THE CALIPH

Shipbuildervessel built by Alexander HALL & Co. (Footdee, Aberdeen)

DateSeptember 1869

Object NameCLIPPER

MediumCOMPOSITE

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 220 7/12' x breadth 36 1/12' x depth 20 1/12'

Object numberABDSHIP001151

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Alexander Hall & Co.
Yard Number: 263

Fate: missing in the South China Sea, August 1871.

Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper, 3 masts, 2 decks, iron frame planked.

Owner:
1869-71: A. Hector, registered at London

Master:
1870-71: Master Daniel Ritson

Voyages:
1870-71: London - China

General History:
29/12/1869:
CALIPH, ship, from London for Shanghai, 25 days out, 16th November, 2.5N, 25W [Mid Atlantic between N.W. Africa and Brazil - maiden voyage].
(Aberdeen Journal)

April 27th 1870
[to] Mr John Simpson, Shanghai

Dear Sir,

We duly received your kind favour of the 25th Feby for which please accept out warmest thanks. Your letter came all the more welcome as we have not had a scrap of news from any one else on board. We can assure you that it gives us very great satisfaction to have such a favourable account given by a gentleman of your experience and now when we understand how matters stood we do not wonder at the ship not having made a better passage.

We were much disappointed when we learned who was to command the ship we had been at so much trouble with seeing that nobody appeared to know anything of the man nor of his former exploits and could never understand why Mr Hector shipped him.
When we contracted with Mr Hector to build the “CALIPH”, we did so at a price which we knew would not pay as otherwise we would not have got the contract, hoping that we would build a ship that would be a credit to us. We spared no pains, and had more bother with her than we would have had with half a dozen other ships owning to the peculiarities of the owner and his inspector, and when she was complete and ready for sea the owner puts in a man nobody knows anything about you can understand how annoying that is. We are confident that the topgallant mast and bowsprit should not have given way with fair play but what you say fully explains the matter.

You would much oblige is if you would allow us to make use of your letter, for it is highly probable that we will have a long list of complaints from Mr Hector and should “THE CALIPH” not come in as first ship in the Tea Race, of which we must say we have now little hope, the whole blame will be thrown on us for not building a faster ship, but your letter would show that there are two sides of the question.

Again thanking you for the trouble you have taken.

We are
Yours truly
A. Hall & Co.
William Hall Junior.
(Extract from Hall's letter book in Aberdeen City Archives, pp. 118–19)

15/05/1871:
'The English tea clipper CALIPH, built by Hall of Aberdeen on the lines of the celebrated schooner SILENE, arrived at New York on March 3rd, from Foochow, after the fastest passage ever made between the two ports. She left Foochow on December 7; passed Anjer on the tenth day out; and rounded the Cape of Good Hope of January 18th - 41 days out. Her run thence to New York occupied only 44 days - in all 85 days. The American papers state that the average run between the two ports is 110 days.'
(The Brisbane Courier)

07/12/1872:
IN CHANCERY.—PURSUANT to Order of the HIGH COURT of CHANCERY, made in the matter of the Estate of DANIEL RITSON, late Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Master Mariner, DECEASED, William Ritson against Wilkinson Ritson, 1872, . No. 86, all persons CLAIMING to be NEXT-OF-KIN, according the Statutes for the distribution intestates’ estates, of the above-named Daniel Ritson (who with his wife Eliza Ritson, formerly Eliza Lloyd, of West Derby, in the County Lancaster, left the Port London in the ship CALIPH, on or about the 29th day of May, 1871, on a voyage to Shanghai, in the Empire of China, and have not since been heard of, and who are supposed to have been both drowned sea in the month of August, 1871), living at the time his death, or to be the legal personal representatives of such of the said next-of-kin as are now dead, are, by their Solicitors, on or before the 11th day of January, 1873, to come in and PROVE their CLAIMS, at the chambers of the Vice-Chancellor Sir Richard Malins, at No. 3, Stone-buildings, Lincoln’s-inn, in the County of Middlesex, or in default thereof they will be peremptorily excluded from the benefit of the said Order. Wednesday, the 22d day January, 1873, at Twelve of the clock at noon, at said chambers, is appointed for hearing and adjudicating upon the claims. Dated this 3d day of December, 1872.
(Shipping and Mercantile Gazette)

"The fact is that at that time the whole long-shore population of the China Coast consisted of nothing but vast rookeries of pirates. The mysterious disappearance of the CALIPH; in the China Seas was always put down to pirates, as no trace of her was ever found, and there was no record of any bad weather at the time."
"NORMAN COURT left on her maiden voyage in company with another new tea clipper. This was the CALIPH, Hall of Aberdeen's starter in the race to displace THERMOPYLAE's cock of victory. CALIPH, however, disappeared in the China Seas, after having passed through the Straits of Sunda, a few days after NORMAN COURT."
(Basil Lubbock (1914), "The China Clippers" (James Brown & Son, Glasgow), pp. 182, 301.)

Notes: Contract cost £15,300 (Builder’s List held in the Lloyd’s Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
It will be noted from newspaper extracts that the ship was sometimes simply called CALIPH but it was registered with the definate article, appearing in Lloyd's as THE CALIPH.