During the year 1853, twenty ships arrived at San Francisco from Atlantic ports, chiefly New York, in 110 days or less, showing the high standard of efficiency that had been reached. The best passages of the year were made by the _Flying Fish_, 92 days; _John Gilpin_, 93 days; _Contest_, 97 days; _Oriental_ 100 days; _Trade Wind_, 102 days; _Westward Ho_, 103 days; _Phantom_, 104 days; _Sword-Fish_, _Hornet_, and _Flying Cloud_, each 105 days; and _Sea Serpent_, 107 days. The _Comet_ arrived on January 17th, after a passage of 112 days from Boston. While off Bermuda she encountered a heavy southwest gale, and was laying to under close-reefed fore-and maintopsails and foretopmast staysail, when the wind suddenly shifted into the southeast and blew with terrific force, carrying away the foretopmast stays, sending the foretopmast over the side, and making junk of the two topsails. Captain Gardner had a good crew, and so soon as the weather moderated, he rerigged his ship at sea, and took her into San Francisco as noted, in 112 days. Racing had now become close and exciting, and the fleet was so large that it was not uncommon [Illustration: The “Comet”] for two or three ships to be in company at sea, each striving to outsail the others. As we have seen, the _Flying Fish_ won the race this year, and from one of the finest fleets of clippers that ever sailed from New York. The match between her and the _John Gilpin_ was exceedingly close, and taken altogether was one of the best ever sailed upon this famous ocean course, the Derby of the sea. It was Samuel Hall against Donald McKay, Justin Doane against Edward Nickels, and all against the fleet.