SHIPPING.

Evening Star, Issue 16662, 19 February 1918, Page 1

SHIPPING.

HIGH WATER. TO-MORROW. Taiaroa Head : 10.33 a.m., 11.3 p.m. Port Chalmers: 11.13 a.m., 11.43 p.m. Dunedin : 11.43 a.m., 0.0 p.m. THE SUN. Sets to-day, 7.10 p.m.; rises to-morrow, 5.36 a.m. PHASES OF THE MOON. Full moon Feb. 26 9.5 a.m. Last quarter March 6 12.14 p.m. Mew moon March 13 7.22 a.m. First quarter March 20 ' 1.0 a.m. •Sets to-day, 11.27 p.m.; rises to-morrow, 3.43 p.m. WEATHER REPORTS. The Government Meteorologist (Rev. D. C. Bates) supplied the following weather reports at 9 a.m. to-day : '" Bar. Ther. Weath. Auckland—S.E., 1 ... 29.85 71 B Napier—S.W., br ... 30.00 65 0 Wellington—S.S.E., br 30.05 62 C Westport—Calm ... 29.99 65 CM Greymouth—N., 1 ... 29.85 64 BC Bealev—K., 1 30.05 65 C C-hristchurch—Calm 30.12 .60 0 Timaru—NiE., 1 ... 30.03 57 BC Oamaru—S., 1 ... ... 30.03 56 B Dunedin—S.W., br ... 30.17 55 BC Queenstown—S., br ... 30.08 56 BC Nuggets—S.W., 1 ... 30.19 53 C Bluff—W.S.W., 1 ... 30.04 55 BC Pt. Chalmers—S.\V.,br 30.01 64 B Roxburgh—S.E., 1 ... 29.75 58 0 Pembroke—Calm ... 28.00 60 BC Balclutba—Calm ... Invercargill—S.W., 1 30.08 59 BC Naseby—Calm 28.10 54 B Clyde—Calm ...... Wind.—L, light; br, breezo ; fb, fresh breeze; mg, moderate gale; g, whole oi heavy gale; w, gale of., exceptional severity. Weather.—B, blue sky, be the atmosphere clear or heavy; C, cloud.-, passing clouds; D, drizzling rain ; F, foggv; Q, gloomy, dark weather; H, hail; L.'lightning; M, misty; O, overcast, the whole sky covered with thick clouds; P, passing showers; Q, squally; R, rain, continued rain; S, snow; T, thunder; TJ, ugly, threatening appearance; Z, hazy. Forecast. The Government Meteorologist (Rev. D. C. Bates) supplied the following at noon to-day :—lndications are for southerly winds; weather probably cold and changeable; barometer has a rising tendency; sea moderate; tides good. ARRlVED.—February 19. Kotare, s.s. (3.10 a.m.), 141 tons. M'lntyre, from Oamaru. EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Poherua. from Westport, February 22. Storm, from Wanganui via ports, Feb 23. Kotare, from Invercargill, February 23. Kittawa, from Westport, February 24. John, from Wanga.nui via ports. Feb. 24. Monowai, from Auckland, February 24. Putiki, from Wellington. February 25. Calm, from Wanganui via ports. Feb 25. May Howard, from Auckland. Feb. 26. Kini, from Westport, February 26. Kaitangata, from Auckland, Feb. 27. Kahika, from Greymouth, February 28. Corinna, from Wellington, February 23. Breeae, from Wanganui via ports, March 1. rlimitaiigi. from Wellington, Mar. 5. llouto, sch., from Onehunga, Mar. 5. PROJECTED DEPARTURES. Kini, for Westport, this day. Breezo, for Wanganui via port?, this day. Kotare, for Bluff, Invercargill. this day. Storm, for Wanganui via ports. Feb. 23. Pohema, for Oamaru, February 23. Monowai, for Auckland, February 25. Putiki. for Wanganui via ports, Feb. £5. John, for Wanganui via ports. Feb. 25. Calm, for Wanganui, via ports, Feb. 25. Kittawa, for Westport. February 26. Coriima.. for New Plymouth. Feb. 28. May Howard, for Tnvercn.rgill. Fob. 28. Kaitangata. for Bluff. Febniarv 28. Kahika', for Westport. Mir.