CIMBA
Shipbuildervessel built by
Walter Hood & Co.
(Shipbuilder, Footdee, Aberdeen 1839 - 1881)
Date1878
Object NameCLIPPER
MediumIRON
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 223 7/12' x breadth 34 7/12' x depth 22'
gross tonnage 1174 ton
gross tonnage 1174 ton
Object numberABDSHIP000386
Keywords
Official No: 77444
Fate: Lost at Pointe des Monts, St Lawrence, Quebec, Canada, 26 July 1915.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper, 2 decks, 3 masts, round stern, clench built, iron frame,
figurehead a lion rampant. Livery green hull with yellow stripe and white masts.
(Source: Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
Owners:
1878: Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
Alexander Nicol, 48 shares; James Buyers, 4 shares; John Blaikie Nicol, 4 shares; John Finister, 8 shares
(Builder's List in the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
1906: Akties Cimba (L. Hauglund), Frederikstad, Norway. .
Masters:
1878-1895: Master J. Fimister
1895-1906: Master J. W. Holmes
General History:
Basil Lubbock in his The Colonial Clippers described CIMBA as ‘an out and out wool clipper’. The London wool sales took place in the early part of the year. When a sufficient number of cargoes had arrived the list was closed. Subsequent cargoes would have to be warehoused for perhaps two or three months, resulting in storage charges and possibly lower prices. Wool clipper masters therefore made great efforts to reach the Thames as early as possible. CIMBA’s exceptionally long serving commander (1878-1895) Captain Fimister went too far in trying to save time on the vessel’s maiden voyage. At the end of September 1878 he jumped the queue fixed by the Sydney port authorities for loading at the Circular quay. He ignored orders from the harbour master to move back and the issue was taken to the most senior official in New South Wales, the Colonial Secretary, and then to the colony’s assembly. When the assistant harbourmaster came to enforce the order, master and crew were not to be seen. However, he hired a tug to remove CIMBA, the cost of which Fimister had to pay together with a fine. On its first voyage the ship left London on 27 June 1878, crossed the Equator on 28 July and the Cape of Good Hope Meridian on 20 August, arriving at Sydney on 29 September.
CIMBA must have been a successful wool clipper as it established an annual schedule which continued for 23 years until 1900. It generally sailed from the East India Dock, London in the late Spring, arriving at Sydney about three months later. Typically it would arrive back in the Thames in January or February. Occasionally, as in 1889, it completed the passage from the English Channel under tow in order not to miss the wool sales. CIMBA was a fast sailer, as required by its calling. Basil Lubbock has listed its shorter passages:-
1880: Channel-Sydney, 71 days
1882: do. 82 days
1884: do. 79 days
1889: Sydney-London, 75 days
1891: Sydney-Channel, 84 days
1892: Channel-Sydney, 83 days
1893: Sydney-Channel, 86 days
1894: Channel-Sydney, 80 days
By 1900 the freight rates for wool clippers were declining as steamships became faster and more fuel-efficient, CIMBA’s voyage pattern began to change. In 1901, its sailing from Sydney was on 26 April, arriving London 7 August, apparently too late for the wool sales. In 1903 it sailed in November from Liverpool to Sydney and in the process experienced what was apparently its only serious accident under Aberdeen ownership. Due to unfavourable weather the vessel was being towed down the Mersey to the sea. The tow rope broke, being temporarily caught in the tug’s screw. CIMBA drifted down channel and collided with one of the Dock Board’s dredgers. It was subsequently got under tow again by the tug, whose owners claimed that it was by that time in danger and claimed salvage. At the subsequent trial the Admiralty Division judge concluded that that there had been ‘a good deal of bungling’ aboard CIMBA and awarded salvage, but only £150.
CIMBA’s last voyage for Nichol and Co. was in 1905, when its return sailing from Austria was in March from Newcastle, New South Wales, to Callao in Peru. Newcastle was a coal port, and this seems likely to have been the cargo. In September CIMBA secured a cargo home, most likely of guano. From Falmouth in December it was ordered to Rotterdam, after which it was sold to a Norwegian owner, Capt. H.B. Erikson, for trading from Frederickstadt.
