The only clipper ship to make the voyage to San Francisco prior to 1850 was the _Memnon_, under Captain George Gordon, which arrived there July 28, 1849, after a record passage of one hundred and twenty days from New York. The first contest of clippers round Cape Horn took place in 1850, between the _Houqua_, _Sea Witch_, _Samuel Russell_, and _Memnon_, old rivals on China voyages, and the new clippers _Celestial_, _Mandarin_, and _Race Horse_. All of these vessels had their friends, and large sums of money were wagered on the result, the four older ships, especially the _Sea Witch_, having established high reputations for speed. The _Samuel Russell_ was commanded by Captain Charles Low, previously of the _Houqua_, while the _Houqua_ was now commanded by Captain McKenzie; Captain Gordon was again in the _Memnon_, and Captain George Fraser, who had sailed with Captain Waterman as chief mate, commanded the _Sea Witch_. The _Samuel Russell_ arrived at San Francisco May 6, 1850, after a passage of 109 days from New York, thus knocking 11 days off the record, and her friends and backers felt confident that this passage could not be surpassed, at all events not by any of the clippers of that year. This opinion was in a measure confirmed when the _Houqua_ arrived on July 23d, 120 days from New York, but on the following day the _Sea Witch_ came romping up the bay, 97 days from Sandy Hook, reducing the record by another 12 days. This passage astonished every one, even her warmest admirers, and well it might, for it has never been equalled by a ship of her tonnage and not often excelled even by larger vessels. This performance of the _Sea Witch_ was the more remarkable as she had rounded Cape Horn during the Antarctic midwinter. The remainder of the fleet arrived in the following order: _Memnon_, September 27th, 123 days; _Celestial_, November 1st, 104 days; _Race Horse_, from Boston, November 24th, 109 days; and the _Mandarin_, November 29th, 126 days from New York. These were all fine passages, especially when we consider that none of the vessels was over 1100 tons register. The records show that from June 26 to July 28, 1850, seventeen vessels from New York and sixteen from Boston arrived at San Francisco, whose average passages were 159 days, so that even the _Mandarin’s_ passage of 126 days was very fast by comparison. We must remember also that none of these vessels had the advantage of using Maury’s Wind and Current Charts, as at that time sufficient material had not been collected to perfect them.