NEW BRIGANTINE FOR AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 4353, 26 April 1884, Page 5

NEW BRIGANTINE FOR AUCKLAND.

In November last a fino new wooden bngantine of 269 tons register, built to order of Captain I). N. McKenzio of Auckland, was launched from the ship-building yard of Thomas Cofhn and Co., Nova Scotia. Tho vesßel is now due at Melbourne, for which port she has a full csi'SD of deal. From Melbourne she will proceoftto Niswoastlc, and thero load coal for this port. Tbe" Vessel i? in charge of Captain SlcGuinebß. llov dimanaisr.3 are .■—Length of keel, 10G feet; beam, 20 foot :i lnuhoS; (tppth of hold, I-1 feet 9 inches. She is to be employed in tlio intercolonial trade.

At Lyttolton, the ship Oamaru has just complotcd loading 9,623 frozen cross-bred sheep. At Port Chalmers, on April 10, some of the Tongariro's crow were locked up for refusfu<* duty. The men state that they considered "they had no right to work after two p.m. on. Saturday vhsn jn hai'bonr. Tl)9 Government steamer Hineinoa Lift on April 8, with Mr Blackett and Gaptain Johnson, of tlie Marine Department, for the Red Mercury and Cuvier Islands, toy the purpose of deciding upon the most suitable placo for tho erection of a lighthouse. Tha Union Steamship Company report that they are building throe stoamei's for the West Coast trade, and one for the intercolonial trade. The latter will bo over 300 feet long, with carrying capacity of over 2,000 tona, and a speed guaranteed on her trial trip of lGi knots. She is to be fitted up in a style hitherto unocjualled by anything yet come to the colonies. ■ ' Til- Jnnanese corvette Tsukuba proceeded to'sc-a "bound for Chili, at 11.30 a.m. on Thursday, "17th Av^h bearing tho good wishes for a plea&ant voyage- oj pvoryone with whom her naptain and olticevs lisa become acquainted during their stay hero. On the afternoon of April 16 the Secretary of tho Ponsonby Regatta Cjub (Mi- B. F. Evans) received from the Tsukubo a present in tho shape of a roll of silk cloth qI ii novel descriptian, and also a scroll yreitteri in tho Japaneso language, of which' ih'o Mowjng is a translation :— "H.JJ.W. ship Tsukuba, April 16, 1854.— Gentlemen,— We had tlie honour of joining the regatta held or, Monday, the 1-ti.h injt., and after the races tl.o officers and men present received very kind treatment, fjcnilcfflQn, let us thank you for your kindness in the nainj) pf Tsukuba, and if you be pleased to accept ft. tyifling present in token of friendship, or keep it "as A s<Wgnir ; we shall be very much obliged,—We are, ggiii tlemen, yours respectfully, Captain Ariji and Officers of H.I.J.M. Sliip Tsukuba. The Committee of the Ponsonby Regatta Club." ; The necessity for suitable wharfage accommodation in our harbour for tho large ■xJjrict steamers expected to call hero regularly, JwS noy become urgent, and it will be satisfactory to our resd/jvs to learn that no time is being lost 'by the garbour Board in tho effort to supply tho requirement. Plans hava been approved

for the extension of the Pvailway Wharf, for tho berthing of ocoan going steamers. It is intended to carry the additional structure straight out from the present main wharf a distance of 200 feet, and then to angle it off in the direction of the North Head. This will give a berthing spaco at that angle of fully 400 feet. That there will be no lack of water in tho berth is proved by the fact that a, depth of fully 25 feet will be available at low water of spring tides. Rails will be carried to the end of the wharf to facilitate loading and discharging. Plans have now been forwarded to Wellington, and when the approval of the Govornor-in-Council is obtained, tenders for the construction of the addition will be called. The estimated cost is something like £10,000.

On the 3rd April, a number of gentlemen interested in the frozen moat trade visited tho ship Northumberland for the purpose of inspecting the refrigerating machinery, which is on tho Bell-Coleman principle, and is of a most complete and ex : tensive character. Tlio machinery was set in motion by direction of Captain Todd, and soon a current of cold nir was found coming down the various shafts, making the temperature in tho freezing chambers very cool. Everything worked very satisfactorily, and the visitors, who wero present at Captain Todd's invitation, were greatly pleased with-tho result. The Northumberland lias three boilers and three freezing chambers, tho latter being capablo of storing from 20,000 to 30,000 carcases of mutton ;in fact, her arrangements in this respoct are far in advance of that possessed by any other sailing ship which has yot visited the colonies, and her cargo will consequently be of moro than ordinary value, anil greater interest will be taken in its transportation. From here she will proceed at an early dato to Napier and Wellington, at each of which ports sho will receive cargo, principally frozen moat, and' then proceod to London,