The Flying Fish

There was no room to wear to, and Nickels was forced to let go the working anchor, which fouled under the bow.

Nickels then dropped the bower anchor and after the chain ran out 20 fathoms it fouled in the hawsehole. Both anchors could not be brought up and the Flying Fish drifted on to a sand bank, where the strong running swells soon washed over her and broke her knees and displaced her breast hooks and soon the ship began taking in water.

Two days later, the Flying Fish was wrestled off the bank and her cargo discharged. The ship was leaking and after a careful inspection Captain Nickels determined that the Flying Fish was badly damaged.

She was then condemned and sold to a Manila mercantile firm who towed her to Whampoa and rebuilt her there. She was renamed the El Bueno Suceso and spent her remaining years in trade sailing between Manila and Spain and eventually foundered in the China Sea.

* * * * *

By 1859, the years of racing around the world had taken their toll on many of the extreme clippers built during the early years of that decade. One by one they returned to the Northeast ports of the United States with weakened masts and battered hulls in much need of repairs.

Unfortunately, most of the ship owners were still reeling from the commercial depression that ran endemic throughout the shipping industry and the prospect of restoring the clippers to their former glory was out of the question.

Instead, many of the masts and spars were cut down to make the ships easier to handle and more economical to operate with smaller crews before sending them out again across the oceans of the world; this time with clipped wings. Express cargoes were no longer needed in San Francisco or Australia and freight rates dropped and ship owners were grateful for any cargo they could find at rates around $10 a ton and had to compete with all the other ships in the ocean to get it.

House Flags Carried by Donald McKay's Clippers

Top Left: Mssrs. Sampson & Tappan, Boston / Top Right: George B. Upton, Boston

Donald McKay House Flag

Lower Left: Grinnell & Minturn & Co., New York / Lower Right: James Baines & Co., Liverpool, England

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The glory days when one majestic extreme clipper after another would slide down the ways at the McKay shipyard in East Boston had come and gone. But a number of medium clippers following the building of the Santa Claus, Commodore Perry, Japan, and the Donald McKay kept the yard busy for a time until the great commercial depression of 1857.

Donald McKay chose to honor the memory of his old friend, Daniel Webster, with his next medium clipper ship. He had already bestowed the distinguished statesman's name upon one of his earlier packet ships that had been launched in October 1850. This new ship was christened as the Defender, so named after the "Defender" of the Constitution, who even though he had passed away, it was said that he still lived in the hearts of his countrymen.

The launching took place on July 28, 1855. The Defender was an impressive sight to behold as she lay in the stocks. She was very clipperly in appearance and had the large carrying capacity and strength of a packet with the promise of being a fast sailer.

A skillfully carved full figure of Daniel Webster all painted white graced her bow. The Defender was owned by Boston merchants Messrs. D. S. Kendell and C. H. P. Plympton who had chosen Captain Isaac Beauchamp to command the Defender and the ship was to enter into general trade.

Enoch Train was there in attendance among the spectators at the launching along with other notable and distinguished men of the times including those of the shipping community along with a large number of ladies.

Following the launching, many of the invited guests repaired to Donald McKay's house, Eagle Hill, on White Street to partake in the shipbuilder's hospitality. Homage was paid to the memory of Daniel Webster in a speech presented by the Hon. Edward Everett after being introduced to the invited guests by Donald McKay. History is fortunate in that this speech and others made at this occasion was recorded as a phonographic report for the Boston Atlas and are presented here:

SPEECH OF HON. EDWARD EVERETT

Mr. McKay, Mrs. McKay, Ladies and gentlemen:-Although I perceive from the manner in which our host has presented me to you on this occasion that something is expected from me, yet I must say I think it is an occasion where anything like a set speech would not only be unusual, but very much out of place. My friend, Mr. Kendall, will bear me witness, if within the sound of my voice, that when he proposed to me the gratification of being present on this occasion nothing was said about speech making; and most certainly I find myself here entirely unprepared for anything formal. By a workman and architect like Mr. McKay, a mere orator must be regarded very much in the light of a land-lubber; and if one should come down here with his tropes and figures on tide water, he would be thought to be playing a superfluous and foolish part. (Laughter) We look to you, Mr. McKay, for entertainment on this occasion. We have not come here, I am sure, to have our ears tickled with figures of speech, but to hear the music of your mallet knocking away the last block, and sending off your beautiful vessel to its destined element. (Cheers.)

