MISCELLANEOUS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3043, 27 April 1867, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Panama Mail.— The s.s. Wellington, whioh arrived yesterday, was detained twenty-four hours in Wellington in anticipation of the arrival of the s.s. Kaifcoura, then overdue with the Panama mail. Before making the harbour the Wellington was signalled as having the English mail on board, and the publ ic felt agreeably surprised to think the Panama mail was at length punctual in its arrival. When the vessel was boarded > however, it was discovered that the signal had reference to the missing boxes of last month's Panama mail ex Raikoura., the bulk of which was received, per s,s. Rangatira, about a fortnight since. The Schooner Fortune.— The schooner Fortune, Buchanan, master, arrived yeiterday from Opotiki in ballast, with one passenger, Mr. Goldswater. She reports having left on Wednesday evening last, and had strong south-east; winds along th« coast, with thick weather. Complimentary.— The following complimentary letter was received by Captain Worsp, of the s.s. Lord Ashley, from Colonel Hamilton, reapeoting the transport of the r menof the 12th Regiment from Tauranga to Auckland ;— "Auckland, April 11, 1867. My dear sir,— l find that all our baggage has been safely landed, and I wish to express my thanks to you for the kindness and consideration shown by you toward officers and men of our regiment, during our transit from Tauranga to Auckland, which was ably managed by you. I hope I shall have the pleasure of seeing you again before you go. — I am, my dear sir, yours very truly, H. Mead Hamilton, Lieut. -Colonel, commanding l-12th Regiment. Captain H. Worsp, s.s. Lord Ashley. 1 ' The Schooner Ivanhob. — The tohooner Ivanhoe, Captain McGregor, sails this morning for Noumea, New Caledonia, with a general cargo of bonded and free goods, timber, shingles, &0., and the following passengers : Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Thorburn, E. W. Thorburn, Mary McLean, Margaret Thorburn, Lillias X., Eveline W., William James, Alexander, Robert, and Andrew Thorburn j J. McLean ; Messrs. Higginson, Walker, Bailey, and J. Bunt. Total, 17. The sohooner Argo sailed last night for Wangarei, with sundry merchandise and ten passengers. The cutter Heather Bell sailed last night for Mahurangi, with sundries. j The cutters Willie Winkie from Port Charlta, i with timber, and the Maid of the Mill from Mahurangi, with firewood, arrived yesterday. The schooner Mavis, Captain Purchas, sailed last night for Tauranga, with ten head cattle, 4c. The cutters Rose for Wangarei, and Margaret for Coromandel, sailed last night, in ballast. The schooner Susan from Matakana, and the cutter Sydney from Mahurangi, brought up cargoes of firewood yesterday. The schooner Kauri, Captain Sayce, arrived at Christchuroh on the 15th from. Auckland rit Napier. The cutter Peter Cracroft brought up the machinery of the flax-mill from Pukorokoro, Thames, yesterday, together with a quantitj of flax, potatoes, &c. The cutter Morning Light brought up eight pat* sengers and a cargo of firewood from the Great Barrier Island yesterday. The cutter Harriet brought up a cargo of timber from Cabbage Bay yesterday. The Lady Wynyard left Napier again, for the Great Barrier, on the 22nd. The ketch Emerald left Napier for Canterbury on Saturday last, with 75 bales of wool, for export. The cutter Dolphin left Wairoa at half-past 6 o'clock on Friday morning. Had light N.E. winds during the voyage, and arrived in port at half-past 7 o'clock the same evening. She brings a general cargo and 9 passengers, including Major Frasar. — HawTce's Bay Herald, April 23. The Lady Wynyard, cutter, left Great Barrier on Saturday last. Had light easterly winds till arrival off East Cape ; and from thence north-easterly winds until arrival in roadstead on Wednesday at 6 a.m. — Hawtes Bay Herald, April 20. The Canute arrived at Lyttelton on the sth I instant from London, having left on the 9th December. The p.s. Sturt, Captain Fairchild, arrived at Wellington on .the 22nd instant, from Poverty Bay

r WRECK AT Akaroa.— The Jketch Gipsy haa been wrecked at Akaroa. The Lyttelton Times of the 16th lays :— "Mr. Latter, the agent for the New Zealand Insurance Company, and the Harbourmaster, immediately proceeded in the |A ntelope, cutter, Oaptain Malcolmson, with four hands and a boat, fo the scene of. the reported disaster. After beating down to Luoas Bay, they descried three men sitting on the oliffs ; from them they learnt thatjthe wreck, which, while riding at her anchors, capsized on her starboard bilge, was the Gipsy, a ketch hailing from Lyttelton, and that she upset about four o'clock on the afternoon of Saturday, the 16th; that the two men, in only their shirt and drawers, had clung to tbe front rail and rigging from that time until seven o'clock on Sunday morning, when they contrived to haul up their dingy, which had been fast astern, and bale her partially out. To this they committed themselves, and made for the shore in a small bay. Landing with the greatest difficulty they had clambered up the cliffs, and proceeded towards the station of Mr. James Wright. One was so much exhausted that he oould not keep pace with the other, who preceded him and acquainted Mr. Wright with their misfortune. His family immediately set out, and met the other unfortunate striving in a state of nudity to make for shelter." Triai Trip of the s.s. Egmont.