HELEN A. MILLER
HELEN A. MILLER
Years Active: 1851-1859
Vessel Type: Full-rigged Wooden Ship
Full-rigged
Nationality: American
Beached deliberately and then burned by her captain, at the entrance to San Carlos Water, in the Falklands, in June 1859 so she could ‘Tell No Tales”.
Main Use:
Cargo
Years Active:
1851-1859
Power:
Sail
Built:
1851
Size:
510 Net tons
Depth 5.18 metres
(length, breadth, depth) metres
Design/Build:
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Main Use: Cargo
Built: 1851
Power: Sail
Design/Build: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Size: 510 Net tons
Dimensions: Depth 5.18 metres
On 16th May 1859, the HELEN A. MILLER put into Port Albemarle, West Falkland in a “very leaky” condition under the command of a Captain Sweeney. When asked why he had entered Albemarle rather than Stanley harbour, Sweeney replied: “I knew Port Albemarle and I did not like Stanley”. It turned out that Captain Sweeney had been shipwrecked previously, at Port Stephens, near Albemarle. Three of his crew ‘jumped ship’ in the port. Two of them later arrived in Stanley aboard the local cutter KATE, with the third having died on the journey. There are no details of how he died or why. Captain Sweeney later left Albemarle and sailed up Falkland Sound, with his ship still in a very leaky condition. On 10th June 1859, the HELEN A. MILLER was deliberately beached in Wreck Bay at the entrance to San Carlos Water “to stop her sinking” and the bulk of her cargo was taken ashore. She was then burned “so she could TELL NO TALES as to her state when wrecked”.
On 16th May 1859, the HELEN A. MILLER put into Port Albemarle, West Falkland in a “very leaky” condition under the command of a Captain Sweeney. When asked why he had entered Albemarle rather than Stanley harbour, Sweeney replied: “I knew Port Albemarle and I did not like Stanley”. It turned out that Captain Sweeney had been shipwrecked previously, at Port Stephens, near Albemarle. Three of his crew ‘jumped ship’ in the port. Two of them later arrived in Stanley aboard the local cutter KATE, with the third having died on the journey. There are no details of how he died or why. Captain Sweeney later left Albemarle and sailed up Falkland Sound, with his ship still in a very leaky condition. On 10th June 1859, the HELEN A. MILLER was deliberately beached in Wreck Bay at the entrance to San Carlos Water “to stop her sinking” and the bulk of her cargo was taken ashore. She was then burned “so she could TELL NO TALES as to her state when wrecked”.