Sources:- B. Lubbock, The Colonial Clippers (Glasgow, 1948 edition), pp. 104, 243-5, 247; Aberdeen Free Press, 16/01/1889; Daily Telegraph, 14/12/1903; Liverpool Evening Express, 26/11/1903; Lloyd’s List, 14/12/1905; Scotsman, 12/12/1903. Ship movements from assorted newspapers, notably Aberdeen Evening Express, Aberdeen Free Press, Australian and New Zealand Gazette, Lloyd’s List, Shipping and Mercantile Gazette. Newspaper references are from British Newspaper Archive.
Newspaper extracts:
19/10/1880:
Cleared 18 October for London ship CIMBA, Capt. J. Fimister.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
06/01/1890:
Cable news of ship CIMBA's arrival in London. CIMBA is a fast ship and this time had done splendidly, having made the run home in 72 days. Sailed Sydney 22 Oct. with 6900 bales wool besides other cargo.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
28/01/1891:
Cablegram received announcing safe arrival of clipper ship CIMBA at London on 27 Jan., 86 days from Sydney.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
20/01/1892:
London, 18 Jan. - has been great deal of betting on race between ship CIMBA, which sailed from Sydney 24 Oct. and ship SALAMIS, which sailed from Geelong 30 Oct. CIMBA has reached London first, SALAMIS being in the Downs.
(South Australian Register (Adelaide))
24/06/1899:
CIMBA left London 25 Feb. with general cargo consigned to Rockhampton and arrived here Sunday, Capt. Holmes in command, Mr D. W. Macdonald Chief Officer and crew of 24 all told, most Englishmen. CIMBA is very fine vessel, owned by Alexander Nicol & Co. Her last 2 voyages home from Sydney took only 79 and 75 days respectively. This is her 2nd visit to Queensland, she having called at Brisbane 2 years ago. Capt Holmes said that on this voyage he met with nothing but head winds all the way from Cape of Good Hope to Tasmania, which accounted for long delay. CIMBA will remain here unloading for about 6 weeks, when she will load wool, tallow etc, for London, calling at Brisbane to complete cargo of wool etc.
(Rockhampton (Queensland) Capricorn)
01/08/1899:
Clipper ship CIMBA, after waiting for favourable weather, left yesterday with 1317 carks tallow and 1468 bails wool, she will load about 1000 bales wool at Brisbane, then sail for London.
(Rockhampton Bulletin)
23/02/1901:
Ship CIMBA arrived Newcastle (N.S.W.) this morning, 96 days from London. Capt Holmes reports she left Gravesend 14 Nov., anchored at the Nore till 17th because of hard southerly gale, slipped tug at the Downs noon 17th, passed meridian of the Cape 10 Jan. On 30 Jan. in 47S, 78E [Southern Ocean] experienced hurricane for 12 hours. Ship was under lower main topsail only and at 8p.m. sheet parted and sail went to pieces before it could be stowed. She behaved very well under bare poles for 30 hrs, sea being terrific.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
25/02/1903:
Ship CIMBA, Capt. Holmes, expected to leave here tomorrow, mainly in ballast, for Chile.
(Brisbane Courier)
26/11/1903:
Ship CIMBA, after leaving London for Sydney, collided with another vessel. Had to return to port and will probably have to discharge her cargo.
(Hobart Mercury)
11/06/1906:
Ship CIMBA, which arrived Melbourne from Frederickstadt June 10, bore a somewhat dilapidated appearance forward. As result of heavy seas starboard light was wrenched from its lashings and thrown clear onto port boat. Boat on the house forward was smashed to pieces, while any amount of light fittings were beat and twisted.
(Adelaide Advertiser)
14/07/1954:
Fastest voyage 1889 Sydney to London in 75 days. She had only two masters whilst she sailed under a British flag; Captain Fimister (1878-1895) and Captain Holmes (1895-1906). 'According to Master Holmes, CIMBA was heavy aloft and narrow, but she was beloved by both her masters and certainly by most of the men who sailed her.'
(Evening Express)
Note: Parts salvaged in 1950s including mast cap, anchor chain and rigging now housed at Aberdeen Maritime Museum. Other related objects held at Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia.
Wikipedia:
CIMBA was clipper in the Australian wool trade, and sailed between London and Sydney from Callao [Peru] to Iquiqui [Chile] of 14 days in 1905. Her first captain, J. Fimister, served until 1895, at which time Captain J. W. Holmes took over until her sale to Norwegian owners 1906: under her new owners her chief cargo was lumber and she made a fast passage of 14 days from Dublin to the St. Lawrence.
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