“The after-body was long and clean, though fuller than the bow, while the stern was semi-elliptical in form, with the plank sheer moulding for its base, and was ornamented with gilded carved work, though this really added nothing to the beauty of the strong sweeping outline of her hull.” The _Lightning’s_ spar and rigging measurements were tremendous:— Mainmast, deck to truck 164 feet. Foremast „ „ 151 „ Mizenmast „ „ 115 „ Mainyard „ „ 95 „ Lower stunsail booms 65 „ She spread 13,000 yards of canvas when under all plain sail. Donald Mackay had her rigged as a three skysail yard ship, but later Messrs. James Baines fitted her with a moonsail on the main by lengthening the skysail mast. This was also done in the case of _James Baines_. And these two ships had the proud distinction of being perhaps the only two ships afloat which regularly crossed a moonsail yard. The _Lightning_ was provided with iron water tanks holding 36,000 gallons of water—a novelty at that date. And in various other ways her accommodation for passengers was an improvement on anything attempted before. The great Bully Forbes was sent out to Boston to superintend her outfit and take command of her, and he was lucky in finding a valuable friend and adviser in Captain Lauchlan Mackay, who made the trip to Liverpool in her as builders’ representative. The “Red Jacket.” The _Red Jacket_, _Lightning’s_ great rival, was designed by Samuel A. Pook, of Boston, the well-known designer of _Game-cock_, _Surprise_, _Northern Light_, _Ocean Telegraph_, _Herald of the Morning_, and other famous clipper ships. She was built by George Thomas at Rockland, Maine, for Messrs. Seacomb & Taylor, and only took the water a few days before the _Lightning_. Her measurements were:— Tonnage (registered) 2460 tons. (burthen) 5000 „ Length 260 feet. Beam 44 „ Depth 26 „ Though her bow and stern were very sharp and beautifully modelled and she had concave bow lines, she was not so extreme a ship as the _Lightning_. [Illustration: “RED JACKET.” _From an old lithograph._] Donald Mackay’s ships were chiefly distinguished for their powerful workmanlike appearance rather than for delicate beauty—they showed strength rugged and unmistakable, but the _Red Jacket’s_ strength was more disguised under graceful curves; for instance, she had the graceful arched stem and clipper bow of a China ship, whereas _Lightning’s_ stem was almost straight, with only a very slight curve in it. _Red Jacket_ was not named after Tommy Atkins, but after a great Indian chief, and her figure-head was a beautiful representation of this warrior in all the magnificence of feather head-dress and beaded buckskins. Race across the Atlantic between “Lightning” and “Red Jacket.”