Balclutha

Balclutha was built in Scotland for the San Francisco grain trade and, from her launching in 1886 until 1890, carried the grain harvests of California's interior valleys to the ports of Europe. Even as steamships increased on both sides of the ocean, great square-rigged sailing ships remained vital on longer commercial routes, especially after development of the Pacific coast of the United States opened new trade for three-masted vessels. Pacific slope grain could not bear rail charges to the East but could bear ocean rates around Cape Horn, drawing large sailing vessels of many maritime nations to San Francisco and Portland. Grain was a treacherous bulk cargo that could shift and put severe strain on a ship's hull, so only the strongest ships and experienced seamen were fit for the 14000 mile voyage around the stormy Cape. British ships were the most numerous in this trade, Americans were next, and from San Francisco for Europe in 1881-85 there sailed 761 British iron ships and 418 American ships.

San Francisco, California · United States