| After
his shipwreck, Josiah Knowles achieved an almost storied reputation.
Which is one reason why Captain Joseph Hamblin Sears, a major
shareholder in Clipper ships that operated worldwide, asked
him to command his flagship" the ''Glory of the
Seas"
(shown here).
The
ship was the wonder of the time, with a carrying capacity
nearly double that of other vessels. Which meant that immense
profits could be made, despite market fluctuations that would
bankrupt other carriers. And so, as the great ship made port
in any part of the world, with its skyscraper-sized masts,
it struck awe into sailors, governments and citizens alike.
But
what was the captain of this great ship really like, despite
his worldwide fame? An eyewitness put it this way:
''When
he first set foot on the Glory, he had just turned forty-one,
and his six foot frame gave seamen the impression that he
was no man to trifle with. Yes, he was every inch a two-fisted
Yankee Skipper, but he also maintained a composed dignity,
impressive to anyone he met."
Equally
impressive however, were the results this captain achieved.
Indeed, the profits from Glory became skyscraper sized themselves,
as Knowles drove the ship on - from ports in Europe, to ports
scattered throughout the Pacific. And during some of these
journeys, he also managed to break two world speed records,
that have never been equaled since.
Which
is why he, and his great ship, have been the ongoing subject
of books, historical literature and museum exhibits over the
past 150 years
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