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The medium clipper ship, NORTHERN LIGHT, was launched at the yard of E. & H.O. Briggs, South Boston on September 25, 1851. The vessel was designed by the brilliant naval architect Samuel H. Pook. His design was very sharp below the waterline with full and powerful lines topsides. The ship carried a skysail on her mainmast only. Her figurehead was of a full length angel |
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carrying a golden torch ahead. NORTHERN LIGHT was built for the Boston merchant James Huckins. The vessel had a registered length of 171 ft., a registered breadth of 36 ft., and a registered depth of hold of 21.9 ft., and she measured 1021 tons. NORTHERN LIGHT held the record for the fastest voyage from San Francisco around Cape Horn to an east coast port of 76 days 8 hours until the 1990s when the record was broken by a high-tech catamaran. James Huckins sold the vessel to Capt. Seth Doane in April of 1854. Capt. Doane made several successful voyages in her to the Far East. The painting depicts NORTHERN LIGHT off the coast of Java near Anjer in the Sunda Strait on a voyage from Boston to Manila in 1856. Capt. Doane made the voyage in the fast time of 89 days. NORTHERN LIGHT is encountering squally weather during the southeast monsoon. The Dutch ensign flies from the foremast as the vessel is in the waters of the Dutch East Indies. Her name pennant flies from the main, and the house flag of Crocker and Sturgis, who chartered the vessel, flies at the mizzen. |
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