Surprise

A clipper ship built in 1850 by Samuel Hall, Boston, MA. Dimensions 183'3"×38'8"×22' and tonnage 1261 tons OM and 1006 tons NM.

1850 October 5: Launched at the shipward of Samuel Hall, Boston, MA, for A.A: Low & Brother, New York. Intended for the China trade. Captain Dumaresq was given command of the new ship.
1850 December 13 - March 19: Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 96 days, 15 hours from Sandy Hook light.
1850: Sailed from San Francisco to Hong Kong in 46 days.
1850: Sailed from Hong Kong to London in 107 days.
1852: Captain Charles A. Ranlett succeeded Capt. Dumaresq who was taking command of the new clipper Bald Eagle.
1853 March 13 - July 9: Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 118 days.
1854 April 16 - August 2: Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 118 days.
1858: Sailed from Woosung to New York in 93 days.
1863: Sailed from Amoy to New York in 91 days.
1867: Extensive repairs at New York. The skysails were removed and the single topsails were replaced by Howes' double topsails.
1875 September 25: Sailed from New York for Yokohama.
1876 February 3: Was wrecked on the Plymouth Rocks, while seeking shelter for a heavy gale in Kaneda Bay. The cargo of 10.000 cases of kerosene was slavaged off the wreck which was found floating bottom up four days later. Capt. Charles A. Ranlett Jr. was in command at the time of her loss.

References:

Clipper ships, general references.
Chapelle, Howard I.: The Search for Speed under Sail 1700-1855.
Norton, New York, 1967. 8vo, xiv, 451 pp, ill., 16 plates.
McGregor, David R.: British & American Clippers. A Comparison of their Design, Construction and Performance in the 1850s.
Conway Maritime Press, London, 1993. 4to, 192 pp, ill.
Howe, Octavious T. & Matthews, Frederick C.: American Clipper Ships.
1926. 8vo, xvi, 372 pp, 57 plates & x, pp 373-780, 57 plates.

Updated 1996-12-02 by Lars Bruzelius.