Hornet

Clipper ship built in 1851 by Westervelt & Mackay, New York. Dimensions: 207'×40'×22' and 1426 tons.

1851 June 20: Launched at the shipyard of Westervelt & Mackay, New York, for Chamberlain & Phelps, New York.
1853 April 26: Left New York for San Francisco two days before the Flying Cloud which ship was also bound for San Francisco.
1853 August 12: Arrived in the San Francisco harbour 45 minutes ahead of the Flying Cloud after a passage of 106 days.
1866 January 11: Sailed from New York for San Francisco under command of Captain Josiah A. Mitchell, with a cargo of candles and oil in cases and barrels.
1866 May 3: Caught fire and sank. The crew left the ship in three boats.
1866 June 15: The captain's boat managed to reach the Island of Hawaii, the two other boats were never heard of again.

References:

Clipper ships, general references.
Dawson, Charls: Skeppsbåt till Hawaii.
Longitude No. 31, Stockholm, 1995.
Howe, Octavius T. & Matthews, Frederick C.: American Clipper Ships 1833-1858
Argosy Antiquarian Ltd, New York, 1967/1927.

Updated 1996-01-02 by Lars Bruzelius