I have failed to point out before that the Black Ballers always sailed on the 5th of the month from Liverpool, and the White Star on the 20th; it thus becomes an easy matter to pick out the ships of the rival lines. At such a time it is only natural to find _Golden_ a favourite part of a ship’s name. _Golden Era_, _Golden City_, _Golden Eagle_, _Golden Light_, _Golden State_, _Golden West_, _Golden Age_, and _Golden Gate_ were all down-east clippers, built for the Californian gold rush. +-----------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+ | Ship | Date Left | Date | Days Out. | | | | Arrived | | +-----------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+ | | 1855 | 1856 | | |_Ocean Chief_ | Dec. 7 | Jan. 25 | 80 | |_Mermaid_ | „ 21 | Feb. 10 | 82 | | | 1856 | | | |_Oliver Lang_ | Jan. 7 | April 3 | 87 | |_Champion of the Seas_ | March 8 | June 1 | 85 | |_James Baines_ | April 7 | „ 24 | 78 | |_Mindoro_ | „ 22 | July 13 | 82 | |_Lightning_ | May 6 | „ 14 | 69 | |_Red Jacket_ | „ 20 | Aug. 13 | 85 | |_Golden Era_ | June 20 | Sept. 9 | 81 | |_Morning Light_ | July 6 | „ 17 | 73 | |_Mermaid_ | „ 22 | Oct. 17 | 87 | |_Ocean Chief_ | Aug. 5 | „ 19 | 75 | |_White Star_ | „ 21 | Nov. 5 | 76 | |_Marco Polo_ | Sept. 5 | Dec. 2 | 89 | +-----------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+ The _Morning Light_ was a monster New Brunswick built ship, registering 2377 tons. She was on her first voyage and must not be confused with the American clipper of that name, owned by Glidden & Williams, of Boston, and built by Toby & Littlefield, of Portsmouth, N.H., a ship of half her size. The “James Baines” Overdue! In the autumn of 1856 there was tremendous sensation in Liverpool, when the famous _James Baines_, considered by many to be the fastest ship in the world, was posted as overdue when homeward bound. All sorts of rumours spread like wildfire, and as the weeks went by and no definite information was obtained from incoming ships, something like consternation began to reign in shipping circles.