Fireboat Salute
David Coffin
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Participating Organizations: Boston
History Collaborative & the Boston by Sea: Maritime History Trail
Working Committee, The Island Alliance, Suffolk University, The United
States Coast Guard, The National Park Service/Harbor Islands National
Park, Massachusetts Bay Lines, The Bostonian Society, Commonwealth of
Mass./EOEA, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, Boston Harbor Association,
New England Aquarium, USS Constitution Museum, Boelter & Associates,
Massport, the BRA, Marriott’s Custom House, Metro Designs, Boston
Harbor Hotel, Long Wharf Marriott, Legal Sea Foods.
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Sovereign of the Seas History
An extreme clipper ship built in 1852 on
speculation by Donald McKay, East Boston, MA, USA.
Dimensions: 258'2"_44'7"_23'6" and tonnage: 2421 tons. The figurehead
was a half man, half fish sea god blowing a conch shell.
1852 June 19
Launched at the ship yard of Donald
McKay, East Boston, MA, USA, for his own account. Built on speculation
and sold to Andrew F. Meinke of the ship broker firm Funch &
Meinke, New York.
1852-1853
In command of Captain Lauchlan McKay
1852 August 4
Sailed from New York for San Francisco.
1852 October 12
Partly dismasted during a gale off Valparaiso.
Under jury rig already the next day and completely re-rigged 12
days later. [The
Boston Daily Atlas, December 17, 1852]
1852 November 15
Arrived to San Francisco 103 days out
from New York. The best day's run was 368 miles.
1853 February 12 - March 9
Sailed from Honolulu to New York in
82 days with a cargo of 8000 barrels of whale oil. The best day's
run was 374 miles on March 18 [Maury]. A later analysis of the logs
showed that the distance sailed was 411 miles in 23 hours and 18
minutes or about 421 miles in 24 hours,
1853 June 18 - July 1
Sailed from New York to Liverpool in
13 days days and 23 hours. The best day's run was 344 miles on June
28.
1853
Chartered to the Black Ball Line, Liverpool.
1853-1854
In command of Captain Henry Warner.
1853 September 7 - November 24
Sailed from Liverpool to Melbourne
in 78 days days.
1854 January 23 - April 19
Sailed from Melbourne to London in
86 days.
1854 May 24
Sold to Joh. Ces. Godeffroy & Sohn,
Hamburg. The German measurements were 260'5"_41'6"_24'8" and 788
CL.
1854-1856
In command of Captain J.J.G.F. Müller.
1854 August 4 - October 22
Sailed from London to Sydney in 84
days. Claimed to have made a 410 miles day's run.
1855 May 23 - November 9
Sailed from Shanghai to London.
1856-1858
In command of Captain C.A. Jansen.
1858 June
Sold to Edward Bates & Theodore
Eggers, Liverpool, for a price corresponding to $ 40 000. Assigned
the Official British Reg. No.. 21047 and signal NDRC. 1298 tons.
Captain Thomas.
1858 December
Sailed from Whampoa for Great Britain.
1859 July 11
Sailed from Bombay with a cargo of
cotton for Hong Kong.
1859 August 6
Wrecked on the Pyramid Shoal in the
Straits of Malacca on voyage from Hamburg to China.
1859 September
The American ship Eloisa was
engaged by Godeffroy & Sohn to salvaged the cargo and any parts
of value from the wreck.
Credited with having sailed 3736 miles
in twelve days.
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What: On June 19, 1852, Donald
McKay launched his magnificent clipper ship, Sovereign of the
Seas, from his East Boston shipyard. On June 17, 2002, there
was a celebration of the opening of Boston by Sea, and the role
of water transportation in Boston's history and on that day, with
a special show/tour from Rowe's Wharf to Piers Park. At the Donald
McKay Pavilion in Piers Park there was a celebration, with an
afternoon of history and an evening of sea-related music. Included
were trolley tours from Piers Park to McKay's home on Eagle Hill
in East Boston.
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Members of three branches of
the extended family of Donald McKay
The McKay family would like to thank
all the participating organizations involved for sponsoring these
most memorable festivities.
