She had 100 tons of fixed iron ballast moulded into the limbers. An undated sail-plan in the Science Museum, London, shows her rigged with double top-sails and main skysail.

1865 June 29 
     Launched and put on the China tea trade. 
1865 October 14 — January 6 
     Gravesend — Hong Kong, 79 days 21 hours, pilot to pilot or 83
     days anchor to anchor, against the monsoon. 
1866 
     In the Great Tea Race of 1866 Ariel docked at East India Docks 20
     minutes before Taeping docked at the London Docks. 
1867 
     Came second after Sir Lancelot beaten by ? hours after 99 days from
     Foo-Chow in the Tea Race of 1867. 
1868 
     Arrived as the first ship to London in the Tea Race of 1868, one hour
     ahead of Taeping. 
1872 
     Posted missing outward bound for China. 

 
Lubbock, Basil: The China Clippers. 
     J. Brown & Son, Glasgow, 1914. 8vo, xvi, 387, xxxviii pp, plates. 
McGregor, David H.: British and American Clippers. A Comparision of
     their Design, Construction and Performance in the 1850s. 
     Conway Maritime Press, London, 1993. 4to, 192 pp, ill. 
MacGregor, David: Fast Sailing Ships 1775-1875. 
     Nautical, Lymington, 1973. 4to. 
MacGregor, David R.: Fast Sailing Ships. Their Design and
     Construction, 1775-1875. 
     Conway Maritime Press, London, 1988. 4to, 319 pp, ill. 
MacGregor, David R.: The Tea Clippers. An Account of the China Tea
     Trade and of some of the British Sailing Ships engaged in it from 1849
     to 1869. 
     Conway Maritime Press, Greenwich, 1972 (ou 1952). 8vo, xii, 272 pp, 7
     plates. 
MacGregor, David R.: The Tea Clippers. Their History and
     Development 1833-1875. 
     Conway Maritime Press, London, 1983 (2nd ed.). 4to, 256 pp, ill.