The SS Miltiades was a notable passenger and cargo steamship constructed in 1903 by Alexander Stephen and Sons in Scotland for the Aberdeen Line. She measured 6,765 gross register tons (GRT) initially and was built with an overall length of 454.9 feet (138.7 meters) and a beam of 55.1 feet (16.8 meters). As a combined passenger and cargo vessel, Miltiades featured refrigerated cargo holds designed for transporting frozen food products from Australia to the United Kingdom. Her passenger accommodations initially included space for 89 first-class passengers and 158 third-class travelers. Miltiades was distinguished by her striking appearance, being among the last ships of her size to feature a clipper bow, also known as an Aberdeen bow. She embarked on her maiden voyage from London on November 3, 1903, arriving at Melbourne on December 10 of that year, setting a record time of 34 days and 16 hours for the route. In 1912, Miltiades underwent significant modification at Alexander Stephen and Sons’ shipyard, where she was cut in half and lengthened. Completed in 1913, this process increased her length to approximately 504.3 feet (153.7 meters) and her tonnage to 7,814 GRT. The refit also added a second funnel and increased passenger capacity to 150 in first class and 170 in third class. During World War I, from 1914 to 1920, Miltiades was requisitioned as a troopship, initially hired to transport British Army reservists from Sydney to the UK, and later used to ferry Australian troops, including soldiers like Issy Smith. After the war, she resumed commercial service in 1920. That same year, she was purchased by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and renamed Orcana, while her sister ship Marathon became Oruba. In 1922, she was transferred to the Pacific Steam Navigation Company for their “Round South America” route, but her operation proved unprofitable, leading to her being laid up at Liverpool and Dartmouth. Ultimately, she was sold for scrap in 1923, towed to the Netherlands, and dismantled at Hendrik-ido-Ambracht. The SS Miltiades’s service history highlights her role in early 20th-century transoceanic shipping, her wartime contributions, and her significance as one of the last ships with a clipper bow, marking an end of an era in maritime design.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.