire.
This is a very sad event. I had the privilege of visiting both the Cutty Sark and Nelson’s flag ship the Victory when I was stationed just north of London in the 1950′s. This beautiful vessel was built along the lines of our Baltimore Clipper ships that first plied the West Indies in 1723. A little broader abaft the beam for more cargo space. But still a fast sweet sailer for the China Trade….PJF