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Maine and the Orient:
Influence on Ship Building |
As competition developed in the Far East Trade fast ships became profitable. This contributed to the development of the clipper ship, which could outsail the slower, higher capacity English tea wagons.
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Most clippers were built in large East Coast port cities, but about sixty were built in Maine. Two of these were well-known: Snow Squall built in South Portland in 1851, and Red Jacket built in Rockland, Maine, and launched in 1853. Snow Squall was active in the China Trade. Red Jacket was purchased by owners from Liverpool, and she spent her days carrying goods and passengers from England to Australia. Gold was discovered in Australia in 1851, spurring a wave of travel. Later, Australian wheat was exported to Europe.
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People flocked to California after gold was found there in 1848. Some sailed from the eastern United States, including Maine. Of vessels entering California ports in 1849, 67 were from Maine: 19 were from Bath, 13 from Portland, 13 from Bangor, 10 from Eastport, 3 from Belfast, 2 each from Saco and Thomaston, and one each from several other small towns.
Around this time, ship owners ceased to be their own shippers—they found more profit in hiring out their services to merchants.
California moved from gold to agriculture, and its wheat was found to be highly resistant to spoilage from dampness. This made it an ideal cargo for large-capacity sailing vessels. Maine shipbuilders became known for their three-masted square-rigged vessels that required fewer crew members than the clippers, and yet carried more cargo. These came to be known as Down Easters.
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