The Lightning - Montague Dawson

Gouttelette Print.
On paper: Image Size: 22 x 28 inches. Paper Size: 26 x 32 inches
On Canvas: Image 22 x 28 inches with 2 inch margins all round, varnished.

The clipper ship 'Lightning' was designed and built by Donald McKay, of East Boston, during 1853-54 and cost a total of £30,000. She weighed 2,096 tonnes and was 244ft long with 13,000 square yards of canvas.

Lightning’s owner was James Baines, who sent his senior captain, the notorious Bully Forbes, across the Atlantic to take command of his important new clipper. Forbes then raced Lightning back to Liverpool in 13 days 19½ hrs.  In May 1854, Lightning left Liverpool for Melbourne, Australia, and, though the weather was too mild to favour any record-breaking on that trip, the return between Port Phillip Heads in Melbourne and Liverpool took only 64 days 3hrs 10mins, another sailing record which was never to be broken.

Lightning was taken over as a troop carrier during the Indian Mutiny but was destroyed in October 1869 in a disastrous fire at Geelong. The fire was so intense that attempts were made to scuttle her, to prevent other ships from being damaged, and she proved almost unsinkable, though eventually she was brought down by two cannon and the career of one of the greatest of all ships in the history of sail was brought to an end.

Each print is hand numbered, accompanied by a certificate signed by the Master Printer and is numbered to match the print. The editions are limited to 1880 copies. Other canvas sizes are available on request.