SS Erl King (1865) facts for kids
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The SS Erl King
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| United Kingdom | |
| Name | SS Erl King |
| Namesake | Erl King |
| Owner | Robertson & Co London |
| Builder | A. & J. Inglis, Pointhouse, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Yard number | 26 |
| Launched | 7 September 1865 |
| Completed | October 1865 |
| Fate | 15 December 1891 - Wrecked Long Reef, Key West, Florida |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Iron auxiliary steamship |
| Tonnage |
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| Length | 305.6 feet |
| Beam | 34.1 feet |
| Depth of hold | 28.3 feet |
| Installed power | 250hp |
| Propulsion | Auxiliary steam, lifting screw |
| Sail plan | Barque |
| Speed | 12.24 knots (trials speed) |
| Capacity |
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The SS Erl King was a special ship built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1865. She was owned by Robertson & Co London. This ship was an "Auxiliary Steam Ship." This means she used steam power to help her sails. The steam engine was used when there wasn't enough wind. It also helped when the ship needed to sail against a light headwind.
The Erl King had a clever propeller that could be lifted out of the water. This reduced drag when the ship was only using its sails. The engine wasn't strong enough to push the ship directly into a very strong headwind. However, having steam power was a big advantage. It allowed the Erl King to use the Suez Canal when it opened in 1869. Sailing ships could not use the canal.
Contents
What was the Erl King used for?
The Erl King was mainly used for the "China trade." This involved sailing from Britain to China. Her main cargo was tea. Before this time, the British East India Company had a monopoly on the tea trade. This ended in 1834. After that, fast sailing ships called "tea clippers" became very popular. They raced to bring the first "new crop" tea to Britain.
How did the Erl King compete with clippers?
In 1866, the Erl King joined this exciting trade. She competed with the famous sailing clippers. These clipper races were a big deal. Ships would race each other, and the winning ship often got extra money. Newspapers reported on these races. People even placed bets on which ship would win. Tea sellers would proudly announce which ship carried their tea.
The Great Tea Race of 1866
The year 1866 saw a very close race among the tea clippers. The Erl King loaded a huge amount of tea in Foochow. She carried 1,108,100 pounds of tea. She left China on June 5, 1866. The first clippers had left about a week earlier.
However, the Erl King arrived in London on August 20, 1866. Her journey took only 77 days. The sailing ships were still far away in the Atlantic Ocean. The fastest clippers arrived on September 6. Their journey took 99 days. Their race was so close it was almost a tie.
The merchants had promised extra money to the winning sailing ship. But they lost out. Not only did many clippers arrive at the same time, but the "new crop" tea from the Erl King had already been sold for over a week!
Did the Erl King carry passengers?
Yes, the Erl King also carried passengers. On her 1866 trip from China, one passenger was Captain MacKinnon's wife. Captain MacKinnon was the master of the Taeping. This was one of the two clippers that tied for first place in the Tea Race that year. Mrs. MacKinnon was pregnant and likely didn't travel on her husband's racing ship. She gave birth to a baby boy during the journey. This happened when the Erl King was about four days' sail from Cape de Verde.
What happened to the Erl King?
The Erl King was unfortunately wrecked on December 15, 1891. This happened on Long Reef, which is east of the Florida Keys.
