WHY ARE THEY GOING TO CHINA?
TEA!
SILKS!
LACQUERWARE!
IT MADE GOOD BUSINESS SENSE
TO GO TO CHINA
BEFORE RETURNING HOME
Clipper Ships transported Chinese passengers from San Francisco home to China
Then the Merchants loaded their ships with items
that were heavily desired in the United States
Chinese Teas
Rhubarb, Cassia
Silk, Nankeen, Floor-Matting
Lacquerware, Fans, Furniture, Porcelain
WHAT IS NANKEEN?
MOST SHIPS MADE THEIR WAY HOME
BY WAY OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
They sailed south across the South China Sea,
then worked their way along the Borneo coast toward the Sunda Straits,
usually making a stop at Anjur, Java, for supplies
After clearing the dreaded Strait of Sunda,
the long voyage across the Indian Ocean was often broken
at St. Helena
After rest and refreshment,
the merchants took departure from these small islands
and “squared away” for the Northeast
