SHIPPING.

Evening Star, Issue 9153, 7 June 1893, Page 3

SHIPPING.

High Water. To-MOKiiow. —Taiaroo Heads: *M a.m.. { X4 p.m. Port Chalmers: tU3 a.m., 11. 11 p.m. Dunedin : P.Wu.m., ID/.".) p.m. Port maimers. ARRIVKD.-JrSf. 7. Oinapere, s.s., 352 tons, Phillips, fiom the West Coast. Passengers: Mesdames Duuuau, Parsons, Misses Crotty, Parsons, Dounaii, Shads, Mr Martin : and fourteen steerage. 'l'tilune, s.s.. 1,31)3 tons, Kennedy, from Sydney via the Last Coast. Passengers:. Mesdames Forbes and two children, Dav, Stychc. Kennedy Mirses Webster, MaimitiK. Vartha (2), Williams, Keiinedv, Captain Cameron, Messrs Forbes, Bruce, lllasKoine, Netherclitf, M'Nicol, Cootc, Cox, Crust, lJoraseu ; and ten steerage. SAILED.-Jim; 7. Kotomiihaiia, s.s.. WU Urns, Alliiuin, for the Fast Coast ports. Passengers: Mesdames Pain, 'lowers, Duncan, Thompson, Stewart, Maitland, Hoot, Xeville, Aramanda, Misses Stephens, Hayes, Clinton, Bloydon, Fislur, Maunder, Hackhoiise, Miirsden, Jleissner, Lain, Captain Stjwar", Dr Alexanler, Messrs Thoiiip.-;iin. A. Shaw, Bui!, Bartleman, Muhjiieen, Nicoll, Turton, Butte:worth ; and twenty-three in the stce a.^e.

The Tabuie, from Sydney via Auckland, arrived at Dunedin wharf at '■< a.in. to-day. She left Sydney at ti a.m. on the 2(!th lilt. : bad fine weather, passing the Three Kings uli the 3)th ult. at hi a.m.; passed the North Cape at 3 p.m., and arrived at Auckland at (J a in. on the 31st ult. ; left again at 1 p.m. on the 2nd inst. ; called at Oisbornc, Napier, Wellington, and Lyttelton ; left the latter port at 1 p.m. yesterday, and arrived here this morning. Keliable reports received from all parts of the world show that in every port of iiiiiioi-tuneu there arc considerable numbers of vessels laid up, awaiting engagements. The number of disengaged o'vaii-going vessels ljingat the wharves in San Francisco at the end of March represented nearly !lli,('o| tons. On March IS last there was an idle fleet of ships on the Ifongbly of an aggregate registered burthen of over !i<l,o')o tons. Alien line of steamers has been organised t> run from Ne.v York to the Cape and South African ports. The first steamer to be despatched wih Ike Worcester, sailing from New York on the 25th ult. . The Omapcre, from the \\ est Coast, arrived at Dunedin wharf at 2 a.m. to-day. She left \\ estport at 1 p.m. on the Ist inst. ; called at W elllllg ton, Lvtteltun, and Akama : left the hitter port on the sth inst, ; proceeded to Timaru and Oaioaru : had line weather down the coast, and arrived as above. The ship Indian Umpire left the Heads this forenoon for the lllutf. The barque Carnarvon Castle left the Heads yesterday afternoon for Timaru, where she loads for London. • TilE DIRECT STEAMERS. The Dork from Lvttellon (May 13), left Rio de .laneiro for Plymouth on the morning of the 4th inst. with her meat cargo in good order. The Riiahine arrived at Plymouth on Sunday last, with her cargo of frozen meat in good condition THE rißi: ON HOARD THE I'oRT JACKSON. l-'rom Sydney papers by the Talune yesterday the following particulars are gleaned of the lire on board the ship Port Jackson in Sydney Ilarb-r on the night of May 24, intimation of which was given in orr cable despatches recently: The fire when the firemen arrived had a strong hold of the ship. The hatches were removed, and immediately the imprisoned smoke lifted high into the air." Down the hatchway two jets of water were directed. As nothing was gained by these means, men of the metropolitan brigade went by turn down the hold with a respirator affixed to the mouth, and holding branch hose from the .steam engine. Four minutes was the utmost that a man could stop down in the dense smoke, ami when he was hauled to the deck again, more often than not, he was in an almo i fainting condition. The water thus poured more directly on to the tire than before, but still the seat of the outbreak could not be reached. The only wav in which to serve the ship was now seen to be the flooding of the hold. From the five "steamers" working at full speed over 2,(K)ogal per minute were poured into the Port Jackson, and this rate, it was anticipated, would have to be maintained all night. " Mil her up with water there's no help for it." was the decision arrived at on board the bcrniicr ship the next morning. Hour a'ter hour was this programme of flooding carried on. It was but a question of time. Steadily the ship went down in the water until she grounded alongside the jetty, and had it been high water instead of low tide the water outside the ship would have been level with the covering board. When the water was pumped out the scene in the vessel's hold was a saddening one. Hales, casks, boxes, crates, and bags were piled up. a heap of debris, some burnt through, some half burnt, and all damaged. The ship has grand 'tween decks, and fitted up on them are two great wooden malt bins full of malt. Rut the "eareo included !>,NOO gallons of geneva, 5,8'1fl gallons of proof spirits, •J.HIHI gallons of rum, and 2,540 gallons of British spirits lying close to the after hatch and in'immediate proximity to the burning lower hold, but all intact. Had this mass of liquid cargo once ignited, an explosion would have taken place on board such as one shudders to think of. That the Hooding of the vessel in the nick of time saved that impending catastrophe there is little doubt, and is the cause of much congratulation. There were also on board 800 cases of matches and 250 drums of tar. but the ship does not appear to have sustained anv damage due to explosion of these packages. Though the first reports at the scene of _ the tire were of a much more serious loss than is represented in a value now declared to he .£30,1011 (at Loudon), the insurances effected in Australian offices are considerable. The list herewith totals up 115,376, and, as will be seen, does not take into account some of the amounts covered by certain underwriters. Insurances had been effected in the following offices: -Pacific, £2.520, of which £2,320 was rein aired in Loudon ; Alliance, .£2.700; Commensal Union, HAW ; United, ,£2,tioft; Standard of New Zealand, 175 : China Traders. 11,0(10; Victoria, £350; Canton Office. 1200; Union of ('anton. £1,300 ; Derwent, and Tamar, 12.300 ; and North Queensland. £1.431. Resides these the National of New Zealand, the South British, and the Merchants' Marine ('ompanies were interested, but the amounts have not been disclosed. The figures cover the whole amount insured by each of the cargo, some portion of whicli has been saved.