The Great Tea Race of 1866: Clippers to the Limit

 The Great Tea Race of 1866: Clippers to the Limit

Date: May-September 1866

Key Characters: Captains of the clipper ships Ariel (John Keay), Taeping (Donald MacKinnon), Fiery Cross, Serica, Taitsing.

Summary: The era of extreme clipper ships peaked with the annual race from China to London carrying the season's first tea. In 1866, multiple ships left Foochow (Fuzhou) within hours. The Ariel and Taeping engaged in an intense, 16,000-mile neck-and-neck duel around the Cape of Good Hope. After 99 days, both arrived in the English Channel on the same tide. The Taeping docked in London just 28 minutes before the Ariel, winning by the narrowest margin ever. The race captured global attention but marked the end of the clipper era, soon replaced by steamships and the Suez Canal.

Historical Reference: Ship logs, Lloyd's of London records, contemporary newspapers (global coverage), maritime histories.