Cutty Sark

History

The Cutty Sark is one of the last clippers to be built, in 1869, with Dumbarton in Scotland, by the company Scott & Lindon, on plans of Hercules Linton ( Cutty Sark means “short shirt” in Scots according to the name of a character of the poet Robert Burns). It is the last specimen of this generation of ships to being remained in good state of conservation.

The Clipper S were very fast sailing ships of modest size but (speed of more than 9 node S) and manoeuvrable, built in the middle of the 19th century. They are in fact the last generation commercial sailing ships which one designed, equipped with metal structures resistant and profiting from all the technological changes of the time. When they were not used for the hacking, their weak tonnage intended them for the transport of expensive food products, like spices or the.

The provisioning of The was an important challenge, and was the subject of an annual contest for which would bring back in first to London the lately collected in China (the Tea race ). The Cutty Sark was launched on the floods on November 23rd 1869, ordered by the captain John Willis. It was engaged during two seasons in this competition, but obtained only poor results, by losing its rudder during its confrontation with the Thermopylae in 1872, which arrived at destination one week before him. The Cutty Sark finished the voyage in 122 days.

Later, it was also used for the trade of the Laine coming from Australia, succeeding in carrying out the crossing in 67 days. One also credits the Cutty Sark with a record for a ship of his size: to have traversed in 24:00 a distance from 360 marine miles (an average of 15 nodes, or 27,75 km/h).

Like all the other clippers, it ends up succumbing in front of the competition of the steamers. Although slower than the sailing ships, those profited from a regularity which secured them against the weather risks. They could also borrow the Suez Canal, lately built, and proved finally more profitable and reliable.

The Cutty Sark was sold in 1895 by Willis at the company Portuguese Ferreira and taken the name of the firm, although the crew preferred to call it Pequena Camisola (“small shirt,” a direct translation of the Scottish cutty sark ). In 1916, it was démâté with the Cape of Good Hope (close to the port of the Cape in South Africa), then sold, rearmed in the Cape like barge of transshipment and famous Maria C Amparo .

In 1922, after several misadventures and modifications, the captain Wilfred Dowman acquires it to give again his name to him and its initial appearance and will then use it as training ship.

After the end of service

Since 1954, the Cutty Sark is installed in the dry hold at the edge of the the Thames, on a quay of Greenwich in the suburbs of London, in the district Maritime Greenwich classified in 1997 with the world heritage by UNESCO.

It is the first visible monument of the tourists, who they come by the the Thames or the Docklands Light Railway (station Cutty Sark). The ship introduces them into the classified district of Maritime Greenwich to which belonged the national maritime Museum. An office of information for the tourists is held in the East of the ship.

Project of conservation “ Saving Cutty Sark 2006-2009”

After years when the classified building was listed among the masterpieces of the British inheritance in danger, a major project of conservation of the Cutty Sark began. Following the launching of a public subscription, this project begun in 2006 was to finish in spring 2009 (but this date will have to be pushed back because of the recent fire, and a new call to the gifts is launched near the public). The ship was to also be elevated three meters to the top of the hold to allow the construction of a space of exposure in the code of practice under the hull of the ship. Thus the visitors could have admired the slim shape of the hull since the lower part.

Since the beginning of work of restoration, the Cutty Sark is closed with the public. During this work, the mast and the veils are withdrawn as well as the anchors, bells and the major part of the movable elements, with the shelter in a warehouse in the South of London (except for the elements kept on the site of exposure beside the ship); the visitors can however know the history of this famous training ship of the royal navy in a new hall of exposure near the dry hold where work continues.

The exposure explains why and how the ship will be saved, and shows a film of presentation, a re-creation life size of the living room of honor inside the ship, and of interactive animations on the project of restoration. Cameras also remotely film work of restoration on line.

Set fire to of May 21st, 2007

The May 21st 2007, between 04:45 and 06:28 (local time), a violent one sets fire to suspect origin damages the ship seriously, then in the course of restoration. The firemen made quickly on the spot control the disaster in one hour and half.

Fortunately, within the framework of renovation works, approximately half of the elements of origin of the boat (masts, the major part of the higher floor and the rudder), as well as furniture and the armament were stored with the shelter of the disaster. The damage has affected the whole of the central structure of the ship, but apparently very little the external hull or decorative pieces. The poop so characteristic of the ship was also saved.

However, the interior structural members and most of the floor of the interior bridge (of which wood dated from the 15th century), as well as the metal structure supporting the unit of the hull are too seriously damaged to be preserved and will have to be entirely rebuilt. The persons in charge of the company in charge of the restoration think that one will be able to save the ship, with a overcost from 5 to 10 M £. This sum being added to the 25 to 35 M£ initially planned for the project of restoration, which was with the quarter of the realization and was to relate to mainly the interior parts destroyed by the fire.

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References

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