SHIPPING.

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1906, Page 2

SHIPPING.

PORT OF GBEYMOUTH.

HIGH WATER. May 23.—10.26 a.m.; 10.43 p.m. May 24.—10.59 a.m.; 11.15 p.m. May 25.—11.32 a.m.; 11.48 p.m. WEATHER REPORT. Greymouth. Wind, southeast, light breeze'; weather, fine; barometer, 30.11; thermometer, 48 degrees; tides, good; bar rough. WEATHER FORECAST. Captain Edwin wired from Wellington at 9 a.m. this day as follows : "Expect moderate to strong southerly winds; glass rise, and probably high; tides moderate, sea considerable, probably frost to-night. ARRIVED. May 83.— Nil. SAILED. .May 23.— Nil. IN PORT. Karitane, Kamona, Pareora, Wliangaroa, Annie Hill, Edward. The Patea Shipping Company have decided to lengthen the little steamer Ivapiti by 20 feet. The Kittawa and Rosamond are. still outside, and should enter as soon as the bar moderates. Had weather has impeded the loading of the schooner Annie Hill, and she is not likely now to get away before the end of the week. The brig Edward is loading up with white pine for Melbourne, and given fine weather, should be ready for sea in the course of three or four days. Tin- Mapourika will not come to Greymouth this trip, but will after transhipping her passengers and cargo to the Araliura, return to Nelson and Wellington. The scow Whangaroa has nearly completed the loading of the dredging machinery of the Kolimoor dredge lor Sydney, and' is now taking in a small quantity of white pine. Weather and circumstances permitting, it is expected she will be ready for sea about the end of the week. Owing to the heavy sea on the bar preventing the Araliura working the port today, she has been instructed to return to Westport, where the Mapourika's passengers and cargo will be transhipped to her and she will then return to Greymouth. She should arrive lure to-morrow about mid-day, and is to sail at 10 a.m. OH Friday for Wellington, via usual ports.

Mr Thomas Whitmore, formerly an officer of tlie Swansea Harbour Trust, has patented a new form of steamship propeller, tests of which are said to have .yielded astonishing results. The invention is highly spoken of, and it is said that a syndicate of well-known capitalists has ottered £25.000 for the patent rights. The propeller takes the form of a single spiral blade, broader than the present type, and is affixed to a tone-shaped base.

Although the sea has moderated considerably, it was still too rough to allow the bar'to be worked this morning, but there is a good prospect for to-night's tide when the following steamers should arrive:—Rosamond, from New Plymouth; Putiki and Ureti, from Wanganui; l\ittawa, from Lyttelton; and Kennedy, from Westport and north. The Himitangi from Wellington is due tomorrow, and the Petonc, Kini and lvailuna on Friday morning.

An interesting history attaches to the boll used to ensure silence at Lloyds when the arrival of an overdue vessel is announced to the anxious underwriters. It belonged to the warship Lutine, which was wrecked near the Zuyder Zee towards the end of the eighteenth century, when England was at war with Holland. As it was customary in those days to send bullion and specie by men-of-war, the Lutine carried a valuable consignment of specie. The underwriters at Lloyd's were able to arrange with the Dutch Government to salve the cargo and recoup themselves for Iho loss on insurance. Over .050.000 were recovered, and among the relics brought ashore was the Lutine 8 bell.

According to advices to hand by the last English mail two British cruisers, , which until recently were attached to the Australian station, and for some years were familiar objects in Farm Cove, have been disposed of by auction at Chatham Dockyard as obsolete vessels. H.M..S. Mildura, a third-class cruiser of 2575i0ns displacement, built of steel in 1880, at a co-it of 1)166,062, was knocked down fo Mr .1. 11. Garnhain for £7200, while 11.M.5. I'vladcs, a third-class cruiser of 1420 tons displacement, built ol timber, metal fastened and copper-sheathed, ill (be war 1881, at a cost of £62,000, was purchased for the sum of £SOOO by the Shipbreakiug Company, Limited. The fcca along the ("oast yesterday morning was the heaviest thai has been experienced, breaking tor over three miles outside the bar. The wind changed into the southeast before mid-day, and blew strongly oil* the land, and at high water as the huge breakers tumbled on to the bar and on to the north beach, the spray was driven seaward as far as the eve could reach. It presented a fine sight for a couple of hours or so, and would have made a pretty picture, but, as it happened, none of our photographers were about at the time. The Arahura, Kittawa and Rosamond, in order to ride easier, put away to sea, where the roll is less than in towards the land. The southwesterly gale must have been exceptionally severe in the Tasman Sea to send home such disturbance of the water. In view of the increasing trade of the port and tho absolute necessity that exists for providing more wharfage accommodation—in addition to tie one berth authorised between the last extension and the cattle wharf—it is hoped the Harbour Board will at its next meeting seriously consider the extension of the wharf upstream, which tho harbormaster strongly recommends as berthage for sailing vessels. More wharfage accommodation must be provided to meet tho immediate demands of the shipping trade. As there is a difference of opinion between the Engineer and the Harbormaster as to the safety of exlending the wharf upstream, it would be well if the Harbour Board would ask the Marine Department to send one of their engineers down to report on the matter, as "soon as possible. Docks in the la<-oou must come in time, likewise, perhaps, Point Elizabeth Harbour, but these works will occupy years to construct; in the meantime, the trade is increasing, and large carriers are daily visitants to the port. Accommodation must be provided for these at once, or else the'port must suffer. The Board cannot afford to defer the matter any longer.

PHASES OF THE MOON-MAY. First Quarter .. 2nd 6.37 a.m Full Moon .. 9th 1.40 a.m Last Quarter .. 15th 6.33 p.m New Moon .. 23rd 7.31 p.m First Quarter .. 31st 5.40 p.m