The great race to San Francisco in 1852 was between the _Sword-Fish_ of New York and the _Flying Fish_ of Boston, both extreme clippers and built respectively by William H. Webb and Donald McKay. The _Flying Fish_ sailed from Boston November 11, 1851, and on the same day the _Sword-Fish_ passed Sandy Hook. Large sums were wagered upon the result. Captain Nickels of the _Flying Fish_ and Captain Babcock of the _Sword-Fish_ were both young and skilful commanders, and it was believed by their friends that each would send his ship along at her utmost speed. The _Flying Fish_ made an excellent run of 19 days to the equator, leading the _Sword-Fish_ by four days. From the equator to 50° S., the _Flying Fish_ was 26 and the _Sword-Fish_ 22 days, so that they passed that parallel on the same day. They raced round Cape Horn, part of the time side by side, the _Flying Fish_ making the run from 50° S. in the Atlantic to 50° S. in the Pacific in 7 and the _Sword-Fish_ in 8 days. From this point the _Sword-Fish_ came up and steadily drew away. She made the run to the equator in 19 days, leading the _Flying Fish_ by 3 days, and from the equator to San Francisco in 20 days, gaining on this stretch another 3 days, and arrived at San Francisco February 10, 1852, after a splendid passage of 90 days 16 hours from New York. The _Flying Fish_ arrived on the 17th, or 98 days from Boston. The _Sword-Fish_ was regarded by many as the fastest and handsomest ship built by William H. Webb; and her passage of 90 days, the second best ever made from New York to San Francisco, and within one day of the record, together with many other fast passages, among them her record run of 31 days from Shanghai to San Francisco in 1855, an average of 240 miles a day, certainly places her at or very near the head of the list of clippers launched from this famous yard. Some of the other notable passages of this year were made by the _Sovereign of the Seas_ and _Comet_, each 102 days; _Sea Witch_ 108 days from New York; _Staffordshire_ 101 days, and _John Bertram_ and _Shooting Star_ each 105 days from Boston.