James Elmslie commanded the Sobraon for nearly 25 years, from when the ship left London on her second voyage in October 1867 until her last ocean voyage ended in January 1891. He made five annual voyages to Sydney followed by nineteen to Melbourne. Captain Elmslie’s main concern always was for the safety of his ship and the comfort of his passengers. For those reasons he never drove the ship hard. As a result the high reputation of the Sobraon and that of the ship’s long-time master, Cpt. Elmslie, were inseparable in shipping circles.
James Elmslie met Henry Parkes in January 1868 when the Sobraon was the flagship for the Anniversary Regatta on Sydney Harbour attended by Prince Alfred, to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the colony of New South Wales in 1788. His relationship with Sir Henry Parkes was important in securing the sale of the ship to the Government of Premier Parkes in 1891.
In the ship’s last years at sea it was James Elmslie’s ambition “to settle the old ship comfortably in port for the rest of her existence”. He achieved his desire, but could not have foreseen that the ship would continue to serve Australia in different ways anchored in Sydney Harbour for another 50 years.
James Elmslie returned to England in 1891 and remained there until his death in 1908. Five of his children settled in Australia.