William Miles

William Miles was launched at Bristol in 1808 as a West Indiaman. For 20 years she was the largest vessel built in the port. In 1817 a new owner started sailing her to India, sailing under a licence from the East India Company (EIC). In 1828 she made a voyage transporting convicts to Van Diemen's Land. Thereafter she traded with Sierra Leone, Louisiana, and possibly other ports as well. She was broken up in 1846. Career For 20 years William Miles was the largest vessel built in the port, and almost double the size of most Bristol-built West Indiamen. She was licensed to sail as a "running ship", authorised to sail independently of any convoy. As a West Indiaman, she had less height between decks than comparably sized East Indiamen. William Miles had a height of in her upper deck and a mere under her lower deck. , a comparably sized East Indiaman, had a height of below her deck. The cargoes the two types of vessels were designed to carry dictated the difference. West Indiamen brought semi-liquid sugar back to England in casks laid on their sides that were only laid in one course. East Indiamen carried mostly light goods in bales or cases that could be and were necessarily laid to a greater height. William Miles first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1808. She was the largest vessel built at Bristol for the next 20 years.