-li 2. Himitaugi, for Campbell Islands, Mar. 6. The Kini .is e::peet«l to leave Port Chalmers to-day for Westport. She will load another cargo of coal at the West Const port for Fort Chalmers. Tiic Kaitangata, is expected to leave Auckland to-day with general cargo for Wellington, Lyttelton, Timaru. Oamaru. Dunedin. and BU:i;'. She should arrive here about the middle of next weak. The Monowai. which has been delayed at- Auckland, is iix. i to leave the northern port to-day fo- Wellington.' Lvrtelton. and Dunedin. She is due here about Suudav iiexl. The Corinna. left Lyttelton at 8.30 last night for Wellington. Nelson, and New I'lymor.th. The vessel will proceed from the Taranaki port to Wellington, and after discharge there, will go to Pic ton to load chaff for Onehunga. Tho Rosamond left Gis borne at 9 last night for Napier to discharge the balance of her cargo from South Island ports. She will afterwards go to Wellington to load for Auckland. The Kaituna. cleared Westport at 5 a.m. to-day with a cargo of coal for discharge at Nnuier, Gisborne. and Auckland. The Kahika arrived at Westport at 10 last night from Gyo.y.-nouth. She is to leave the West Coast'port to-day for Lyttelton, and after discharge thei'e will return to Greymouth to lead coal for Oamaru and Dunedin. The To Anau left Wellington yesterday afternoon for Napier. to load sheep for Lyttelton. From Lyttelton the To Anau will go to Tokomaru Bay to load sheep again for the Canterbury port. The Karamu arrived at Onehunga yesterday afternoon from Oreymouth. She is expected to leave the MitVmkau port today for New Plymouth to discharge the balance of her coal cargo. j.lia vessel will afterwards return to Greymouth to load coal for Lyttelton. _ The Kittawa is expected to leave Wellington to-day for Westport, where she will load coal for Dunedin. The Poherua is expected to leave. Westport to-day with a full cargo of coal for discharge at Port Chalmers n.nd Oamaru. The coastal steamer John is due at Dunedin on Sunday next from Wellington. The vessel is fixed to sail on Monday ■with general cargo for Wellington and' Wanganui. The Kamona is now fixed to leave Napier to-morrow with general cargo for Wellington. Reports received from Greymouth state that the v/eather is fine there to-day, with north-westerly winds. A considerable st-a is running on the bar. Westport reports fine weather and a moderate swell on tho bar. The Storm arrived at Lyttelton on Sunday morning from Dunedin and Timaru, and sailed last evening for Picton and Wanganui. The Kotare arrived here early this morning from Oamaru, where she discharged a cargo of timber from Stewart Island. She is fixed to sail to-night for Bluff and Invercargill. The schooners Awanui and Isabella de Frame were discharging coal in the Gisborne roadstead last Tuesday. Both vessels were expected to leave the Poverty Bay port last Saturday with produce for Auckland. As the coastal steamer Mana was berthing at Lyttelton on Wednesday night last at the No. 2 wharf her stern came in contact -with the wharf, resulting in a few broken stern plates. Tho wooden parts on the stern were also smashed, but otherwise no serious damage -was done.

