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White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900

The Miltiades

The Miltiades.

the Miltiades, a beautiful iron ship of 1452 tons, came to Auckland in 1874, and when beating up the Gulf stranded on a soft beach about four miles beyond Takapuna. The ship sailed from Gravesend on May 2 at midnight with 470 immigrants for Auckland, in command of Captain Perritt. She made a good run of 22 days to the Equator, and rounded the Cape on June 23. Tasmania was sighted on July 13, and the Three Kings on July 20, the ship making the run in 77 days land to land and 81 port to port. the Miltiades carried a south-west wind up the coast, and when between Tiri and Rangitoto missed stays and drifted on to a mud bottom. The wind at the time was southerly, but suddenly changed as the ship was going about at midday. The small paddle steamer Lady Bowen, outward bound for Waiwera, went to the Miltiades' assistance, and remained alongside until all apprehensions were dispelled regarding her safety. With the rising tide and a little assistance from the Lady Bowen the Miltiades was soon in deep water, and sailed into port without sustaining any damage.

There was considerable talk among shipping men in Auckland when Captain Casey, owner of the Lady Bowen, sent in a claim to the agents of the ship demanding many thousands of pounds for a couple of hours' work. The case eventually went to arbitration, and Captain Casey, to everybody's astonishment, was awarded £1625.

the Miltiades made one voyage only to Auckland, but in 1890 she arrived at Lyttelton on January 3 under Captain Ayling, from Melbourne, and loaded wool, wheat and tallow for London. The same year, on December 7, 1890, the ship arrived at Wellington from Sydney after a smart passage of seven days. She loaded wool and sailed for Home on January 14, 1891.

the Miltiades had the reputation of making many fast passages to Melbourne and Sydney. On the two occasions when she sailed from Wellington and Lyttelton she made the passage Home in 82 and 78 days. I believe her record passage was in 1873, when she made the run from Start Point to Melbourne in 64 days. The ship was eventually sold to Italian owners, and was broken up in 1905.