Cutty Sark: Fastest Ship in the World

"With thousands of square feet of canvas capturing every breath of the trade winds, a 19th-century tea clipper was the absolute pinnacle of sailing evolution. The Cutty Sark was just such a ship, carrying tea and then wool across the far-flung outposts of the British Empire. The gained the record as the fastest ship in the world in the 1880s thanks to its sleek design and 32 sails."

"Clippers were ships of the 18th and 19th centuries, specifically built for speed. With slim, streamlined hulls and an absolute forest of masts and sails, clippers carried cargo across the Atlantic Ocean and up and down the east coast of the United States. The clippers broke all speed records and began to be used for much longer runs, particularly across the British Empire. Clippers carried commodities like opium, wool, and, most famously, tea."

Clippers were purpose-built 18th–19th century fast sailing vessels with slim hulls, many masts, and large sail area. Cutty Sark was a late 19th-century tea clipper that carried tea and later wool across the British Empire. The ship achieved the fastest-ship record in the 1880s thanks to a sleek hull and 32 sails. Clippers competed fiercely to deliver the first seasonal tea to Britain because early arrival fetched premium prices. Competitive races drove investment in top captains and crews, press coverage, and public betting. Steam engine advances ultimately ended the age of sail. Cutty Sark is now a restored museum on the River Thames.

Read at World History Encyclopedia