MISCELLANEOUS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3057, 14 May 1867, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

The ship Mary Shepherd .hauled off from the wharf yesterday. The ihip Countess Russell hauled alongside the Queen-street Wharf yesterday, to ocoupy the berth vacated by the Mary Shepherd. The s.s. Lord Ashley left the wharf yesterday for Tauranga and the Southern ports in charge of Captain Worsp, with a general cargo and passengers. H.M.fs. Brisk, C»ii»in Hope, nailed yesterday i afternoon on a cruise. The brig Alarm, with a oargo of ooal for the Panama Company, arrived at Nelson on Thursday night from Newcastle, having left that port on the 24th ultimo. The brig Ellen, which sailed from Nelson on the 20th ultimo, arrived at Newcastle on the Ist instant. The cutter SnowfUke arrived yesterday morning from the Thames, with 22 pigs, 8 casks pork. The cutter Peter Cracroft, Jones, master, arrived from the Thames yesterday, with 18,000 feet sawn timber* The cutter Clyde arrived yesterday from Mahurangi, in charge of Captain Kasper. She brings a oargo of firewood. The schooner Argo sails for Wangarei to-night, in charge of Captain Davies. The schooner Tauranga left the harbour yesterday evening for Tauranga, in charge of Captain Mustart. She took general merchandise and fire passengers. The cutter Sovereign of the Seas sailed yesterday for Tauranga, with sundries. The cutter Alacrity sailed yesterday, in charge of Captain Cramer, for the Wade, with Btores. lhe Panama mail steamer Mataura, which was to leare Sydney yesterday evening, with the New Zealand, American, and European mails, has been detained for twenty-four hours. She will leave Sydney at three o'clock this evening. It was represented to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, while at the Council of Education at halfpast 4 o'clock yesterday evening, that the Kaikoura, with the European and other mails, was then coming up the harbour. Mr. Parkes, without having time to consult with his colleagues, gave immediate orders for the Mataura to be detained as above, to enable the Government, bankers, merchants, and others to acknowledge important communications. Though the detention is brief, it is of the utmost value to those whose business is of an extensive character. — Umpire, May 2. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company have announced that passengers proceeding to England by the company's steamers, and embarking on their return within six months of their arrival, will be allowed a reduction of 30 per cent, upon the amount of passage money for the return voyage. H.M.s. Falcon sailed yesterday on a cruise. The orew manned the rigging, and gave three cheers as they passed H.M.s. Esk, a compliment that was returned as heartily.— Sydney Morning Merald, April 26. Thk Panama. Mail Link.— The manager of the Panama and New Zealand Company has received information to the effect that a cargo of 800 tons coal had arrived at Aspinwall, and was being forwarded to Panama by rail for the use of the Kaikoura (s.), the next vessel due from that port, so that she may be expected to make the run to Wellington with her usual punctuality.— lbid. The Prince Regent, from Auckland 12th instant, reports light southerly winds up to the 22nd instant; sinoe then the weather has been gloomy and raining from the northward. Captain Hose has furnished us with papers to the 11th instant. — Ibid. The barque Kohinoor arrived at Nelson on the 3rd instant, with a cargo of Adelaide breadstuffs, 22 days out. The barque Paria, Captain Nicholas, arrived at Canterbury from London on the 30th ultimo, 112 days out. The barque Lieutenant, Captain Gorrle, from London, arrived in harbour yesterday morning, after a passage of 102 days, during which she experienced a succession of fine weather. The Lieutenant brings a general cargo. — Wellington Advertiser, May 3. By a private letter received by mail, we (Sydney Morning Herald) learn that H.M. s. Charybdis, seventeen guns, sailed from Plymouth for Australia on February 17. It was originally intended to send her to Ireland with marines, but the prompt suspension of Fenianism rendered the change of destination unnecessary. Thb Coaling Depot in the Pacific for thb Panama. Boats. — The Wellington Advertiser of the 6th instant states that "the schooner Kauri, Captain Sayce, took her departure from here, on Friday last, for the South Sea Islands. She has been purchased by Captain Benson, and will visit the Island of Oparo, the harbours of which were surveyed by Captain Machin, of the Eaikoura, with the view to establish a coaling-depdt for the P.,N.Z.,and A.E.M, Company's vessels plying between Wellington and the Isthmus." The ship Matoaka has cleared at the Customs, and > is now only awaiting a fair wind to proceed to sea. Captain Stevens takes home several articles from the