Her first 12 passages to Melbourne were 66, 75, 75, 70, 80, 73, 73, 82, 73, 75, 79 and 77 days, giving an average of 75 days, this being from the Channel.
On the 11th December, 1891, she sailed from Newcastle, N.S.W., with a cargo of coal for Valparaiso, and was never heard of again.
Messrs. Aitken & Lilburn and the Loch Line of Glasgow.
The best known line of sailing ships running to Australia since the use of iron shipbuilding has undoubtedly been the famous Loch Line of Glasgow.
It was started in 1867 by two young men who had been in the employ of Patrick Henderson & Co.—these were William Aitken and James Lilburn. In the old days it was the custom for owners to make a daily visit to intending shippers; this was Aitken’s part of the work and he continued to make a practice of it long after other owners had given it up. Lilburn superintended the loading and despatching of their ships, and so great was his practical knowledge and so keen his interest that it is no exaggeration to say that no ships were better kept up than the Loch liners. All over the world the Loch Line clippers were held up by seamen as examples of what well run and comfortable ships should be. A keen yachtsman and a one-time Commodore of the Royal Northern Yacht Club, Mr. Lilburn was a man who not only thoroughly understood ships but loved them for their own sake. And it is under such owners that sailors consider themselves lucky to serve.
The ships carried first, second and third class passengers outwards, and when steam began to cut in they still held on until they were the last of all the sailing ships to continue carrying passengers. Many an invalid or consumptive has gained fresh vigour and untold benefit from a voyage to the Antipodes in a Loch liner.
The saloon fares charged were:—£40 to Adelaide and Melbourne, £42 to Sydney, £76 for the round trip out and home.
The “Clan Ranald,” “Ben Nevis” and “Loch Awe.”
Messrs. Aitken & Lilburn commenced business by chartering the _Clan Ranald_, _Ben Nevis_ and _Loch_ _Awe_. The _Clan Ranald_ they eventually bought and renamed the _Loch Rannoch_.
Captain Bully Martin, who was afterwards one of the best known skippers in the Loch Line, superintended the building of the _Clan Ranald_, and took command of her for the first few years of her existence.