This view of Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong, shows the CHALLENGE departing in October 1861. She has undergone some changes since her maiden voyage in 1851. During her 10 years of hard sailing her topsails have been cut to upper and lower topsails. At her bow, crew can be seen hooking on the tackle to cat the anchor. Aloft the t’gallant is being set. The Marryat code flags on her mizzen spell out, “CHALLENGE.”
Anchored to her right is PRINCESS CHARLOTTE , the Royal Navy ship of the line built in Portsmouth in 1825. She carried 104 guns and had seen action at the bombardment of St. Jean d”Arc in the Mediterranean in 1840. After service in the East Indies, she was sent to Hong Kong in 1858 where she was used as a hospital ship. By 1861 all her guns but 12 had been removed and she was listed as a Receiving Ship, a ship used basically as a floating hotel for naval personnel. However, as can be seen on her port side, PRINCESS CHARLOTTE also doubled as a sheer hulk, a vessel used to step and unstep masts of vessels brought alongside.
To the left of the PRINCESS CHARLOTTE is the Clipper FLYING CLOUD, also in port at this time. To the left her stern is the building of the famous China Trading Company, Jardine and Matheson. The infamous Hong Kong prison is to the left of the roof covering the PRINCESS CHARLOTTE.
Level with the American flag to the left of the CHALLENGE is Government House and just above that, again to the left, is the Albany, another government building. St. John’s Cathedral is the church at the extreme left.
Signed and Numbered Edition of 275 lithographs on archival paper.
Image Size: 23" x 30"; unf...$1000.00