You were good enough, however, to present me as the friend of that great and good man, whose loss we, as well as the whole country, have so much reason to deplore. For myself, and in behalf of others whom I see around me, I have much pleasure in expressing the great gratification which we have all experienced in witnessing this successful launch. We are indebted to you, sir, and also to the owners, for the tribute you have paid to this great man, who is honored by the name your beautiful vessel bears, as the "Defender of the Constitution." I assure you that it rejoiced my heart to see his well-represented and majestic figure upon the prow, looking down upon the waters as the vessel glided into its appointed element, as he commanded them now that he is gone, as he commanded the hearts of men while living. (Cheers.) Sir, it was a just tribute to his patriotism, to his long and faithful, and must I not add, sir, ill-requited services. He did defend the Constitution, not merely as every good citizen is obliged to defend in duty the government under which he lives, but he defended it because it was the guaranty of inestimable blessings, surrounding us on every side. He defended the Constitution of the United States because he felt, as you and all of us feel, that it is a kind of earthly providence, surrounding us alike while we wake and while we sleep, and assuring us an amount of blessings such as I firmly believe never before were enjoyed by any other people since the creation of this world. (Cheers.)

Sir, there is another reason, another ground on which it was appropriate to give his well earned title -The Defender-to this noble vessel. Mr. Webster, among other reasons, extolled the Constitution of the United Sates because it spread its aegis over the commerce of the country-because it was, in fact, the bulwark of commerce. He knew, as we all know, that commerce was the great civilizer of nations, that parent of liberty, of the arts, of refinement. He knew, sir, from the history of our own country, how the Constitution of the United States had elevated its commerce, from that miserable point of depression which existed before the adoption of the Constitution; when three or four gentlemen, Boston merchants, were obliged to subscribe for the purpose of building and fitting out two or three small vessels, because there was not capital enough in one man's hands to build a vessel alone. He recollected that commerce had joined the States together, and he did not forget what the Constitution had done in establishing this harmonious intercourse between the North, and the South, the East, and the West. Instead of revolutionary legislation, hostile tariffs, and capricious prohibition, which broke up the country and made it into states in reality foreign towards each other, he knew how much the Constitution had done in abolishing that condition of things, and bringing us all into the prosperous intercourse now existing between the several States. But I feel that I am going too far and wearing your patience upon this topic.

This noble ship which has just been launched, will soon spread her canvas abroad to the breeze, but as her Captain-a brave man I am sure he will be, to be entrusted with property of so much value-stands upon her deck and looks towards his home, and sees his native shores melting in the distance, he may be assured that the best wishes of numerous friends, those around us here and others, will follow him over the deep. He may be sure, too, that to no point, however distant, can he carry that vessel where the name and fame of the "Defender of the Constitution" will not have preceded him. (Cheers.) He can enter no port, however distant, where the flag of the Union which his vessel bears will not be a sufficient defence; and sir, I will say one other thing, although you are present, that there is no port, however distant, which he can reach, where a ship built by Donald McKay, will not stand "A, No. 1." (Loud cheers.) Yes sir, and if there were any letter coming before A, or any figure standing higher than 1, the vessels of Donald McKay would be indicated by that letter and that figure. (Applause and laughter.)

I was at a little loss, I confess, to comprehend the secret of the great success which has attended our friend and host. (*1) Eighty-two ships, I understand, he has built-all vessels such as we have seen today. I do not mean that they were all as large, but they were as well compacted, and looked as splendidly, as they rode into the waves. Eighty-two vessels! No one else, certainly, has done more than our friend to improve the commercial marine of this country, and it has long seemed to me that there was a mystery about it. But since I have been under this roof today I have learned the secret of it-excellent family government, and a good helpmeet to take counsel with and encouragement from. A fair proportion of the credit and praise for this success is, I am sure, due to our amiable and accomplished hostess. (Cheers.) I congratulate also the father of our host, the father of such a son, and the father of such a family. He has, I am told, fourteen sons and daughters, and fifty grand-children. Nine of the latter were born during the last year. I wish to know, my friends, if you do not call that being a good citizen? (Cheers and laughter.)

I am told, ladies and gentlemen, that our friend, Mr. Train, first heard of our host Mr. McKay at Windsor Castle, in England, several years ago, and what he then heard led Mr. Train to place that confidence in him which has never failed to this hour. Now at Windsor Castle, the residence of the British monarchs, was the first place of introduction, may we not, I ask, regard our friend as the "Sea King of the United States." (Cheers.) I will not, however, take up more of your time, but as a concluding sentiment I propose that you all drink the health of our host, Mr. Donald McKay-A successful voyage to the noble vessel he has launched this morning, and all prosperity to her enterprising owners.

The next speaker was the former mayor of Boston, the Hon. Benjamin Seaver, whom Enoch Train introduced.

