Miako (barque)

History
United Kingdom
NameMiako
OwnerKillick Martin & Company, London
BuilderWilliam pile, Sunderland
Launched15 April 1869
United Kingdom
OwnerThomas Roberts and Sons, Llanelly, Camarthenshire
Acquired24 July 1885
Spain
OwnerE Borbones, Barcelona
Acquired1894
RenamedAsunción
Spain
OwnerPerez, Castro & Company, Santa Cruz de la Palms
Acquired1908
RenamedIsla de la Palma
Cuba
NameIsla de la Palma
Acquired1912
FateConverted into a barge
General characteristics
Class and typeComposite barque
Tonnage535 GRT
Length160.1 ft (48.8 m)
Beam30.1 ft (9.2 m)
Depth17.1 ft (5.2 m)

Miako, A composite barque, built by William Pile, Sunderland,[1] at Yard No. 181 for Killick Martin & Company, the company founded by Captain James Killick and launched on 15 April 1869.[2] William Pile also built Miako's sister ship Osaka, for Killick Martin & Company launched on 12 July 1869.[3] The name Miako, today spelt Miyako is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.

William Pile also built City of Adelaide the world's oldest surviving clipper ship, of only two that survive — the other being the Cutty Sark.[4]

Miako’s dimensions were 48.8 x 9.2 x 5.2 meters [160’1"×30’1"×17'1"] and 535 GRT, 516 NRT.[4][2]

Under Killick Martin & Company's ownership Miako had five captains. The first was Captain William Anderson, between 1869 and 1874, former Captain of Challenger Between 1874 and 1876 Henry Cape took command. Then William Knight from 1876 to 1879 and then Frederick William Dexter from 1879 to 1883. Finally George Albert Coutanche from 1883 to 1885.[5]

Miako’s maiden voyage was to Yokohama, San Francisco, Sydney, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Whampoa, Buenos Aires, Antwerp, then back to London.[5]

Throughout her life she continued to make varied passages visiting an incredible range of ports from those listed above, to New York, Port Elizabeth, Swatow, Amoy, Samarang, Batavia, Saigon, Belfast and Boulogne carrying cargoes of coal, rice, sugar, coconut oil, coffee, and hemp.[5]

Miako was sold on 24 July 1885 to Thomas Roberts, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire. Two of Miako’s fastest passages were whilst she was owned by Thomas Robert. Mauritius to Melbourne in 1890 in 26.5 days and Melbourne to Boston in 1890-91 with a passage of 83.5 days. She was reported to have sailed 2200 miles in 9 days. Both these passages were said to be records at the time.[5]

In 1894 Miako’s was sold to E Borbones and J Borbones, later E Borbones of Barcelona and her name was changed on to Asunción.[4]

In 1908-11 she was owned by Perez, Castro & Company and registered at Santa Cruz de la Palms and in 1911 Tenerife. Her name was changed again from 1908 to Isla de la Palma.[4]

In 1912 she was converted into a barge in Cuba and her name drops out of the registers.[4]

References

  1. ^ Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping. Cox and Wyman, printers. 1869.
  2. ^ a b "Sailing Vessel MIAKO built by William Pile Jnr. in 1869 for Killick, Martin & Co., London , Cargo". sunderlandships.com. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  3. ^ Lubbock, Basil (1984). The China clippers. London: Century. ISBN 0712603417. OCLC 60012071.
  4. ^ a b c d e MacGregor, David R. (David Roy) (1983). The tea clippers : their history and development, 1833–1875 (2nd ed., rev. and expanded ed.). London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 203–204. ISBN 0851772560. OCLC 9997008.
  5. ^ a b c d MacGregor, David R. (David Roy) (1986). The China bird : the history of Captain Killick, and the firm he founded, Killick Martin & Company (2nd rev. ed.). London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 102–104. ISBN 0851773818. OCLC 15024735.