Queen of Nations (clipper ship)
Queen Of Nations was an 827-ton wooden clipper ship. She was built in Aberdeen in 1861, and sailed out of Auckland, New Zealand, on the Sydney to Liverpool route.[1] The ship was admired for its speed and sleek lines.[2]
 Queen of Nations by Richard Ball Spencer | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Owner: | Aberdeen Line - Thompson George & Co., London |
| Builder: | Walter Hood |
| Launched: | 1861 |
| Fate: | Wrecked |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Clipper |
| Tons burthen: | 827 tons |
| Propulsion: | Sailing ship |
| Sail plan: | 2 decks, one poop and top gallant forecastle, 3 masts, barque 1875, shield figurehead. |
| Notes: | 57.9 x 9.8 x 6.1 m |
Queen of Nations wrecked in the pre-dawn hours of May 31, 1881 on Corrimal Beach, New South Wales, Australia. Queen of Nations site lies approximately 70 metres off Corrimal Beach opposite the outlet of Towradgi Creek, 4 kilometres north of Wollongong.[2] The cargo on this final, fatal journey consisted almost entirely of wine and distilled spirits, a fact which combined with the enthusiasms of the newly installed captain and mate for those self-same beverages, led to the captain to become confused by a fire in the hills and order a turn to port facilitating his entry into Sydney Harbour. There was no harbour, only sand and rocks, and the Queen ran aground. Her crew made their way to shore with the loss of only one sailor, despite threats from the drunken mate, armed with a pistol. The Queen broke up and her cargo drifted ashore over the next several months, inspiring the establishment of a long-lived and very cheery beachside campground.[1]
The wreck of the Queen is being studied by Florida State University.[3] Approximate Position 34.38388°S 150.91786°E.
In her more respectable days, in 1879, the Queen Of Nations received international attention for having gallantly rescued Captain Lewis Gerhardt Goldsmith and his ailing wife from their tiny lifeboat, in its last moments, after a storm on the Grand Banks, and carrying them safely to England.
Internal Links
- A painting of Queen of Nations by Richard Ball Spencer (1812–1897) and one of an unknown artist are available at Aberdeen Maritime Museum.
References
- "The clipper ship Queen of Nations (1861-1881)". NSW Heritage Office. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- "The clipper ship Queen of Nations (1861-1881) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science". www.environment.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- David Nutley (April 2006). "The Queen of Nations: A Shipwreck with Influence" (PDF). Underwater Cultural Heritage at Risk: Managing Natural and Human Impacts / Heritage at Risk - Special Edition. International Council on Monuments and Sites. Retrieved 27 December 2007.