The Taeping was a tea clipper built in 1863 by Robert Steele & Company of Greenock and owned by Captain Alexander Rodger of Cellardyke, Fife.

He was taken ill on the outward passage to China for the 1867-68 tea season and put ashore in South Africa, where he died.

Composite construction, a metal framework with wooden planking, gave a stiffer hull that occupied less internal volume, but could still be sheathed with copper (to avoid marine fouling) as the timber electrically insulated the copper from the underlying iron structure – so preventing galvanic corrosion.

After losing her bowsprit, foremast and the main and mizzen topmasts in the storm, she was towed into Amoy by HMS Flamer on 23 July.

This was the port where the new crop of tea became available at the earliest point in the season – so this is where ships trying to be the first back to London had to load.

A multiple previous winner of tea races, Fiery Cross had been the first to sail the day before, and Taitsing left on 31 May.

[1]: 155-157 [2] Ariel was ten minutes ahead of Taeping at Deal, where both ships signalled their numbers and collected pilots.

To avoid the tea merchants (who were obliged to pay a "premium" of 10 shillings per ton, as written into the bills of lading, to the winning ship) calling the race void through some technicality, Taeping's owners agreed to share the premium with Ariel if they did not contest the result – and this agreement was put into effect.

[1]: 155-157 [2]: 152 On Taeping's next outward passage to China, Captain MacKinnon, her master, became seriously ill and was landed at Algoa Bay.

On the return trip to London, for the 1867-68 season, Taeping was the fourth ship to sail from Foochow, with Serica and Maitland having crossed the bar of the Minh river 3 days before.

With a total passage time of 102 days, Taeping was the first tea clipper to dock in London that season.