Young America at the Cape

Young America was built for speed. She was a clipper ship, a new breed of sailing ship that raced across oceans in record times, delivering cargoes such as tea from China and grain from Australia. The fastest ships made the most money for their owners, because they could make more voyages and deliver more cargo.  

Young America was built in New York in 1853 by famous shipbuilder William Webb. She was his last ship, and many consider her his crowning achievement. She was an extreme clipper, which meant that she was built with a sharp bow that sacrificed cargo space for speed. Her size and speed ensured that she commanded the highest rates for freight and passengers.

In 1883 she was sold to an Austrian company and renamed Miroslav. In 1886 she sailed from Delaware and was never seen again, presumed lost in the Atlantic.

The painting depicts Young America as she rounds Cape Horn on her way from New York to San Francisco in 1854. Her captain is taking a bit of a risk sailing so close to the rocky shores of the Horn itself, but with a rare wind from the Northwest, and a competitor close on his heels, he is trying to shave some miles off the trip.