IMPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 286, 5 December 1887, Page 4

IMPORTS.

Per Eillan Doonan—423 tons coal

Per schooner Made:—2o sacks fungu3, 603 sacks cocoanuts, 1 demiyjohn lime juice and packages returned merchandise. Per s.s. Suva:—From Wellington 40J boxes soap, 100 cases kerosene, 19 packages sacks, cases and sundries. From Napier 100 boxes soap, 49 packages hides and sundries.

Thes.3. lona arrived from Mercury Bay on Saturday evening at ten p.m. The schooner Aratapu left Townsville for Kaipara on the 29tb ult.

The barque Diamond left Newcastle for this port on November 26th.

The schooner Grecian Bend was sold at Sydney on November 29th for £1,300. The schooner Queen is loading with general cargo for Kaipara.

The barquo William Turner arrived at Newcastle from this port on November 28th.

H.M.S. Lark has been sold in Sydney, and is for the future to be engaged on the mercantile trade.

The schooners Sovereign and Throe Cheers were at TWnsrille on November 27th.

The Jessie Niccol, schooner, arrived at Brisbane from tho Thames on November 24th.

The schooner Mariner came into_ pori yesterday afternoon with a cargo of timbei from Whangaroa.

The brigantines Myrtle, from this port, and the Stanley, from Whangaroa, both arrivod at Sydney on the 27th ult.

The brigantine Eillan Doonan sailed from Newcastle with a cargo of coal foi this port on November 24th.

The schooner Linda Weher is to be clocked for a general overhaul when the Wellington conies out.

The s.s. Clansman arrived from Tauranga yesterday at 5 a.m. with the following pasgers : Messrs Martin, Sheelmn, Foley and party (3), and Galbraith.

The schooner Mariner was entered outwards at the Customs for Norfolk Islands and Noumea to day, and has given notice of sailing on Thursday.

Captain Minchin, who came up from Tonga by the Wainui on her last trip, is to take the Tongan Government schooner Sandfly down to Tonga. vShe lias been bought by the natives, and is to be employed in the island trade. She sails for her destination in a few clays.

The brigantine Eillan Doonan arrived in port last evening at 10 o'clock, and anchored out in tho stream, and is to be berthed at the Railway Wharf this afternoon to discharge her cargo of coal. The brigantine coined.from Newsastle, which port she left on the 26th ult., and with fine weather across arrived as above.

The following coasters have arrived :— Leah, cutter, from Waiheke, with firewood ; Matakana, cutter, from Thames, with timber : Agnes Martin, ketch, from Mongonui, with timber ; Mana, cutter, from Tairua, with timber ; Henry, cutter, from Waiheke, with firewood ; Dinganon, barge, from Waiheke, with manganese ; Gipsy, cutter, from Whangapoua ; Pukapuka, barge, from Wananaki, with timber ; Rata, barge, from W T ahoura, with timber ; Mary Ann, cutter, from Omaha, with timber.

While H.M.S. Nelson was in dock in Sydney an A.8., Joseph Smith, had a narrow escape from a terrible death, and as it was he is disfigured for life. He was going on board, and missing his'footing, he fell to the bottom, a distance of between 25 and 30 feet. On being picked up one of his ears was torn off, an eye was knocked out, and his scalp was hanging down over his face. The poor fellow was taken on board, and received every attention, and strange to say he is now progressing favourably towards recovery.

The schooner Linda Weber arrived in port yesterday afternoon in ballast from Norman River (Queensland) and dropped anchor in the stream. Of the voyage, which lasted 53 days, Captain Bushell reports that the place named was left on the 13th October fast, and had light variable winds for the iirst five days, when Torres Straits was entered. TheS.E. trades proved steady, and the Straits were cleared on the 24th. On the 19th Sandy Cape was abeam. From that time northerly winds set in, and held to the vessel until making the Three Kings on the 3rd instant at 1 a.m. From thence strong N. W. winds and heavy rain prevailed to arrival. J

The s.s. Suva arrived in port yesterday afternoon from Wellington and East Coast ports. The purser reports of the voyage that the Suva loft Wellington at 5 p.m. on tho 29th ultimo ; arrived in Napier at 2.30 on the 30th ultimo ; left again at 7 p.m. on the Ist ; arrived in Gisborne at 4.30 a.m. on the 2nd ; left again at 8 a.m. on the same day; called in at Tolago Bay, Waipiro, Tuparoa, Hicks' Bay, Wangaparana, and Oreti Point; left the latter port at 1 p.m. on the 3rd, and arrived in Auckland as above. Experienced fine weather from Wellington to East Cape, thence strong head winds and heavy seas to Cape Colville, thence fine weather to arrival. She brings the following passengers?— Messrs Duval, Cowell, Doziel, Winnie, King, Lang, Mrs Bond and child, Mr and Mrs Child.

The three-masted schooner Maile arrived from a cruise among the islands at 6 o'clock this morning. Her last place of call was Wallis Island which she left on the 24th November. The mail arrived at Tongatabu from this port on the 2ndult. and then proceeded on her usual cruise among the Friendly Group from thence to Samoa, which place was reached on the 15th November and left on the 17th for Wallis Island. YVallis Island was left on the 24th ulfc. and with fine weather and fair breezes the schooner made good way to the coast when squalls were experienced down to arrival this morning. The Mailc comes under the command of her old skipper, Captain Lane, and was berthed at the Queen - street Wharf. The Maite brought the following passengers to this port :—Rev. Long, Mrs Bost3 and child.

"Board Arrow" of October 15 says:— " It is stated that the arrangement made with the English and the Australian Governments with reference to the supply of vessels to the colonies for the protection of commerce is about to be carried out, and (hat six of the most modern vessels will shortly be fitted out and proceed to the colonies, viz., the belted cruiser Orlando, 12,' as flagship, 5,000 tons displacement, and 8,500 horse-power ; the Amphion, 10, steam cruiser, 3,750 tons, 5,550 horsepower; the Archer, Brisk, and Cossack, torpedo-cruisers, of 6 guns, 1,630 tons, and 3,500 horse-power each ; the Lizard, 6, gunboat, 670 tons, and 1,000 horse-power. Drawings are being prepared and arrangements made for erecting heavy sheers to lift 160 tons, to be erected at Sydney. A regular dockyard is also to bo established to meet the requirements of the increased naval force in Australian waters."

There is a strong feeling in shipping circles (says the Melbourne " Age ") that the Government of one of these colonies should send a steamer to look after and tow the abandoned and water-logged barque Nancy Holt into a port. Otherwise she may cause a serious disaster to steamers or sailing vessels between hero or New South Wales and New Zealand. The barque is evidently drifting towards Cook's Straits. The saving of the Nancy Holt's cargo, independent of what might be gained for the vessel herself, would alono prove remunerative, as, on inquiry, it is ascertained that she was laden with a particular description of timber which salt water does not harm. The urrderwritera would, it is stated, readily give £1,000 towards its recovery and delivery ; and if that bo tho case, tho Governments of the different colouies should contribute something towards tho removal of this serious impediment to safe navigation. The latest accounts to hand go far to showthat tho vessel is fast drifting towards the New Zealand coast, andimould sho continue to go in tho same direction as she has been doing, would drift into Cook's Straits. The Waitemata was tho last vessel which supplied information of the Nancy Holt, and it was to the effect (as has already appeared in tho "Age") that on October 10, in 36-17 south and 162-11 cast, sho was passed closo by that vessel. Now tho barque must in the intervening 71 days have drifted S.E. half S. 270 miles, or in almost a direct lino for the entrance to Cook's Straits.