The City of Adelaide is:
- one of only two surviving sailing ships to carry emigrants from the British Isles to any destination in the world - the other is the Edwin Fox.
- the only surviving sailing ship that gave regular service between Europe and Australia.
- is the only survivor of the timber trade from North America to UK.
- one of only two surviving composite clipper ships in the world - the Cutty Sark is the other.
- is the world’s oldest clipper ship being nearly six years older than the Cutty Sark.
 The Cutty Sark | Visit the Edwin Fox web-site ... |
In a joint letter to the Scottish Maritime Museum pleading the case for the clipper, Professor Geoffrey Bolton AO (Murdoch University), Professor David Carment (Northern Territory University) and Professor Tom Griffiths (Australian National University) wrote:
Professor Geoffrey Bolton, AO, Murdoch University
Professor David Carment, Northern Territory University
Dr. Tom Griffiths, Australian National University
National Register of Historic Vessels (NRHV)
National Historic Ships – or formally the Advisory Committee on National Historic Ships – is a non-departmental public body whose primary responsibility is to advise the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on national ship preservation and funding priorities, to advise the Heritage Lottery Fund on preservation priorities and individual applications it receives to fund historic ships, and to advise other public funding bodies. It also oversees the maintenance and enhancement of the National Register of Historic Vessels and the development and monitoring of an ‘At Risk’ register, to provide an authoritative database of the historic fleet.
The National Register of Historic Vessels (NRHV) is a database of vessels which:
- were built in the UK and are at least 50 years old.
- are over 40ft (12.19 metres) in length (not including bowsprit).
- are based and operating in UK waters.
- are substantially intact.
- have extraordinary maritime importance.
There are currently over 1,200 vessels listed. The database includes details of designer, builder, dimensions, construction, propulsion, service history, current location and ownership, as well as images of some vessels.
The NRHV, created and maintained with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage and the National Maritime Museum, provides an authoritative assessment of the significance of historic vessels. The database can also be used to identify and prioritise vessels that should be preserved, provide guidance to decision-makers on the allocation of funding, and give an early warning of ships 'at risk'.
Within the NRHV there are two important sub-groups:
- Core Collection
- Designated Vessels
NRHV Core Collection
The Core Collection are historic vessels which:
- are of pre-eminent national importance.
- span the spectrum of achievement of UK maritime history.
- illustrate changes in construction and technology.
- merit a higher priority for long term preservation.
- merit a greater degree of support.
There are currently 60 vessels in the Core Collection. The City of Adelaide is one of the ships on this exclusive list and is ranked 12th out of the 60 for major historical significance.
