Racers of the Deep The Yankee Clippers and Bluenose Clippers on the Australian run 1852-1869

Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing. 2007. Large octavo size [16x24cm approx]. Mint condition - a new copy. Card wraps. Illustrated with colour and black & white plates. Black & White maps. Robust, professional packaging and tracking provided for all parcels. 396 pages. The Black Ball and White Star shipping lines owned some of the world's largest and fastest clipper ships. From 1852 to 1869 their 146 ships dominated the run between Liverpool and Australasia. They carried a great number of immigrants from Europe to Australia at the height of the gold rushes, greatly contributing to Australia's and New Zealand's rapid development. This book includes some remarkable sea stories based on reliable testimony and evidence. Some are about notorious captains of the time: "Bully" Forbes, who wrecked the Schomberg; "Bully" Bragg and the burning of the Empress of the Seas; "Brace Charlie" McDonnell and the mighty James Baines; Samuel Reed and the mutiny on the beautiful Red Jacket. Strangest of all is the evidence just uncovered of how the Fiery Star met her end, and the hero of the hour basked in undeserved glory. Because these ships were British-owned, we have long accepted what British authors have written about them. This book has however been written by an Australian from an Australian point of view and it goes a long way to completing our maritime history of the period. . New. 1st Edition. Softcover.