Built at Howrah Dock Company, Calcutta, India for Capt. W. Clifton and Alexander & Co.
September 1829 keel laid down.
12 December 1829 launched as the RED ROVER.
A report as given by Basil Lubbock in his book The Opium Clippers gives on the launch:
A launch is at all times a very gay and highly interesting scene, and that of the RED ROVER from the yard of the Howrah Dock Company on Saturday afternoon was particularly so. Numerous boats filled with gay company, amidst which were conspicuous many of the fashionables of Calcutta, arrived at an early hour and at a quarter past three Lady William Bentinck , Lord Combermere and suite landed under the usual salute.
Her ladyship having christened the vessel, the dog shores were struck away, and at half-past three the RED ROVER glided majestically into her new element amid deafening shouts of applause and a salute of thirteen guns from the beach, which was answered from on board.
This beautiful little vessel drew but 9 ft 6 ins. aft and 7 ft forward, and we are informed by competent judges that she is of her kind perfect in every suspect.
At four o’clock Lady William Bentinck, Lord Combermere and a numerous assemblage of ladies and gentlemen sat down to an elegant collation laid out in the most tasteful manner. During refreshment the band of His Majesty’s 16th Regiment performed some favourite pieces.
She was flush-decked with little or no sheer, square stern with a long counter but no quarter-galleries.
She carried a figurehead of a fierce effigy of Cooper’s famous character after whom de barque was named.
Tonnage 254 tons, dim.29.78 x 7.32 x 3.38m.
Barque rigged. She was armed with?.
1829 Completed.
She was the first truly built opium clipper, and she carried three times a year the opium from India to China.
28 December 1829 her maiden voyage under command of Captain Clifton from Calcutta was with on board 800 chest of opium arriving in Singapore on 20 January 1830, where she remained until the 26th January, before he sailed from Singapore after some alternations were made in the rigging.
Arriving 17 February at Macao after a passage of 22days against the monsoon, never before a vessel had made this passage so fast.
After 10 days she left homeward bound where she arrived on 1 April making the round voyage from pilot to pilot in 86 days.
After she made three opium voyages within a year Capt. Clifton received from the Chamber of Commerce of Calcutta out of the hands of Lord William Bentinck a bonus of 1 lac of rupees, and from the merchants two silver vases, inscribed with the RED ROVER’s performances.
In 1832 and 1833 the RED ROVER opened a new passage from Singapore to Canton against the northeast monsoon, reducing the voyage from 3-4 months via the easterly Pitt’s Passage to just twenty days.
1833: 211/3 shares of Alexander & Co. were taken over by Brightman & Co and 10 2/3 by Francis Mender a merchant.
In 1834 she made a fast voyage from China to Bengal in 23 days 19 hours.
1836 Command taken over by Captain Wright.
1846 She was bought by Jardine, Matheson & Co.
Her best opium voyage was in 1848 when under command of Captain Oliver she left from Calcutta on 07 May and arrived in Canton on 11 June.
She was lost in the early 1870s, other sources give in the midst 1860s
Guyana 1998 $80 sg?, scott3309d
Source: The Opium Clippers by Basil Lubbock.