CHAA-SZE
Shipbuildervessel built by
Alexander HALL & Co.
(Footdee, Aberdeen)
DateApril 1860
Object NameCLIPPER
MediumWOOD (TEAK)
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 164.8' (Lloyd's 170') x breadth 29.1' x depth 18.2'
gross tonnage 556 tons
gross tonnage 556 tons
Object numberABDSHIP001105
Keywords
Yard Number: 217
Official Number: 28388
Fate: stranded 5 miles north of the Grand Connetable Islands, French Guiana, 28 June 1876.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper
Owners:
1860-65: Dudgeon & Co., registered at London
1866-7: Finlay & Co., registered at London
1868: Baring Bs., registered at London
1869-70: Devitt & Co., registered at London
1874-75: J. Delany, registered at London
Master:
1861-68: Master A. Shewan.
1869-75: Master L. Bowen.
Voyages (from Lloyd's):
1861: Aberdeen - China
1862-65: Liverpool - China
1866-67: London - Japan
1869-73: London - Australia
General History:
CHAA-SZE - The name means 'Tea Taster' in Chinese. The figurehead was unusual in that it consisted of two Chinese men supporting a shield with the name painted in Chinese characters.
The teak frames were from four to six apart with a triple thickness of planking binding the whole together innine inches of solid teak. The planking was fastened with screw-treenails, an improvement on the normal hammered treenails which worked loose through movement. William Hall had taken out a patent in June 1853 for screw treenails. At cost of £100 each she was the second ship ever to have the new Emerson and Walkers patent windlass installed.
'The ship was so tightly bound that later several of her lower deck beams were made to unship to give her more play. On one occasion she was in company, off Mauritius, with the clipper CHANTICLEER bound for China. Having sailed together for 4 days a steady breeze got up and the CHAA-SZE forged ahead. The master of the CHANTICLEER cried out "There she goes they have unscrewed the beams and we shan't see her again". No more they did'.
(Andrew Shewan (1996) "The Great Days of Sail: Reminiscences of a Tea-clipper Captain" (Conway Maritime, London, first published 1927), pp. 76-77)
19/04/1864:
CHAA-SZE arrived Sydney 20 March, 93 days from the downs; cleared for Hong Kong 18 April, 8 Chinese passengers. Sheway master.
(Sydney Morning Herald (also Empire 21/04/1864))
13/06/1866:
CHAA-SZE, from London for Japan, spoken 2 April lat. 335, long. 29.58 W (south Atlantic between Montevideo & Tristan).
(Glasgow Herald)
03/10/1870:
CHAA-SZE arrived Brisbane Roads 7 Sept., having made longer passage than expected. In order that consigners should suffer as little as possible the greatest expedition has been observed in discharging, which is now completed with exception of about 30 tons (which is retained as stiffening until her dead weight is sent aboard).
(Brisbane Courier)
29/10/1870:
WM. Johnston, seaman on CHAA-SZE, found guilty of disobedience of orders aboard ship & sentenced to 2 months imprisonment.
(Queenslander (Brisbane))
25/08/1871:
CHAA-SZE arrived Adelaide 24 August from London 19 May. J. Bowen master.
(S. Australian Register (Adelaide))
16/09/1871:
Gawler Police court, 13 Sept. WM Spiller was charged by Capt. Bowen with having deserted 30 August. The captain, who was on a visit to Gawler, discovered prisoner working in Murray Street & gave him in charge.
(Bunyip (Gawler, S.A.))
20/08/1872:
CHAA-SZE won in charge of Capt. Brown, who was pleased to find a pilot ready to take the vessel to a berth. Capt. Brown reports having left downs 10 May, light variable winds till passing Madeira, then moderate north east trades. Line crossed 5 June. Southerly trades proved very light and, like other ships, CHAA-SZE was driven well over to South American coast. On 26 June heavy gale from south east, attended by a confused sea. 14 July passed Cape of Good Hope & thence some good runs were achieved. The easting was bowled alone on parallel of 40-41 south. Finally a hard gale set in, during which a heavy sea broke on board, filling deck & forecastle, smashing spares & otherwise knocking about the woodwork.
(S. Australian Register)
10/09/1872:
Cleared out Adelaide 9 Sept. for Sydney & Newcastle, John Brown master, carrying for Sydney 3,800 bags and 812 half bags flour & 637 bags wheat and for Newcastle 1295 bags, 224 half bags & 400 quarter bags flour and 100 tons copper ore.
(Evening Journal (Adelaide))
12/11/1936:
CHAA-SZE was originally intended to be a steam whaler, but firm which ordered her failed. She had been modelled on tea clipper lines & was finished as a sailing vessel. She figured quite creditably in the tea races.
(Queenslander)
Note: First tea ship designed by Rennie.
Contract cost £10,285 (Builder's list in the Lloyd's Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
Diagonal build. Laid down as a steam whaler.
22 June 1872
