Ocean Chief (clipper) facts for kids
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|} The Ocean Chief was a very fast sailing ship called a clipper. It was used for regular trips carrying mail and goods. It also carried many people, known as bounty emigrants, to Australia. These journeys took place between June 1854 and December 1861. This was an exciting time because of the Australian gold rushes.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
|
| Name | Ocean Chief (1853) |
| Owner | James Baines & Co. |
| Operator | Black Ball Line |
| Route | United Kingdom−Australia |
| Builder | Joshua C. Morton, Thomaston, Maine, USA |
| Completed | 1853 |
| Acquired | 1854 |
| Fate | Burnt, 1862 Bluff Harbour New Zealand |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Clipper |
| Tonnage | 1,026 gross register tons (GRT) |
| Length | 182 ft (55 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft (10 m) |
| History | |
| United Kingdom |
|
| Name | Wild Ranger |
| Builder | J. O. Curtis, Medford, Massachusetts, United States |
| Completed | 1853 |
| Renamed | Ocean Chief, 1862 |
| Owner | James Baines & Co. (1862-1866) |
| Operator | Black Ball Line (1862-1866) |
| Route | United Kingdom−Australia |
| Acquired | 1862 |
| Fate | Sank off Calcutta in 1872 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Clipper |
| Tonnage | 930 gross register tons (GRT) |
The First Ocean Chief
The first ship named Ocean Chief was built in the United States. It was made in Thomaston, Maine, by Joshua C. Morton and his son Charles. They finished building this ship in 1853.
This clipper was known for being very fast and reliable. On average, it completed its journeys in about 74 days.
Working for the Black Ball Line
The Ocean Chief was bought by the Black Ball Line. This company was based in Liverpool, England. Its owners were James Baines and Thomas MacKay. They used the ship for a regular mail service. The main route was between Liverpool and Melbourne, Australia. The ship also visited other places, like Hobart in Tasmania and New Zealand.
The Ship's Final Journey
In 1862, the Ocean Chief arrived at Bluff Harbour, New Zealand. It was carrying a large cargo of 4,000 sheep. On the morning of January 23, 1862, the ship sadly caught fire. It was believed that the crew started the fire. They wanted to leave the ship and search for gold in the nearby Otago Gold Rush.
The Second Ocean Chief
After the first ship was lost, another ship was bought in 1862. This ship was originally named Wild Ranger. It was built in the United States in 1853. The builder was J. O. Curtis, and it was made in Medford, Massachusetts.
This ship was then renamed Ocean Chief. It was a little smaller than the first one, weighing 930 tons. In 1866, the ship was sold to a new owner, E. Angel, in Liverpool. This second Ocean Chief sank in a big storm in 1872. This happened off Calcutta, India, in the Bay of Bengal.
