Blackadder (clipper)

The Blackadder was a British clipper ship built in 1870 by Robert Duncan and Company, Port Glasgow, Scotland. She was designed for the tea trade between China and England, a highly competitive route where speed was paramount. Blackadder quickly gained a reputation as a fast sailer, frequently engaging in close races with other famous clippers such as Cutty Sark and Thermopylae.

Her dimensions were approximately 224 feet in length, with a beam of 39 feet. She was copper-sheathed, a common practice to protect the wooden hull from marine growth and shipworm. Blackadder carried a substantial amount of sail, typical for clippers designed to maximize speed in favorable winds.

While she was never the overall winner in the fiercely contested “Tea Race” to London, she consistently achieved fast passages. She was involved in a notable race with Cutty Sark in 1872, where Blackadder ultimately arrived in London just ahead of her rival, though both ships suffered damage during the voyage.

After the decline of the tea trade due to the introduction of steamships, Blackadder was employed in other trades, including carrying wool from Australia.

The Blackadder was eventually sold to foreign owners and renamed Buenos Aires. She continued to sail under this new name for several years. Her ultimate fate is uncertain, with varying accounts indicating either shipwreck or eventual dismantling. However, she remains a significant vessel in the history of clipper ships, remembered for her speed and role in the final years of the tea clipper era.