Frederick Jace
Introduction:
Cutty Sark seems an old maiden’s tales’ name over the high seas and of the forgotten sailor’s legacy. But in fact, it is the name of the tea clipper. Tea clipper is a type of wind powered ship that was used in the 18th and 19th centuries to transport goods across long stretches of oceanic trade.
22 November 1869 in Dumbarton, Scotland, was the day on which Cutty Sark blessed the seas with her presence. Cutty Sark embarked on its first sea travel from London to Shanghai on 16 February 1870.
On its first voyage across the high seas, Cutty Sark hauled ‘large amounts of wine, spirits and beer’, and came back from Shanghai loaded with 1.3 million pounds of tea.
Goods such as wool from Australia, tea from China and other spices from India were transported to mainland Europe by the clippers such as Cutty Sark. They were extremely fast and well maneuvered.
They were wind powered wooden and metal made ships that were pinnacle of marine engineering and design of the late industrial ages of Europe and Asia.
If you are interested in ships and wrecks altogether and are also fond of antiques in museum, then there are must knowns about the extravagant Cutty Sark. 5 things to know about Cutty Sark model are lined up here or as the sailors would have said that “5 must things on the deck’ captain”.
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Forgotten times
Sea fares, goods haul and passenger travel were very challenging in the late 18th and early 19th centuries because of the constant warfare going on.
One other important challenge was the race to china tea and other goods that different companies were involved in.
With the advent of steam engines, the maritime trade took a huge turn towards steam powered ships because they were more resilient and faster than the wind powered.
They brought down the crew and cost of the ships to profitable minimum.
Those were the times that Cutty Sark represent. These days nobody even talks about the steam engines.
And tea is a delicacy in every household. So, the most important thing that Cutty Sark represent is the old forgotten times of the late industrial ages.
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Old linguistics
Cutty Sark, a ship of the nineteenth century got its name from a poem by James barn, the famous Scotsman. In old Scottish linguistics, Cutty Sark, means a short nightie. This probably has to do with the figurehead at the front of Cutty Sarks main mast.
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Legacy
Cutty Sark represents a legacy that is of the fast maritime race to tea and wool from far away places like China and Australia. Cutty Sark was one of the fastest if not the fastest tea clippers in the sea. The Ships like Cutty Sark are remarkable representation of the times that sea trade was the most profitable and popular activity in the seas after seas battles.
Cutty Sark has been through war and races. Death and destruction also have been the visitors at Cutty Sark’s deck and beyond. This is the legacy that Cutty Sark brings to the modern times.
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Greenwich Museum
Cutty Sark is at display at Greenwich Museum at Britain. It stands as the symbol of marine engineering and marvel of ship design for the inquiring minds and antique fanatics. Every show is the new show for Cutty Sark as there are more people to see her figurehead and other marvels that are on display.
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Modern Era
Modern era for Cutty Sark model is the time when people are there to gaze at her and remember the old times when sea voyages were much challenging and there were an enthusiastic trade war going on to make the goods reach the market and to the people.
Modern era marks the glory of Cutty Sark and her resilience through the ages that she had endured and changes that she had undergone.
Conclusion:
Whether it is the nineteenth century or the twenty-first, it does not mean anything if there are no legends to remind us of Ships and seas. Today we have cruise ships and marvels like oil ships for goods and passenger travels, but Cutty Sark has her own legacy and awe.
