''Cromdale'' was the last

clipper A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. Clippers were generally narrow for their length, small by later 19th century standards, could carry limited bulk freight, and had a large total sail area. "Cl ...

ship built for the Australian

wool trade Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. As an ...

Background

The American clipper ship era lasted from 1845 until 1860, shortly before the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

broke out. Meanwhile, British clippers continued to be built into the 1870s before they were shifted into the wool trade. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 was the eventual demise of the tea clipper as the shorter route allowed larger cargo ships passage to China. The remaining clippers profited by serving the wool trade as the need for coal hindered steamships from reaching Australian ports. The shift eventually came when steamships became so large that they could hold an ample amount of coal without constantly refueling. By the time of ''Cromdale''s launch in 1891,

ocean liner An ocean liner is a passenger ship primarily used as a form of transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships). C ...

s that could carry large numbers of passengers and amounts of cargo had entered the scene.

History

''Cromdale'' was built at

Barclay Curle Seawind Barclay Curle is a British shipbuilding company. History The company was founded by Robert Barclay at Stobcross in Glasgow, Scotland during 1818.

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...

, and launched in June, 1891. She had an identical sister ship named ''Mount Stewart'' that was launched a month earlier from the shipyard. These ships had the most modern features of their time in terms of structure and design. The first master of ''Cromdale'' was a captain named E.H. Andrew, who was very experienced and up to date on the newest technological features. She was ultimately lost in 1913 under the command of ''Captain Arthur'' while she was homeward bound from

Taltal Taltal is a Chilean commune and city in Antofagasta Province, Antofagasta Region. According to the 2012 census, the commune has a population of 11,132 and has an area of . The commune is home to Paranal Observatory and includes the northern ...

with a cargo of

nitrate Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula . Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. Almost all inorganic nitrates are soluble in water. An example of an insoluble ...

. ''Cromdale'' was 126 days out heading for Falmouth (UK) and had been in dense fog for a few days. While a steamer passed and advised Arthur to alter his course, a light was suddenly seen ahead through the fog shortly afterwards. Arthur tried to turn the ship about but it was too late, and she struck rocks at the foot of a cliff. This cliff was discovered later to be part of Bass Point which is close to

Lizard Lighthouse The Lizard Lighthouse is a lighthouse at Lizard Point, Cornwall, England, built to guide vessels passing through the English Channel. It was often the welcoming beacon to persons returning to England, where on a clear night, the reflected li ...

. The lifeboats were ordered lowered immediately due to the damage the ship had endured, but luck was on the side of the crew. The weather was calm, distress rockets were at hand, and rescuers from land arrived shortly to assist. ''Cromdale'' was declared a total loss after she settled quickly, and was found to be laying in a position that was exposed to the elements.

External links

References

{{coord missing, Atlantic Ocean Clippers Individual sailing vessels Victorian-era merchant ships of the United Kingdom Ships built in Glasgow Maritime incidents in 1913 1891 ships Wool trade