PASSAGES UNDER 80 DAYS TO MELBOURNE IN 1876. +--------------+---------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----+ | | | |Crossed |Passed | | | | Ship |Departure|Crossed | Cape | Cape |Arrived |Days| | | |Equator |Meridian|(Otway) | |Out | +--------------+---------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----+ |_Mermerus_ |Gravesend|July 17 |Aug. 6 | |Aug. 30| 66 | | | June 25| | | | | | |_Miltiades_ |Lizard |May 30 |June 25| |July 21| 70 | | | May 12| | | | | | |_Aristides_ |Start |Aug. 4 |Aug. 26|Sept. 17|Sept. 18| 70 | | | July 10| | | | | | |_Old_ |Channel | | | |Oct. 29| 78 | | _Kensington_| Aug. 17| | | | | | |_Loch Ness_ |Scilly | | | |Sept. 21| 74 | | | July 11| | | | | | |_Macduff_ |Channel | | | |July 31| 74 | | | May 18| | | | | | |_Salamis_ |Lizard |Apl. 18 |May 14 |June 7|June 8| 75 | | | Mar. 25| | | | | | |_Theophane_ |Tuskar |Sept.11 | | |Oct. 26| 75 | | | Aug. 12| | | | | | |_Loch Maree_ |Start |July 8 |Aug. 10|Sept. 2|Sept. 3| 76 | | | June 19| | | | | | |_Cassiope_ |Channel | | | |Nov. 10| 76 | | | Aug. 26| | | | | | |_Parthenope_ |Tuskar | | | |Oct. 12| 77 | | | July 27| | | | | | |_Marpesia_ |Tuskar | | | |Jan. 6| 77 | | | Oct. 21| | | | ’77| | |_Loch Katrine_|Start |June 15 |July 12|Aug. 9|Aug. 10| 77 | | | May 26| | | | | | |_Romanoff_ |Lizard |July 30 | |Sept. 17|Sept. 18| 77 | | | July 23| | | | | | |_Thomas_ |Lizard |Sept. 4 | | |Oct. 24| 78 | | _Stephens_ | Aug. 7| | | | | | +--------------+---------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----+
The only new ship to make a name for herself this year was _Aristides_, but I do not think she was as fast as Thompson’s earlier ships, and I much doubt if she were capable of the following week’s run, made by _Samuel Plimsoll_ whilst running her easting down this year in 41° S., viz., 348, 330, 301, 342, 320, 264, and 340 = total 2245 miles.
Hardly any of the cracks are missing from the “under 80 day” list. The _Tweed_, with eight fine stallions on board, ran from the Start to King’s Island in 77 days on her way to Sydney, but was then held up three more days by calms.
Duthie’s _Brilliant_ and Thompson’s _Pericles_ were built alongside of each other and launched on the same tide; and both ships being in the Sydney trade there was naturally great rivalry between them. The two clippers proved to be very evenly matched and it is difficult to award the palm. _Pericles_ usually took emigrants out, _Brilliant_ being loaded deep with general cargo, and they both loaded wool home. The two captains, Davidson of the _Brilliant_ and Largie of _Pericles_, usually had a new hat on the result of each passage. _Pericles_ with her light load line generally won the hat going out, but the _Brilliant_ was always very hard to beat on the homeward run, and Captain Davidson, more often than not, got his hat back again.