A shipment of wliite pine timber was made last week from mills in the Motu (Gisborue) district. Owing to the river conditions this was the first shipment that has been made from the Gisborne district for some time. What is announced as record price for shipping in Japan is the purchase of a new ship of 3,500 tons' at £7O a ton. Owing to the stormy weather and heavy seas, shipping at the port of Auckland was temporarily suspended last week-end. The only arrival on Friday was the Arahura,_ which berthed at about 7.50 in the I morning, being five hours late. She arrived in the harbor late on Thursday night, but was unable tn berth, so anchored in the stream until Friday morning. She experienced a stormy passage from Gisborne, and was buffeted about considerably by tho wind and seas. In stopping a runaway horse at Richmond (Nelson) last Wednesday evening, Captain Johnson, of the scow Kapua, met with pain fid injuries. A trap was overturned oi the Appleby road, and the horse made off. A soldier who was accompanying Captain Johnson tried unsuccessfully to stop the horse. The captain caught hold ot the reins, and brought the animal down. He also fell himself, and injured his nose, in addition to which he was severely lucked on the hip and arm. The Japanese Steamsliip Company, Japan's largest maritime corporation, has increased its capital from £5,404.000 to £10.00,000, and will build 50 large steamers aggregating 300.000 tons as an addition to its existing fleet of 102 vessels._ totalling 440,000 tons. With tho first favorable wind the schooner Huanui will leave Wellington, after on enforced stop at the northern port for two or three weeks, for Lyttelton, where she will unload a portion of her cargo of timber from Onehunga. The vessel lias had a new top-mast, foremast, and gaff _ fitted. From Lyttelton the Huanui will proceed to Onehunga with a cargo of produce. On her arrival at the northern port she will be placed on the slip for inspection of her hull, and if it is in a good condition the sale of the vessel to a Tahitian company will be decided. j There was another exceptionally high tide at Nelson on Wednesday last, the rine being 15ft 7in against 15ft 3in the day before. The roadway in Weka street was submerged by tidal water, and King's Acre, in Washington Valley, was again converted into a lake and private properties invaded, the water reaching almost to the residences. It was fortunate that there was no wind last week, or some trouble would probably have been experienced on the waterfront. _ Last Thursday morning saw the highest tide at New Plymouth since the tide guaso has been installed at the breakwater. In point of fact the tides for three days last week were much higher thai usual, and Thursday morning's t,ide rose fully six inches above normal. The superannuation scheme adopted by the Napier Harbor Board hist June already finds two old servants in receipt of pensions for life. When a' local body derides to take up the scheme, the then employees of the local body must consent to inclusion, but all subsequent employees shall join the fund. The Act only allows a specified time to join, and the advantages of the scheme are now apparent to some employees of the h.irhor board who. first refused, but their request to be taken in cannot be acceded to. An employee leaving gets all his contributions refunded in full.' . WRECK OFF EAST COAST. SCHOONER. PROBABLY BURNT. A Press Association message from Gisborne states that the wreckage -reported as having been washed ashore on the East Coast, was found nt Te Araroa, about two miles from the township, in the direction of Hicks Bay. A number of benzine cases, charred, and 100 benzine tin labels furnish indications that the vessel was burned from the waterline up quite recently. A man's hat was found bearing the mark of a Pan Francisco firm inside the hand, and a piece of newspaper dated June 17, 1917. The only other nersonal -••operty comprised American coins of the date 1917, a pair of spectacles, and a set of false teeth. THE LAUNCH MARTTANA. The fishing launch Mn.ritn.nn.. which r-p.uk at tho Oroixollrs nfW she liatl s'nick a rock on Wednesday last, was in Wellington waters for many years. She '.vns built in Auckland over" 20 years aero, unci as a. cutter-rigged yacht was brought to Wellington by her then owner (the late Mr Vereker Bindon) to compete at the Port Nicholson Club's reirattn for a prize of £IOO. Owing to meet ins:' with rough weather on the run to Napier and calms in Cook St.t-a.it. she did not reach Wellington until after the regatta. In order to give Mr Bindon and his crow a chance to trv