Ladies and Gentlemen,-I am certainly much indebted to you, and to my friend, Col. Train, for this kind remembrance of me. However humble my friends may be, the Colonel always bears them in his remembrance, and cherishes them in his heart; but I shall not by any means be so unwise as to make a speech, after such an entertainment as we have had today. I wish only to bear testimony to one fact, here as everywhere and on all proper occasions, that the city of Boston, the city I love most dearly, in indebted to Donald McKay, I will not say more than, but as much as she is to any other living man within the limits of that city, for its commercial importance, and its reputation for enterprise and energy. By his talents and his enterprise, Donald McKay has been enabled to extend all over the world the fame of the friend graduated at (Mr. Train: "The college of practice"), and I do not care how many languages he may speak, but I am quite sure that he will go down to posterity as one of our great men-as one to whom our city in infinitely indebted for its prosperity and greatness. Having said this much, and these are really the sentiments of my heart, allow me to propose, as a concluding sentiment-

Health and continued prosperity to our friend Donald McKay.

Enoch Train then addressed the gathering:

Ladies and Gentlemen,-I must offer a word on this exceedingly pleasant and interesting occasion, before we part. I heard Windsor Castle mentioned just now by that orator whose voice is a tone from a musical instrument It carried my mind back certainly eleven or twelve years, to one morning in August when I attended in the chapel at Windsor Castle, where were her Majesty and the royal family. It was that day when I met a gentleman from Newburyport, whom told me whom I could employ to build the fastest ships. That commenced my acquaintance with Mr. McKay, and ultimately brought him to East Boston. Since that time he has built, I think, fourteen ships, for me, and from that day to this eighty-two vessels, as we have been told, have furnished ample proof of his enterprise, skill and industry.

Our eloquent friend spoke of the commercial intercourse of the country. Commerce is, as he explained it, the life principle of the nation. It is the Master of Ceremonies which introduces one country to another and sometimes unceremoniously. It knocks at the door of Japan occasionally, and that, too, without regarding the bell pull. (Laughter.) But, as he well knows, and in his remarks he directly and eloquently alluded to the fact, there is a drawer to that bill of commerce. That drawer is labor-is agriculture, without which there could be no commerce. When enough has been produced for home consumption, the merchant steps in and takes the balance and conveys it to the other parts of the world. Am I not right in this? The merchant then is the second rate man. I happen to be one of that kind of second rate men. (Mr. Everett: "It would hardly do for any one else to call you so.") Yes, sir, I am one of those who carry this surplus abroad, and we bring it back again to this country in fancies. But we should always have a little balance to bring back in specie. In order to make us commercially strong, we should have the balance of exchanges in our favor; otherwise we are on the way to ruin. Take a town for example. I recollect going through Georgetown a few years ago, and seeing the grass growing up through the pavements, as I have seen it in towns in the old world. I said then that this town must be growing poor, and that its imports must exceed its exports. This is practical political economy and it is as simple as a farm a mile square. If the farmer imports more than he exports, he is obliged to mortgage his farm, and there is the whole history of political economy brought down to its simplest dimensions. I would, therefore, place agriculture if the first rank, Then merchants second, and diplomatists third. (Laughter.)

But, my friend, I am not going to stop yet. In the vicinity of Windsor Castle, in England, I have looked over thousands of acres, which appeared like one vast level of forest, with no tree standing above its fellow. It has come into my imagination, since the death of Daniel Webster, that in our American forest the tall trees are also fast becoming extinct. Three or four years ago there were three tremendous tall trees rising up above us all. Now they have all been cut down-Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John C, Calhoun. (Cheers.) Still, ladies and gentlemen, although the tall trees may have fallen from among us, there is I assure you, a pretty tall sprout still standing-(pointing to Donald McKay)-there is a man, who if he does not know nothing, gives us abundant assurance that he knows something. (Cheers and laughter.) Ladies and gentlemen, I will say no more about diplomacy.

(*ECS - The actual total number of ships that were built by Donald McKay up to that time including the six ships that were built at Newburyport is 42.)

The Defender sailed with Captain Beauchamp in command from Boston on September 1, 1855, on her maiden voyage around the Horn to San Francisco and arrived at the Golden Gate on January 14, 1856, after a passage of 135 days.

Upon the Defender's return to New York, Captain Beauchamp was given command of the new McKay medium clipper Minnehaha, and turned over the command of the Defender to Captain Robinson who took her on two voyages around the Horn to California, the first voyage in 148 days and the second in 150 days.

The Defender then sailed for Puget Sound for a cargo of lumber and was bound for Sydney, New South Wales, when she was wrecked on Elizabeth Reef on February 27, 1859.

The Era of the Clipper Ships
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