The New Clipper Ship Starlight.
This is not only one of the best, but is the most beautiful of all the
clippers which the Messrs. Briggs, of South Boston, have yet produced; such,
at least, is our humble opinion. She will register about 1100 tons. Her length
on deck is 190 feet; extreme breadth of beam, 37, and depth 23 feet. She has
very long sharp ends; truly rounded sides, and an easy and graceful sheer,
which is graduated her whole length. Her stem rakes boldly outwards; the
angular form of the bow is preserved to the rail, and for a head she has the
representation of an antediluvian bird of Paradise spliced into a mermaid; the
whole bronzed in the most approved style of modern art. The stern is nearly
oval in outline, is light and neat, and is finely ornamented with gilded
carved work. She is yellow-metalled up to 19 feet draught, is planked smooth
to the covering-board, and all her mouldings are graduated parallel her whole
length. Like the clergy, she is black outside, and white inside. She has a
half poop deck, with a house in front, which contains a large ante-room and
other apartments, and protects the entrance to the cabin, which is under the
poop. The cabin is finished and furnished in beautiful style, has spacious
staterooms, and other arrangements for the accommodation of passengers.
The accommodations for her crew, &c., are in a large house before the main
hatchway, and like those of other clippers, are well fitted up, and well
ventilated.
She has spacious deck room, low bulwarks, mahogany gangway boards and
monkey rail stanchions, and goose-necked ventilators along the planksheer.
We do not deem it necessary to say what she is of good materials, and well
built, for the established reputation of her builders is guarantee enough for
her excellence. In her outfits she is all that a ship of her class ought to
be, and is as well fitted aloft as she is unquestionably good and beautiful
below. She has been inspected by many of our best ship-fanciers, and so far as
we have heard, she is considered a perfect ship to all her details; and one,
too, that bids fair to be a very rapid sailor.
She is owned by Messrs. Baker & Merrill, is commanded by Capt. Wm. Baker,
and is now loading with rapid despatch in Glidden & Williams' line of
California clippers.
Boston Daily Atlas, 1854, March 2.
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius
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The Boston Daily Atlas.
Copyright © 1999 Lars Bruzelius.