Miako (barque) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | Miako |
| Owner | Killick Martin & Company, London |
| Builder | William pile, Sunderland |
| Launched | 15 April 1869 |
| United Kingdom |
|
| Owner | Thomas Roberts and Sons, Llanelly, Camarthenshire |
| Acquired | 24 July 1885 |
| Spain | |
| Owner | E Borbones, Barcelona |
| Acquired | 1894 |
| Renamed | Asunción |
| Spain | |
| Owner | Perez, Castro & Company, Santa Cruz de la Palms |
| Acquired | 1908 |
| Renamed | Isla de la Palma |
| Cuba | |
| Name | Isla de la Palma |
| Acquired | 1912 |
| Fate | Converted into a barge |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Composite barque |
| Tonnage | 535 GRT |
| Length | 160.1 ft (48.8 m) |
| Beam | 30.1 ft (9.2 m) |
| Depth | 17.1 ft (5.2 m) |
Miako was a special kind of sailing ship. She was a "composite barque." This means her frame was made of iron, but her outer hull was made of wood. She was built in 1869 in Sunderland, England. Miako traveled all over the world. She carried many different goods. Her long life at sea lasted for over 40 years.
Building a Global Traveler
Miako was a unique sailing ship. She was built in Sunderland, England. The famous shipbuilder William Pile created her. She was launched on April 15, 1869. Miako was built for a company called Killick Martin & Company. This company was started by Captain James Killick.
William Pile also built Miako's sister ship, the Osaka. Osaka was launched a few months later. William Pile was a very important shipbuilder. He also built the City of Adelaide. This ship is one of only two clipper ships from that time still existing today. The other is the famous Cutty Sark.
Miako was a large ship for her time. She was about 48.8 meters (160 feet) long. She was 9.2 meters (30 feet) wide. Her depth was 5.2 meters (17 feet). She could carry a lot of cargo. Her total weight was 535 GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage).
Her Early Journeys
Miako had five different captains. They commanded her while she was owned by Killick Martin & Company. Captain William Anderson was her first captain. He sailed her from 1869 to 1874. Other captains included Henry Cape, William Knight, Frederick William Dexter, and George Albert Coutanche.
Miako's first trip was very long. She sailed to Yokohama in Japan. Then she went to San Francisco in the USA. After that, she visited Sydney in Australia. She also sailed to Shanghai and Hong Kong in China. Her journey continued to Buenos Aires in Argentina. Finally, she returned to London, England.
Throughout her life, Miako visited many different ports. She sailed to New York and Port Elizabeth. She also went to places like Swatow, Amoy, Samarang, Batavia, and Saigon. She even visited Belfast and Boulogne. Miako carried many types of goods. These included coal, rice, sugar, and coconut oil. She also transported coffee and hemp.
Changing Owners and Names
On July 24, 1885, Miako was sold. Her new owner was Thomas Roberts. His company was in Llanelly, Wales. While owned by Thomas Roberts, Miako made some very fast trips. In 1890, she sailed from Mauritius to Melbourne. This trip took only 26.5 days. Later, she sailed from Melbourne to Boston. This journey took 83.5 days. She was even reported to have sailed 2200 miles in just 9 days. These trips were considered records back then.
In 1894, Miako was sold again. Her new owners were E Borbones and J Borbones in Barcelona, Spain. Her name was changed to Asunción.
Later, from 1908 to 1911, she was owned by Perez, Castro & Company. They registered her in Santa Cruz de la Palma. In 1911, she was registered in Tenerife. Her name was changed once more. From 1908, she became known as Isla de la Palma.
Final Days
In 1912, Isla de la Palma reached Cuba. There, she was changed into a barge. A barge is a flat-bottomed boat. It is used to carry goods on canals or rivers. After this, her name was no longer listed in ship records. This means her long career as a sailing ship came to an end.
