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“MILTIADES.”

Photo by Captain Schutze, Sydney

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On many parts of King’s Island’s rocky shore these wrecks have been piled one on top of the other, one reef of rocks alone tearing the life out of no less than six vessels. No doubt the list is far from being complete; there was no light on King’s Island in the earlier days, and this no doubt was the cause of many an unknown tragedy.

“Miltiades.”

George Thompson’s second iron ship was the beautiful Miltiades, for many years a favourite ship in the Melbourne trade. Like the Patriarch, she was built for the emigrant trade, and in the Australian papers was spoken of as “that mammoth clipper,” though to modern eyes she would look quite small and one of the daintiest of ships. Unlike Patriarch she was a very wet ship, especially when running in heavy weather, but she was just as fast as the Patriarch, if not faster—indeed taking her average, both outward and homeward, I do not think that any ship can beat her record for an iron ship except the little Salamis.

Captain Perrett took her from the stocks and had her until 1885, when Captain Harry Ayling assumed command. On her first voyage she carried stunsails, but when she got home the booms were sent down and never used again.