Clipper ship Challenge 1851<br><p>Watercolour portrait of the American merchant ship Challenge (1851), artist unknown. Challenge was one of 31 American clippers launched in 1851 for the San Francisco gold boom. In 1852 she took part in the China "tea race" and arrived in London second to Sea Witch with a passage of 105 days. Her lines were much admired and were taken off by the Admiralty when she was lying in Blackwall Dock. After this no record is known but she may have left the dock under the name Result, a large American-built ship acquired at that time by Greens for the Australian gold boom. (H. Parker's unpublished catalogue of the Macpherson Collection). 
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A partly erased pencil inscription verso commences: "The Clipper Ship Challenge, 2006 tons. Captain Robert H Waterman 1851. - ". Waterman was accused of cruelty towards his crew during Challenge's maiden voyage and was nearly lynched in San Francisco, after which he abandoned the sea for religion (Ibid). Also inscribed in pencil verso is "Clipper Ship Challenge 1851"
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Unknown author<span style="display: none;">Unknown author</span></div>
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