Acclimatisation Society here, including birds' eggs, &c. — Ghristchurch Mail, May 1. The P.,N.Z., and A.R.M. Co.'s s.s. Mataura, G. E. Bird, commander, left Sydney at 5 p.m. on the 2nd instant, having been delayed one day for letters, in consequence of the arrival of the Eaikoura on the Ist instant. Experienced moderate weather the whole passage j engine* giving great satisfaction^ Stopped the engines for one hour ; arrived at Wellington at 3 p.m. yesterday, having made the passage from Sydney in four days twenty-one hours, under steam. — Wellington Advertiser, May 8. TheP.,N Z.,andA.R.M.Co.'s s.s. Mataura, Captain Bird, R.N.R,, leaves to-day for Panama, carrying the European mails, and the following passengers : — From Wellington, for Panama : Dr. and Mrs. Thornton, and five children. For Southampton : Rev. Mr. Bird. Original passengers as follow :—: — For Southampton : Cabin, Mr. Phillips ; seoond cabin, Messrs. Blushrind and Anderson. For New York : Cabin, Mr. and Mrs. Skarratt, Mr. Lord ; Moond cabin, Mr. Hildebrand, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, and three children. For Panama: Cabin, Messrs. Ford and Harrison ; seoond cabin, Messrs, Jacobs and Moran. — Ibid. Reported Sei2uris of Vessels by Natives at the South Sea Islands.— The Sydney Morning Herald of the 27th of April says :— " We learn by by the arrival of the Challenge, schooner, from New Caledonia, of the seizure of a schooner and a cutter, the particulars of which had been obtained from the natives by Mr. Riddle, chief officer. The Challenge has been employed in trading between the South Sea Islands and New Caledonia, and on the 31st of January was at the New Hebrides group, when a party of natives from the island of Mau, or, as more generally known, Hinchenbrook Island, came alongside, and stated that a topsail Bchooner, and a cutter, from the Fijis, had been taken by the natives, the crews had been killed, and both vessels plundered, the schooner being afterwards burnt, and the cutter sent adrift. Six white men were on board the schooner, according to the native account. These particulars were confirmed by four natives from the Island of Mau, who had come direct to Montague Island for the purpose of cautioning the Challenge from going there, as the destruction of the vessel had been determined on. Mr. Riddle has every faith in the above report being true, as the natives from whom he received the information were well known to him as an old trader among the islands. They also state decidedly that the crew of the brig Curlew had been killed, the particulars of which have already appeared." Depasture of the R.M. s. Avooa.— The Sydney Morning Herald of the 25th ultimo states :—: — "Amongst the passengers by the R..M. s. Avoca, which left yesterday afternoon for Galle, via Melbourne, is Commodore Maguire, late of H.M, Challenger, who is proceeding home invalided. Upon the mail steamer passing Farm Cove, the rigging and yards of H.M.S. Challenger, Falcon, and Esk, were manned, and, after a hearty cheer had been given by each crew and returned by the Avoca, the band of the Challenger played, 'Should auld acquaintance be forgot,' which ended the ceremony of bidding farewell." Collision between the Steamebs Huntress AND Murray. — Captain Holmes, of the s.s. Murray, writes as follows to the NeUm Examiner of April 30:— "The Murray crossed the Grey bar on the 24th instant, at 2 p.m., bound for Fox's, Buller, and Nelson. Arrived at Fox's at 5.45 p.m., and landed nine passengers and luggage; then proceeded on her voyage to the Buller. On leaving Woodpecker Bay saw a steamer coming from the northward, distant about six miles (this -was about six p m.); she was bearing straight for us. As we neared her I could see her three lights distinctly, and gave, orders to the man at the wheel to port his helm, which brought the other steamer to bear upon her port bow. Shortly after I saw she was steering irtraight for us,' and again ordered the helm to be

put hard a-port.|l then jumped into the fore-rigging, and while there saw the other vessel's helm put hard a starboard, which threw her right across our bows. On seeing this 1 ordered the engines to be stopped, and immediately afterwards the two vessels came into collision, my vessel striking the other on the starboard sponson just before the paddlebox, which stove in the bows of my vessels and caused her to make a great deal of water, so much so that I thought she was going down — which would have been the case had she not been fitted with water-tight compartments. Hailed the other steamer, which I then recognised to be the p.s. Huntress, and told her captain to stop by us until we found out what damage we had sustained. I afterwards told him we were in a very bad state, and requested him to accompany us to the Buller, which he refused to do, but said he would see vi back to "Woodpecker Bay. He about the same time made the remark that he was sorry he did not cut us down to the water's edge. He left us, and we proceeded on our- voyage to the Buller, at which port we arrived at midnight — landed our passengers at the wharf, and then ran into the lagoon and laid i her ashore. A survey was held on her this morning by Captain Kirkpatrick and Leech, and the engineer of the p.s. Southland. I am, &c, Thomas Holmes, Master s.s. Murray. Westport,|April 25." The following particulars of the damage sustained by the Murray, has been furnished by Captain Kirkpatrick, who assisted in her survey: — "I found her cutwater knocked over to starboard, stem gone, five plates on each bow stove in, three angle irons on each bow broken, and the fourth bent j port iron ' stringer under covering-board bent, the coveringboards on both sides broken, and decks started. The hole in her bow was sufficiently large to admit a man." The Melbourne Argus of the 20fch thus announces the arrival of vessels from the Mauritius, one of which is well known at this port t— " The clipper ship Frances Henty, which arrived at the heads, from Mauritius, on Monday evening lart, was debained there by reason of adverse weather. The Frances Henty left Port Louis on the Bth ultimo, and on the passage had a long run of light easterly weather, the wind varying from N.E. to S.E. until dose on this coast. The ship, a week before her arrival at the heads, was within 200 miles of Cape Otway. After discharging her cargo of breadstuff's at Cape Town, and taking on board a small quantity of cargo, chiefly wine and fruit, for this port, the Frances Henty sailed for Mauritius, and has 'brought from thence over 8,000 bags of sugar, consigned to James Henty and Co. As usual Captain Torrence has brought this smart little ship into port clean and in first-rate order. The barque Formosa sailed from Port Louis, for Melbourne, a few hours before the ship Frances Henty. lhe Thomas Brown was to sail for the same destination twelve hours afterwards, and the barque Eva Joshua, also for Melbourne, was to sail on the 12th ult." The following amended notice with reference to Port Natal Lighthouse has been received from the Government of Natal:— "A lighthouse has been erected on the Bluff, at the south side of the entrance of Port Natal, at an elevation of 292 feet above high water, a light from which will be exhibited on the 23rd January, 1867. The lighthouse is in latitude 29- 52 -50 S., and longitude 31 -33 5 B. The building is an iron tower, in the form of a frustrum of a cone, 81 feet high, painted white ; centre of light being 70 feet above the base, exhibiting » revolving white light of the second class (dioptric), attaining its greatest brilliancy once every minute. It is visible in all directions from north (round by east and south), to S. 59' W. ; and can be seen from a ship's deok 24 miles in clear weather. The above light is not visible from the Aliwal Shoal, which is 25 miles S., 53" W., from the lighthouse ; vessels should not, therefore, when coming from the southward and westward, approach the shore nearer than four miles, or shoal their water under 40 fathoms, using the lead freely until they make the light well out from the deck, when they may stand in until it bears N. 59' E. — which bearing will keep them outside all known danger— until they are abreast of the Uml«zi river (about 9£ miles below the lighthouse), when they must keep it more to the northward, as the land trends more to the eastward, giving the shore a good berth of a mile, and when the light bears about W.N.W., they can haul in to the northward for the anchorage, anchoring in 8£ to 10 fathoms, with the lighthouse bearing S.W. to S.W. | S. (?) J distantonemile.— W. E. Akchdeacon, Master R.N,, Admiralty Surveyor. N.B.— The above bearings are magnetic." The annual statement of Trade and Navigation, laid before Parliament at the opening of the session, shows that at the close of the year 1865 there belonged to the United Kingdom 25,160 sailing vessels, of 4,845,142 tons, and 2,708 steam vessels, of 821,731 tons, making a total of 27,868 vessels, of 6,666,873 tons, manned by 249,696 men. This is an increase in the course of the year of 131 vessels, of 123,995 tons, and of 4,375 men, the increase beiDg entirely in steam vessels, and the number of sailing vessels having decreased. To these numbers are to be added 919 vessels of 93,436 tons, belonging to the Channel Islands, manned by 5,958 men; and 12,477 vessels, of 1,562,295 tons, belonging to the British possessions, manned by 94,369 men. The grand total of vessels belonging to the United Kingdom and its possessions at the end of the year 1865 is thus brought up to 41,264 of 7,322, 604 tons, manned by 350,023 men — an increase, as compared with the end of 1864, of 397 vessels, of 219,343 tons, and of 8,524 men.— Times.