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Why: The clipper ships were
the gothic cathedrals of the mid-19th century expansive
United States. McKay was in the 1850’s as famous as Bill
Gates is now. East Boston was the center of the clipper ship world.
Goals:
- Mark clipper ship and maritime history, particularly
McKay and East Boston
- Boston By Sea summer 2002 season Kick-off.
Offer a media day to help get word to the public that Boston
By Sea has resumed, and that the Harbor Islands are open for
the summer.
- Water Transportation Awareness week. Free
T water shuttle rides to East Boston from Charlestown —
Aquarium — World Trade Center. Increase T shuttle ridership
through marketing the East Boston weekend.
- Focus on Boston’s Maritime History -
continue the development of coalition working on maritime
history.
- Encourage development of East Boston tourism.
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McKay House mantle in the living room
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Flying Cloud display
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www.bostonhistorycollaborative.org
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Go to: upcoming Great Republic 150th
Anniversary
ECS - 3/19/03 - The McKay
family looks forward to seeing everybody at the upcoming 150th
Anniversary of the launching of the Great Republic.
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Directory
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USS Constitution
Henry Lachance
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References:
- Clipper
Ships, general references.
- Daniel, H.: Later History of the Sovereign
of the Seas.
Nautical Research Journal, Vol. 3, Whittier, CA, 1951. p 104.
- Faulkner: Ship Sovereign of the Seas.
The Boston Daily Atlas, December
17, 1852.
- Lane, Bruce M. & Lane, C. Gardner: New
information on Ships Built by Donald McKay.
American Neptune Vol. 42, Salem, 1982. pp. 118-137, ill.
- McLean, Duncan: The Largest Clipper in the
World.
The Boston Daily Atlas, May
25, 1852.
- McLean, Duncan: The New Clipper Sovereign
of the Seas of Boston.
The Boston Daily Atlas, June
19, 1852.
Reprinted in Howes & Matthews: American Clipper Ships
1833-1858, 1926. pp 600-606.
Reprinted in NRJ Vol. 28 (1982), pp 19-22.
- Forbes, James Nicol: Fastest Atlantic Crossing.
Northern
Daily Times, March, 1854.
- Stammers, Michael K.: The Passage Makers.
Teredo Books, Brighton, 1978.
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www.massbaylines.com
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Shining Sea Foundation
Captain Charles M. Quinlan & volunteer
www.shining-sea.org
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The McKay House
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Sovereign of
the Seas/Boston by Sea Celebration
Highlights of a program with live
music, drama and historical pesentation.
Roger Berkowitz, Legal Sea
Foods, Boston History Collabortative leader, Emcee
Pat Todisco, President, East
Boston Chamber of Commerce.
Performance from Boston
by Sea (Immigration)
Dr. William Fowler, Mass Historical
Society and Harbor historian - Clipper Ships, the Greyhounds of
the Sea
Henry Lachance, Clipper Ship
Aficionado/Marine Artist
Acknowledge Donald McKay descendents
in attendance.
Performance from Boston
by Sea (Clean-up of Boston Harbor)
George Price, Island Alliance:
Introduced leaders from the harbor Islands National Park, Save
the Harbor/Save the Bay, Harborfest, and Boston harbor Association,Friends
of the Boston Harbor.
Esther Kaplan spoke as the
Commissioner of Cultural Affairs.
Larry Meehan spoke from the
Greater Boston
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Acting Secretary Astrid Glynn spoke
for Water Transportation Awareness Week.
Music from the Clipper Ships -
premiere of a new David Coffin piece.
3:30 - 5:30 PM East Boston Maritime
History Trolley Tours from Piers Park to & from McKay
homestead on Eagle Hill
Information & Activity
Tables
A. Display the 2002 Boston
Maritime History Walking Trail map/brochure
B. Information & free activities
sponsored by participating organizations, IE Island Alliance,
Piers Park Sailing Center.
C. Maritime History Displays:
A replica of the Sovereign of the Seas.
3:45 New Boston returns
to Rowes Wharf and gives Boston by Sea tour.
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