Taitsing (clipper) facts for kids

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History
United Kingdom
Name	Taitsing
Owner	*list error: empty list item (help) Findlay & Longmuir, Greenock; 1865-1876 James Findlay, Greenock; 1876-1880 Robert D Willis, London; 1880-1883

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Taitsing was a very famous British clipper ship. Clippers were fast sailing ships designed to carry goods quickly across long distances. Taitsing was especially known for carrying tea from China to England.

Contents

• Meet the Taitsing Tea Clipper
• The Great Tea Race of 1866
• The Final Voyage and Sinking
• Taitsing in Art

Meet the Taitsing Tea Clipper

Taitsing was built in 1865 by Charles Connell & Co in Glasgow, Scotland. She was a full-rigged ship, meaning she had many sails on all her masts. This design helped her sail very fast.

This impressive ship was 192 feet (59 meters) long. That's about the length of six school buses! She was 31.5 feet (9.6 meters) wide and had a depth of 20.15 feet (6.14 meters). Her first owners were Findlay & Longmuir from Greenock, Scotland.

Taitsing made many long journeys across the oceans. She often sailed from London to ports in China, like Hong Kong and Shanghai. In 1874, she even traveled all the way from Fuzhou, China, to New York in the United States. Over the years, the ship was sold to different owners, including James Findlay and later Robert D. Willis.

The Great Tea Race of 1866

Tea clippers waiting for their cargo in Fuzhou, China, in 1866. Taitsingis the third ship from the left.

One of the most exciting parts of Taitsing's history was her role in The Great Tea Race of 1866. This was a thrilling competition where ten clipper ships raced from China to England. They were all trying to be the first to deliver their fresh tea cargo.

Taitsing, led by Captain Nutsford, carried over a million pounds (about 453,600 kg) of tea. The race covered an amazing 14,000 nautical miles (25,930 km). It was one of the closest races ever! The first five ships, including Taitsing, finished within just three days of each other.

Taitsing proudly finished in fifth place. During the race, she once sailed 318 nautical miles (589 kilometres) in just 24 hours. This means she averaged about 13.25 knots (24.54 km/h), which was incredibly fast for a sailing ship!

The Final Voyage and Sinking

Sadly, Taitsing's long career came to an end in 1883. On September 20, 1883, while carrying a load of patent fuel from Swansea, Wales, she sank in the Indian Ocean. This happened near Nyuni Island, off the coast of Zanzibar.

Taitsing in Art

Taitsing was so famous that she was even featured in art! A painting of Taitsing by a Chinese artist named Hingqua was sold at an auction in New York City in 2009. This shows how important and well-known this clipper ship was in its time.