The Ship Taitsing entering Hong Kong, July 1877

Taitsing, 815 tons, was built to the order of Findlay & Longmuir by Connell's of Glasgow in 1865. Named from the Chinese meaning "great arrow", she measured 192 feet in length and was a fine-lined ship at her best when running free. Leaving England in October 1865 on her maiden voyage, she made Hong Kong in 96 days and arrived in Foochow widely fancied in the coming race home. After loading just under 1,100,000 lbs. of tea, she sailed for England and docked in London on 9th September 1866 after a very fast passage of 106 days. Thereafter, she remained a major competitor in the famous tea races until she was sold out of the China trade in 1876. Still employed in eastern waters, she was lost off the Zanzibar coast on 20th September 1883 when homeward bound for Swansea.