The large iron clipper Eastern Monarch, 1,706 tons, was one of four magnificent sister ships built by Mounsey & Foster at Sunderland, each of whom was given the popular iron clippers' rig of double topgallant sails and a main skysail. All four sisters had a good turn of speed and could be driven hard when a really fast passage was required.
Eastern Monarch, launched in March 1874, was built for the Royal Exchange Shipping Company for their emigrant as well as normal passenger traffic to the colonies, mostly Australia and New Zealand. On her maiden voyage she carried 560 Government emigrants to New Zealand and made the run from Plymouth to Lyttleton (N.Z.) in a record 71 days. She continued with this very profitable passenger business throughout the 1870's with her saloon cabins - said to be the equal of those on the finest P. & O. steamers - usually fully booked. Competition from steam increased relentlessly however and in the 1880's her owners put her onto the Calcutta run, her best passage out from London being 83 days in 1880. By 1888 she was sailing on both Australian and trans-Pacific routes, and her last completed passage was 75 days from Talcahuano (Chile) to Swansea in 1896. During the course of her next voyage she was abandoned at sea and never salvaged.