He built the _Sovereign of the Seas_, of 2400 tons, on his own account. Although she did not make as short a passage from New York to San Francisco as the _Flying Cloud_, yet she beat the swiftest of the entire fleet, which sailed about the same time, 7 days. In 24 consecutive hours she ran 430 geographical miles, 56 more than the greatest run of the _Flying Cloud_, and in 10 consecutive days she ran, by observation, 3144 miles. In eleven months her gross earnings amounted to $200,000.
The following were the passages made from New York to San Francisco by the clippers:
Tons. Passage. Flying Cloud 1700 89 days. Flying-Fish 1600 92 days. Sovereign of the Seas 2400 103 days. Bald Eagle 1600 107 days. Empress of the Sea 2250 118 days. Staghound 1550 112 days.
The following sailed from Boston to San Francisco:
Tons. Passage. Westward Ho 1700 107 days. Staffordshire 1950 101 days.
Mr. McKay built the _Great Republic_, of 4550 tons, with four decks; but she was partly burned in New York in 1853, and when repaired the fourth deck was taken off. She sailed several voyages between New York and San Francisco, and was never beaten. During the Crimean war she was hired as a transport by the French government, and with a leading whole-sail breeze not a steamer, far less a sailing-vessel, could keep alongside of her.
[Illustration: SHOWING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LINES OF THE OLD SHIPS AND THE NEW CLIPPERS.]
The last great ship designed and built by Mr. McKay was the _Glory of the Seas_, of 2009 tons. She was a combination of the clipper and the New York packet-ship, designed to carry a large cargo, to sail fast, and to work like a pilot-boat. She was 240 feet 2 inches long, had 44 feet extreme breadth of beam, and was 28 feet deep, with three decks. Captain Tom Chatfield, who commanded her several voyages, speaks of her as the grandest vessel he ever knew. She is still afloat, and hails from San Francisco. At one time she was owned by J. Henry Sears & Co., well known as eminent merchants of Boston.
Captain Waterman, in command of the clipper-ship _Sea Witch_, made some of the quickest passages on record between New York and China. His last command afloat was in the ship _Challenge_, which he took from New York to San Francisco. Captain Philip Dumaresq, of Boston, who last sailed in the ship _Florence_ in the China trade with New York, ranked high during his whole service afloat. At sea he never took his clothes off to turn in at night, that he might always be on hand to spring on deck. The quickest passage on record from Shanghai (China) to New York was made in the ship _Swordfish_ by Captain Crocker. Though becalmed a week on the equator, he made the run in 84 days, and beat the overland mail from India a week. It was stated in a San Francisco paper that the _Young America_ made the passage from New York in less time than the _Flying Cloud_, but it was not confirmed. One hundred days was considered quick time for an outward passage. The ship _Northern Light_ made the passage from San Francisco to Boston in 76 days. She was in ballast, and had fair winds all the way.