Selecting value from matrix

I have a matrix as in the one below

C = 1 3 5 7
    4 6 8 1
    5 6 9 2

Each column has 3 values. I would like to find the maximum value from each column so

5 6 9 7

Then find the minimum of these, 5

So far the best way I have found is D=max(C) which returns D=5 6 9 7 then find min(D) which returns the value I would like, 5. Is there an easier way to do this?

Thanks

[Titus Edelhofer]

Apart from that you can combine into one call min(max(C)) I guess it can't be much easier then this ...

[Euan]

That's an improvement. Thank you