“STARLIGHT” – 1854 ~ 1864 – Clipper built by E. & H. O. Briggs at South Boston for Baker & Morrill of Boston – 229' x 40'8” x 21'6.” Figurehead, a Merman. Made nine passages from New York and Boston to San Francisco . Her best run was 117 days.
In May, 1862 the “STARLIGHT” departed Calcutta twelve hours ahead of clipper “BELLE OF THE WEST,” both bound for Boston . It was truly a family race. The captains of the two ships were brothers, and the chief mate of the “BELLE” had a brother aboard “STARLIGHT!”
During this hard contested voyage, around the Cape of Good Hope and up the Atlantic to Boston , the two ships sighted each other just three times!! Their safe arrivals at Boston were just twelve hours apart and – “STARLIGHT” was first in!! In 1864 she was sold at San Francisco to a Roberto Protolongo of Lima . Isn't it a shame that his last name wasn't Ripley?
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