Talk:Stornoway (clipper)

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Captain at time of loss

The Shields Daily Gazette names the captain of Stornaway at the time of her loss as Captain Leguinson. This appears to contradict other information in the article. ThoughtIdRetired (talk) 13:14, 17 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Passage time on maiden voyage

The article's narrative on passage times on her maiden voyage are contradicted by MacGregor's Tea Clippers (used as a reference in the article). Given that Clarke's The Clipper Ship Era (the cited reference for the problem text) is simply based on the recollections of a clipper captain who had not been born when Stornoway was launched, I am inclined to trust the researches of a noted maritime historian (MacGregor). Are there any opinions/sources to support the article as it stands? ThoughtIdRetired (talk) 20:14, 17 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Clark: The Clipper Ship Era as a reference

Some of the factual errors in this article stem from the poor quality reference: Clark, Arthur (1911). The Clipper Ship Era; An Epitome of Famous American and British Clipper Ships, Their Owners, Builders, Commanders, and Crews, 1843-1869. The problem text in the article is:

“

Her maiden voyage was a passage from the Downs to Java Head, which she made it under command of Captain Robertson in 80 days and to Hongkong in 102 days. She sailed then from Hongkong to London in just 103 days. These were the fastest passages between these ports by a British vessel at the time.

”

However, MacGregor in The Tea Clippers (another reference used by the article) states that her first 5 outward passages were via Bombay or Calcutta, with a second voyage over to China.(pg 53) It would be impossible to make a fast passage to the Sunda Straits if you stopped at Bombay on the way there. MacGregor is the recognised expert on this subject, with extensive detailed research backing up his several books - all of which are full of technical detail. MacGregor's position can be confirmed by consulting contemporary newspapers - the shipping adverts include ones for the outward passage to Bombay, and Lloyd's List of 5th October 1850 reports Stornoway clearing customs outbound to Bombay on 4th October. Clark is clearly completely wrong on this point. MacGregor does not comment on any record times for this ship (and he lists the passage times for most tea clippers, by year, for the entire period of tea clippers carrying on this trade). He discusses many points about Stornoway, but whilst acknowledging that she was fast, he mentions no records. Clark's claim for a record fast passage on the maiden return trip therefore seems suspicious (and it is stated as one day less than the 104 given by MacGregor). I do not think the fastest-British-passage-at-the-time part of the article is adequately supported by references.

Then there is the matter of the picture of Stornoway that appears in the article. MacGregor specifically states that no paintings of the ships have been found. This would have assisted him in researching the vessel. However, he did have the builder's half model, spar dimensions (prepared by her builder and now in the Science Museum in London) and survey reports. His book contains a photo of a model of Stornoway made from this information. Whilst the model has similarities to the picture in the article (such as the Aberdeen bow), there are differences. The sail plan is quite different from the picture. Clark gives no clue as to where this picture comes from. I think we have to conclude that the picture is not adequately reference for inclusion in the article. ThoughtIdRetired (talk) 19:50, 18 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]