Clipper
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Clipper ships were long, narrow, very fast sailing ships designed by Americans (1843-1869) for very long voyages, as to China. The were full-rigged ships that had upwards of an acre of canvas; the design made for limited cargo space.
They set many speed records. The "Flying Cloud" in 1854 went from Boston to San Francisco in 89 days 8 hours. The "Sovereign of the Seas" once sailed 421 nautical miles (227 km) in a day--an average of 20.2 mph (32.5 km/h), or 17.5 knots, which is faster than the cruising speed of most cargo ships today.
Clippers were displaced by coal burning steamships which were even faster and carried larger cargoes.
Further reading
- Arthur Hamilton Clark. The Clipper Ship Era: An Epitome of Famous American and British Clipper Ships... (1910) 404 pages full text online
- William L. Crothers. The American-Built Clipper Ship, 1850-1856: Characteristics, Construction, and Details (2000)
