Ariel, 852 tons, was one of that small group of British Clippers which assumed almost legendary status, even in their own time. Built by Robert Steele of Greenock to the order of Shaw, Lowther & Maxton of London, she was launched on 29 June 1865. She and Taeping shared the honours of being first home in the astonishingly close Tea Race of 1866 whilst her next passage out - 79 days from Gravesend to Hong Kong (pilot to pilot) was the fastest ever recorded. Other good passages followed and in the 1870-71 season, she carried tea from Yokohama to New York. Her brilliant career was to be short-lived however and after leaving London for Sydney on 31 January 1872, she was never heard of again nor was any trace of her ever found.