CANTERBURY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume VI, Issue 430, 12 August 1851, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

, The principal topic of the current week, that which is in every body's mouth, is undoubtedly the furious gale with which we were visited on Tuesday, and which continued from the South and South-west with more or less violence until Thursday night. The ' Pauline,' brigantine, which was riding off the town, dragged her anchors on Wednesday night, and came on shore just opposite the house of the Ilev. H. Jacobs She had two anchors down, but still her yards arid topmasts aloft. The ' Perseverance/ which was riding close to her, drove in, but getting her yards down in time, she held on at her anchors at a short distance from the 'shore. The ' .Elirt' came on shore close to the jetty, and was much damaged. The long boat of the * Duke of Bronte' and a boat belonging to Mr. Pollard, which were moored to the jetty, were almost knocked to pieces, and several smaller boats suffered more or less injury. The ' Steadfast/ Captain Spencer, arrived on Monday with about 130 passengers. She sailed from London three weeks after the ' Duke of Bronte/ but had a favourable and rapid passage, especially to the line. Owing to the violence of the weather, her passengers could not be landed until yesterday. She drove down the harbour on Wednesday night, but held on with a second anchor. We were glad to see her choose the first fine ' day to regain her ground, and even come higher up, within view of the town, nothing daunted by the late weather. The ' Duke of Bronte' has landed all her steerage passengers. It is evident that our harbour, although tolerably sheltered, ought to be supplied with good moorings. This is not essential for the large ships, the holding ground in the middle of the harbour being good enough, but vessels at anchor in front of the town, ought either to be secured to good moorings, or else to get under weigh before a southwest gale comes on, and bring to under the opposite shore, where they can ride in perfect safety. — Lyttclton Times, June 14. By the ' Supply' we have received copies of the " Lyttelton Times" to June 28.— The ' E,udora,' « Sir Harry Smith,' and • Raven,' had arrived from Port Phillip with cargoes of stock, and. other cattle ships were expected to follow. A very severe gale was experienced on the 27th, which, wo regret to learn, was attended with calamitous results to the shipping in port. The • Tornington,' • John & Charlotte,' • Salopian' and « Pauline' were all driven on shore : of these, the ' Torrington' became a total wreck, and the ' John & Charlotte' and ' Salopian' received serious damage. A melancholy accident occurred from the upsetting of a boat, by which two brothers, influential settlers, of the name of Ward, were drowned, whose loss seems to have occasioned very general feelings of regret ; only one of the bodies ! had been found previous to the departure of the ' Supply.' A vessel, supposed to be the 'Jane Dixon,' yas off the mouth of the port when the ' Supply' left. — KewZealand Spectator, July 9,/