Chapter II: Part I: The Emigrant Ships

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The Power of Gold 1

Steerage Conditions in 1844 3

Discovery of Gold in Australia 5

Melbourne and its Shipping in 1851-2 6

First Gold Cargoes Home 10

Great Rush to the Gold Regions in 1852 11

Maury’s Improvements on Old Route to the Colonies 13

Early Fast Passages Outward 14

Rules and Customs aboard the _Eagle_ in 1853 15

Liverpool Shipowners in the Australian Trade 22

James Baines, of the Black Ball Line 23

The _Marco Polo_ 26

Captain James Nicol Forbes 29

_Marco Polo’s_ First Voyage to Australia 32

_Marco Polo’s_ Second Voyage to Australia 36

After Life of _Marco Polo_ 40

Most Notable Clippers of 1853 41

_Ben Nevis_ 42

The _Star of the East_ 42

The _Miles Barton_ 43

The _Guiding Star_ 44

The _Indian Queen_ 44

The Famous _Sovereign of the Seas_ 48

Best Outward Passages for 1853-4, Anchorage to Anchorage 52

1854—The Year of the Big Ships 52

Extraordinary 24-hour Runs 57

The _Lightning_ 60

The _Red Jacket_ 62

Race across the Atlantic between _Lightning_ and _Red Jacket_ 63

_Red Jacket’s_ First Voyage to Australia 66

The _Lightning’s_ First Voyage to Australia 71

_Champion of the Seas_ 73

The _James Baines_ 77

Record Voyage of _James Baines_ to Australia 81

The _Donald Mackay_ 83

_Blue Jacket_, _White Star_, and _Shalimar_ 85

The Wreck of the _Schomberg_ 87

Best Outward Passages—Liverpool to Melbourne, 1854-5 90

1855-1857—Captain Anthony Enright and the _Lightning_ 91

Best Homeward Passages, 1855-6 103

Best Outward Passages, 1855-6, Liverpool to Melbourne 104

_James Baines_ Overdue 105

_James Baines_, _Champion of the Seas_, and _Lightning_ race
out to India with Troops in the Time of the Mutiny 110

Burning of the _James Baines_ 112

America Sells her Clippers to Great Britain 113

Notes on the Later American-built Passenger Ships 114

Black Ballers in the Queensland Emigrant Trade 115

_Sunda_ and _Empress of the Seas_ Carry Sheep to New Zealand 115

After Life and End of the Liverpool Emigrant Clippers 116

The Burning of the _Lightning_ 117

_Blue Jacket’s_ Figure-head 118

The Loss of the _Fiery Star_ 118

Some Famous Coal Hulks 120

Loss of the _Young Australia_ 120

The Fate of _Marco Polo_ 121