Her fastest trip to Sydney was 73 days and to Melbourne 68 days. On the latter passage she sighted Cape Otway on the morning of the 60th day out, but then had light variable winds, which spoilt what promised to be a 61-day passage.
Most of her outward passages were between 70 and 80 days, but it must be remembered that she was never driven hard out of consideration for her passengers, or there is little doubt that she would have gone near to lowering the golden cock at _Thermopylae’s_ masthead. On her first voyage to Sydney in 1866-7, she went out in 75 days and came home in 78.
Lowther & Maxton only owned her for a few years, and from the first she loaded as one of Devitt & Moore’s monthly line of packets to Australia, the latter firm buying her outright about 1870.
On her maiden voyage the _Sobraon_ was commanded by Captain Kyle. In 1867 he was succeeded by Lieut. J. A. Elmslie, R.N.R., who had her for the rest of her active career, from 1867 to 1891, a period of 24 years.
Captain Elmslie commenced his career in 1842 and for several years traded out to India and China and later to Australia in the well-known London ships _La Hogue_ and _Parramatta_. Prior to taking the _Sobraon_, he commanded the ill-fated _Cospatrick_, from 1863 to 1867, his brother, who was afterwards lost in her in 1873, succeeding him in the command of that ship.
Captain Elmslie’s name was so closely and for so long associated with that of the _Sobraon_, that passengers were no doubt as much attracted by the one as by the other. In fact there were many instances in which they booked their passages solely on account of the name of the commander. Whilst being a strict disciplinarian and respected by all who sailed under him, he was, at the same time, kindness itself and laid himself out on every occasion to study the interests of his passengers. The fact that the _Sobraon_ never had anything approaching a serious loss of spars or sails may be safely put down to his never ceasing attention to the ship and the weather. He was always about, and his keen sense of watchfulness and duty readily imparted itself to his officers and crew.
Captain Elmslie was elected a Younger Brother of the Trinity House on 1st September, 1868, and he would have been elected an Elder Brother many years before his death had he been eligible, but the fact of his never having served in steam barred him.