In 1843 Waterman sailed her around the world and made the passage from Canton to New York in 94 days. The whole voyage required only 9 months and 26 days. In 1844 he drove her from New York to Valparaiso in 71 days, thence to Callao in 8, and thence to Hongkong in 54. She then loaded teas at Canton and he drove her from that port to New York, 13,955 miles, in 78 days. This last passage was but one day longer than Waterman's record passage of 77 days made in the 'Sea Witch,' 'the swiftest clipper of her day.' But the 'Natchez' was not a clipper, although she has been described as one. She was built with full lines and a flat bottom in order that she might carry huge loads of cotton from New Orleans, across the shoals at the mouths of the Mississippi, and around to New York; and while engaged in that trade, she had earned the reputation of being one of the slowest ships on the American coast!"

That author however does not concede that the achievement of the clippers was due solely to their lines and hull, and adds: "If it was not to the model of the ships, to what, then, were the splendid records due? The answer is of the utmost importance in any study of the American merchant marine. The records were due to the fact that our seamen were the most ambitious and the most efficient sailors of the sail that the world has ever seen. . . Studding sails were spread to the zephyrs when the ship crossed the equator, and they were yet seen in place while she sailed with trade-winds so strong that ships from Europe close-hauled were reefed down to the cap. Indeed, all sail was often carried when ordinary ships

were seen reefed down on the same course. As Clark Russell notes in one of his novels, the skipper of the ship from Europe, as he paced the deck with anxious eyes upon his shortened canvas, fearing that it would be blown from the bolt ropes, very often saw a tiny white speck upon the horizon, watched it grow into a splendid ship with 'every rag set,' saw her fling the Stars and Stripes to the gale, as she went roaring by, and then with feelings that cannot be described, gazed after her until she disappeared in the mists far down the lee."

Lindsay in his work "Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce," speaking of the personnel of the American clipper and packet ship service says: "During the first half of this century the masters of American vessels were, as a rule, greatly superior to those who held similar positions in English ships, arising in some measure from the limited education of the latter, which was not sufficient to qualify them for the higher grades of the merchant service. American shipowners required of their masters not merely a knowledge of navigation and seamanship, but of commercial pursuits, the nature of exchanges, the art of correspondence, and a sufficient knowledge of business to qualify them to represent the interests of their employers to advantage with merchants abroad. On all such matters the commanders of English ships, with the exception of the East India Company's, were at this period greatly inferior to the commanders of the United States vessels.

Captains of the larger class of packets or merchant ships, therefore, could not only afford to live as gentlemen, but if men of good character and fair man

ners (which they generally were) they were received into the best mercantile circles on shore. They were also allowed, besides their fixed salary, a percentage (usually 22 per cent) on all freights, and by various other privileges (particularly in relation to passengers) they were thus enabled to save money and to become, in time, merchants and shipowners on their own account, a custom which prevailed to a large extent in the New England States."

The same author quotes the report of a British consul at Philadelphia which deals with the attention given by Americans to the training of their youth for service in the merchant marine. That report is as follows: "A lad intended for the higher grades of the merchant service in this country, after having been at school some years and acquired (in addition to the ordinary branches of school learning) a competent knowledge of mathematics, navigation, ships' husbandry, and perhaps French, is generally apprenticed to some respectable merchant in whose counting-house he remains two or three years, or at least until he becomes familiar with exchanges and such other commercial matters as may best qualify him to represent his principal in foreign countries. He is then sent to sea, generally in the capacity of second mate, from which he gradually rises to that of captain. . . . Nor were the interests of the common seamen overlooked. Boys of all classes, when fit, had the privilege of entering the higher free schools, in which they could be educated for almost every profession. An ignorant American native seaman was, therefore, scarcely to be found; they all, with few exceptions, knew how to read,

write and cipher. Although, in all nations, a mariner is considered a citizen of the world, whose home is on the sea, and, as such, can enforce compensation for his labor in the Courts of any country, his contract being recognized by general jurisprudence, the cases of disputes between native-born Americans and their captains have ever been less frequent both in this country and abroad than between British masters and seamen, owing, in a great measure, to the superior education and more rigorous discipline on board American vessels."

The record run of the fast clippers was made in 1860 by Captain Samuel Samuels in the "Dreadnaught" with which he covered 2,760 miles in 9 days and 17 hours. This record trip, however, is perhaps partly explained by the fact, as stated by the captain, that "She was on the rim of a cyclone most of the time" and the cyclone was evidently blowing in the right direction! The feat of the "Dreadnaught❞ occurred after the trans-Atlantic steamships of the Cunard line, the Ocean Steam Navigation Company and the Collins line had been operating for some years. Thus it was the competition of the new power, which drove the old seamen to their best under sail.

According to a report made to the House of Commons about 1835, the progress of American shipping was giving England great concern. The following is an extract from the Committee's report: "American Shipping That the committee cannot conclude its labor without calling attention to the fact that the ships of the United States of America, frequenting the ports of England, are stated by several witnesses to be su

perior to those of a similar size and class, amongst the ships of Great Britain, the commanders and officers being generally considered to be more competent as seamen and navigators, and more uniformly persons of education, than the commanders and officers of British ships of a similar size and class, trading from England to America; while the seamen of the United States are considered to be more carefully selected and more efficient; that American ships sailing from Liverpool to New York have preference over English vessels sailing to the same port, both as to freight and to rate of insurance; and higher wages being given, their whole equipment is maintained in a higher state of perfection, so that fewer losses occur; and as the American shipping have increased of late years in the proportion of 1434 per cent per annum while the British shipping have increased within the same period 11⁄2 per cent per annum."