Sultan

In the late 1800s luggers (pearl boats) were typically built in Fremantle as schooners. Between 1887 and 1908 there were over 400 schooners built for the North West pearling industry. They were equipped and loaded with supplies and stores, and sailed on their first voyage to the North West pearling grounds by reputable and experienced masters. William W. Miles was one such master.

Master William Miles commanded the lugger Sultan to Broome in 1899. Sultan was a lugger built by Mr Alfred Edward Brown, a well-established boat builder in Fremantle for pearl fleet owner Frank Biddles of Broome. Frank licensed his boat in Broome B47, but she was not officially registered by the state, so there is no record of her tonnage, and she was not insured.

William Miles left Fremantle on 25 July 1899 with a crew of two Malays and one other seaman. Sultan was never seen again. She was posted as missing in September. No sightings were made of her and her wreck was never found.

William Miles was the master on another ill-fated lugger earlier that year. The Don Joseph, also built by Alfred Brown for Francis Rodriguez, was an unregistered 13 ton schooner, bound for the Broome pearling fields. She was equipped with heavy anchors and chains, and insured for £300, ready to begin work upon her arrival. Willam and his crew had a narrow escape when the boat was forced onto reef in heavy seas and wrecked near Point Cloates on 30 April 1899. Court findings exonerated William, and found the wreck to be caused by nature.

Yet another boat, the White Heather left Fremantle for delivery to Broome in March 1899.She was never seen again after leaving port. It was presumed she was caught in a cyclone. She was an unregistered 20 ton lugger built by W. Chamberlain for Mr Gibson of Broome. Master Arthur, a Japanese diver and two Malay crew were lost with the boat and presumed dead.

In September 1899, Alfred Brown completed a replacement boat for Francis Rodriguez, and it was also named Don Joseph. The new boat was 14 tons and was officially registered 114473 in 1902 to Filomeno Rodriguez. The second boat arrived in Broome safely. In March 1935 a cyclone struck the pearling fleet located near the Lacepede Islands, and the Japanese diver and Malay crew were drowned when the boat capsized and sank.

In 1900s pearl luggers were built in Broome with the input of Japanese builders. They had a sturdier hull, more able to withstand the fast tides and heavy seas of the North West coast.