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. Old shipping days in Boston. This innovation was apparently not asuccess, for the beautiful vessel, shortly after her arrival in NewYork and just before sailing on what her builder hoped would be therecord ocean voyage, caught fire from the sparks that came from aconflagration one block away. The topsails first of all ignited, andthen the masts, the sails, and rigging. After a hurried consultationit was decided to cut the masts away, and in a few minutes thedecks were a mass of burning wreckage. It was thought the shiphad been saved, when, to the horror of those near by, some oneyelled to th
. Old shipping days in Boston. This innovation was apparently not asuccess, for the beautiful vessel, shortly after her arrival in NewYork and just before sailing on what her builder hoped would be therecord ocean voyage, caught fire from the sparks that came from aconflagration one block away. The topsails first of all ignited, andthen the masts, the sails, and rigging. After a hurried consultationit was decided to cut the masts away, and in a few minutes thedecks were a mass of burning wreckage. It was thought the shiphad been saved, when, to the horror of those near by, some oneyelled to the mate, Theres smoke coming up the main burning spar had pierced her three decks and a spark had ignitedthe cargo. She was promptly scuttled, but the flames caused suchdamage that she was turned over to the underwriters. McKaysdisappointment was naturally very great, and he really never quiterecovered his former self, and though he later built a good manyships he retired soon afterwards to a farm and died. The Great 46. CLIPPER SHIP LIGHTNING, A MERCHANTMAN OF 1854, AND HOLDEROF THE WORLDS SAILING RECORD Built by Donald McKay at East Boston and owned by James Baines & Co. TheLightning holds the worlds record for a days run, 436 nautical miles, an average of over18 knots an hour. The cut is from an original painting by Capt. W. B. Whall and was ob-tained through the courtesy of Lester H. Monks, Esq.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidoldshippingdaysi018stat