Naval clippers served blockade work, not scout-cruiser duty

Did navies use clipper ships as high-speed scouts or patrol vessels before steam power matched their speed?

The U.S. Navy used some in the Spanish-American War, but mainly as blockade vessels rather than high-speed scouts.

Some clipper-type vessels appear to have served the U.S. Navy during the Spanish-American War, though the recollection is cautious. Their role is associated with blockade work rather than high-speed reconnaissance. Endurance and the ability to remain on station mattered more there than scout-cruiser performance. The distinction keeps an uncertain example of auxiliary employment separate from the more glamorous analogy.