conclusions with the Mascotte and Pastime from Lyttelton, and the first-class yachts belonging to Wellington, a special race was arranged, and the'Maritana was beaten. A few dnvs afterwards she was purchased by Mr Geo. Mee and narlv. of Wellington, who. after owning' her for several years, sold her to Mr C. v . Fell, solicitor, of Nekon. Subsequently she nassed info the hands of Messrs Ri'cketts Bros., of Nelson, who converted her into an oil launch and used her for fishing purposes. AMERICAN FREIGHT MARKET. A DIFFICULT POSITION. An interesting review of American freighting conditions is contained in a letter received by Messrs Gordon and Gnteh from their New York representative. The writer mentions that' a delegation from shipping bouses endeavored to arrange with tho Government at Washington for a betterment of the recent Federal embargoes and conditions of freighting locally, and from New York to other countries. "This delegation has rewithout any guarantee from tho authorities at Washington, and we are not surprised at the result, as the fact must not be lost sieht of that the frcisihting proposition which confronts the United States Government to-day is one which is | so complicated and so gigantic that, under j the existing conditions of shipping shortj aces, the question of transportation either bv land or sea. is a problem which seems almost beyond the ken of men. We have to consider tho fact that this country has been called upon to feed the Allies" and practically furnish the majority of war J supplies they reouire to carry on the war, in addition to which thev have to consider | the movement of supplies for their own non-combatant population and the movement of supplies for their troons in training here, numbering now about one million and a-ha.lf, and their continuous transportation abroad." The railroads under individual management were unequal to the problem, but there had been an improvement under Government control. Gre-iter results, however, could not be looked for till the spring. Tho Government desired to assist shippers, but, of course, movements must take precedence. The Government did not state that there was an embargo on export, but such was the case, as an e.vnort license had to be obtained, and this sometimes took two or three weeks. Shipping via_ the Pacific Coast under existing conditions was neither feasible nor practicable. The congestion on tho western roads was. even greater than in the east. It. was estimated'that there was stored in Seattle and on cars over 200 full cargoes, of 5.000 tons each, destined for the Orient, Russia, and Australasia. The most of it, however, was for Japan and China!

DELAWARE RIVER CHANNEL. Advices received in Australia state that the condition of the 30ft channel in the Delaware River from Philadelphia to Delaware Bay., from latest examinations and surveys as reported by LieutenantT?S fi l / . Bro °, ke ' Corps of Engineers, United States Army, Philadelphia Pa. ?, n rn No Y" lb6l ' 26 ' 1917 > WM as i°Uws :-l tlie latest sounding shows a depth oi Mil or more on the centre line throughout the entire length of the channel, except for isolated soundings as follows: Marcus.Hook range, 29.8 ft, about 1,200 ft above Red Gas Buoy 2M; Cherry Island range 29.9 ft about 2,500 ft below. Black i . nrL? C; and Baker range. 29.9 ft. about 2,500 ft above Black Can Buoy 38. • i re i S J": s . maU rock area on the westerly f t range opposite the upper end of Chester Island, the removal of winch is now in progress. The least depth over the rock within the channel limits ia o2it at mean low water. There are also siioal areas, composed partly of ledge rock m the western half of 'the channel at the lower end of Chester range, and at Up Pi er en - d of Marcus Hook r an?e. While there is no ledge rock within tlia channel limits on either Marcus Hook o* Chester ranges projecting about 30ft at « ean .J?r W^ er ' vessels dr awing more than 26ft sould navigate the eastern half oi the channel, which is clear of all ob-x----atructiofl to a depth of 50ft or more at mean low water. There is a dangerous rock area lying to the westward of the intersection of Marcus Hook and Chester ranges and between these ranges and the old Schooner Ledge range, opposite the brge slag pile of the Delaware Steel Works at Chester. The lower light of this rock area is marked by a horizontally striped buoy, and deep-draught vessels should keep to the eastward at this point. SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. LYTTELTON February 19._7.50 a.m., Maori, from Wellington (connected witl express). (For continuation see Late Shipping.)