This is an interesting question as to whether Clipper ships were armed. The Thermopylae model and wefalck's comment about insurance requirements seems to confirm.
I am a technical diver and amateur marine archeologist working with underwater photogrammetry.
The Staghound was lost to fire off the coast of Brazil near Recife in 1861. There is a wreck site at 30 meters depth between Ipojuca and Serambi which is likely to be the Staghound. I am fairly convinced that it is, the geometry, cargo, and newspaper reports from the time are confirming.
But some folks think that the presence of two cannons rules it out, apparently not.
