As one classic ship sails into port another burns.

A replica of the Swedish vessel Götheborg made its way along the Thames over the weekend. The original East Indiaman sank off the coast of Gothenburg in 1745 after a voyage to China. The reconstruction arrived in London following a similarly epic journey, receiving a gun salute from the HMS Belfast. The Götheborg can be visited at West India Docks until 2 June, when she sails back home.

So what’s this got to do with science? The Swedish East India Company, who launched the original Götheborg, played an important role in the work of Carl Linnaeus. Many of the taxonomist’s specimens were collected on the Company’s voyages. As a tribute to Linnaeus, and the tercentenary of his birth, the Götheborg will carry botanical samples from the Chelsea Flower Show back to Sweden.

Sadly, the visit has been overshadowed by a fire on London’s own classic ship, the Cutty Sark. The Victorian tea clipper, a major landmark in Greenwich, was severely damaged in a blaze last night. Fortunately, around 50% of the vessel is in storage as part of a £25 million renovation.

Image of the Götheborg taken from stuandgravy’s Flickr photostream.