— The P., N.Z., and A.X.M. Co.'s s.s. Egmont, Captain J. Vine Hall, made a trial trip at Wellington on the 18th instant, under the inspection of the Marine Superintendent. The Independent gives the following .'—"After leaving the Queen's Wharf the Egmont proceeded to Pencarrow Head, and when she arrived at the straight run the patent log was hove, with the molt satisfactory results. With a pressure of 231b., 28 inches vacuum, and 72 revolutions of the engines, she attained a speed of 10 knots an hour, the engines working smoothly, all the bearings cool, and with the slightest vibration possible. The Egmont was coaled up for a ten days' passage, and was very deep in the water, which no doubt somewhat retarded her speed. Since the vessel has undergone an overhaul in Sydney, her speed has been much increased, and when, she is fitted with a new propeller, which it is intended to give her, it is anticipated that even a higher rate of speed will yet be attained. The Egmont's last passage from Hokitika to Sydney was accomplished in four days eleven hours ; and the last four passages to and from Sydney and Hokitika, a distance of 1,100 miles each way, were made in an average of five days three hours. Mr. Balfour and Captain Johnson expressed themselves as highly satisfied with the vessel's performances." We are glad to learn that Captain Harris, R.N.R., whojis now in command of the P., N.Z., and A.E.M. Company's s.s. Auckland, has been promoted from a sub-lieutenant to the rank of lieutenant in the Royal Navy Reserve. Captain Harris has been in command of the Auckland for some time pasb, and, by his urbanity and excellent seamanship, has secured the good opinion and esteem of the passengers who have voyaged in his vessel. We congratulate Captain Harris upon his promotion. — Wellington Independent, April 20. The Government steamer St. Kilda, Captain Johnson, returned from her trip to the Chatham Islands at 7 o'clock on Tuesday evening. — Ibid., April 18. Our Chatham Islands correspondent reported the arrival of the brigantine Despatch, Captain John ! Donovan, from Lyttelton, at Waitangi, on the 16t h ultimo, with a cargo of sheep and general merchandise. — Ibid, The departure of the steamers Wellington and Ahuriri has been postponed, owing to the non-arrival of the English mail. — Wellington Independent, April 23. The barque Dunelm, which had been lying windbound two or three days, sailed for Napier on Saturday morning, to discharge the remainder of her English cargo, — Ibid. The ship Norval, Captain Taylor, sailed for Newcastle, N.S.W,, yesterday afternoon. On leaving Newoastle she will, we believe, proceed to the Eabt Indie*.— lbid. In consequence of the arrival of the Mataura, the necessity for taking the Otago off the Melbourne line has ceased, and tbe Tararua was therefore despatched direct to Port Chalmers at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, in order to overtake the Phoebe, and take up her old line.— Wellington Independent, April 13. Mr. Bailey, chief engineer of the Mataura, is to take the office of superintendent engineer of the Panama Company at Sydney, and will be succeeded in the Mataura by Mr. Rorison, late of the Rakaia. —Ibid. The cargo of the Himalaya, Captain Cow, which cleared for London yesterday, consisted of 8994 bales of wool, and 19 bales of skins, valued at £20, 105 ; 3,783 sacks, 800 bags of flour, and 30 bags sharps, valued at £3,024; 14 casks of tallow, 1 box of effects, and 1 bag of woo], altogether £143 ; total value of cargo, £23,272. — ChristchurcJiMail, April 16. The French Barque Maria Theresa, from Charlatan, with a cargo of brandies for this port and Sydney, arrived in Hobson's Bay on Saturday evening. She has had a remarkably fine- weather Ipassage throughout. From 75 degrees to 105 degrees east she was in company with the ship Scottish Chief, bound to New Zealand. — Melbourne Age, April 15. Wreck of the Margaret Chesseil.— By the schooner Dove, which has arrived in port from Wynyard, V.D.L., we have intelligence of the loss of the schooner Margaret Chessell, a wellknown trader to and from this port. The disaster occurred in the river Cam, on the north-west coast of Tasmania, where the schooner was loading blackwood for Melbourne, and was owing entirely to the strong easterly winds and bad tides, whioh drove her on to gravel bank, and while aground the tide carried away the sand at both ends of the bank, so that her back was completely broken. She is likely to remain a wreck, as from a rough estimate formed it would take more money than she is alleged to be insured for to put her to rights again. The schooner was owned partly by her captain (W. Jones) and partly by his brother (Mr. T. Jones), and is stated to be insured for £500.— Argus, April 15. The Maroo Polo, which had sailed from Liverpool for Melbourne, returned to the Mersey early in February, having sustained damage in a heavy and protracted gale, experienced in St. George's Channel. Messrs. A. Hall and Co. launched recently from their yard at Aberdeen a very tine clipper ship, constructed on the oomposite principle, to class Al at Lloyd's for 13 years, of 1,075 tons builders'measurement, and 1,014 tons register. The vessel was named the Bracklay Castle, and is intended for the Australian and China trades. She is the property of Messrs. Donaldson, Rose, and Co., and is to be commanded by Captain Smart, formerly of the Benlomond. — Home News. The Johanna Maria, with Nicol Bay settlers, left Guichen Bay on Sunday, the 31st March. She took away between 2,000 and 3,000 sheep for the new settlement. — Western Times, April 11.