McKay, Donald, 1810-1880

Donald McKay was a naval architect and shipbuilder of Boston, famed as a designer and builder of clipper ships. When wooden ships were threatened with obsolescence after 1857, McKay travelled in Europe, where he studied British and French naval matters thoroughly. McKay became a leading advocate of steam-screw ironclads for the U.S. Navy during the Civil War, but his designs were eventually rejected, primarily because their grand scale exceeded the ability of manufacturers to execute them.

From the description of ALS: to James W. Grimes, [1864?]. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122503446