IMPORTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1704, 20 January 1874, Page 2

IMPORTS.

(A special charge is made on consignees' announcements inserted in this, column.) Per St. Kilda, from Wanganui : 20 head cattle, 120 sheep.

The only arrival in the porb yesterday was the s.s. St. Kilda, Flowerday master, from Wanganui and Westport, with a cargo of Btock consigned to Messrs ,D. Maclean and Co. 7 his is the first trip this vessel has made since the alterations were effected upon her in Auckland, and she has brought and landed her cargo here as also in in Westport in capital order. When laying down the river a!; the spit, onlookera acquainted with her previous dimensions and- appearance could scarcely realise the change in the vessel that loomed so large. When she came up to the wharf, and could be examined more closely, 'the improvements that had been made were easily seen, and seen so plainly that those very improvements were of the greatest and best character. Formerly she was only 111 ft, now she is 135 ft long, having been lengthened 24ft. This has been done at no sacrifice of her draught of water, but, on the contrary, has actually lessened it to not less than over ' lft on the whole, or forward about 3ft and aft between Gin and 9in. Her beam is the same as before, being 21ft Cm, but now her depth of hold is 14ft, being roomy and airy, and capitally adapted for her particular trade. The extension has changed her from a vessel of 91 tons to one of 175 tons, and has made her carrying capacity as nearly as possible double that she lately possessed. Her engines have been entirely altered, and what was formerly a trunk engine has now a direct acting engine, fitted up with surface condensers for her boilers. The latter have also been thoroughly overhauled and inspected, and are now capable of giving her all the increase of speed that was anticipated, not less than an additional ten horse-power having been gained. There is also in the hold a flooring of water tanks, which, when • filled, contain supples of fresh water for the . stock. During the several trips she has made . since these alterations were effected not a single hoof has been lost, although she has often met with very dirty weather and her sea-going qualities severely tested. Her officers speak of her conduct at these times ■-'■• - with the highest praise. The alterations, however, that are most observable are those • made on deck for the convenience of passengers; and to meet the rapidly increasing and developing trade opening up between Wau- . ganui and the West Coast. As will be remembered, the old cabin was down stairs, and was somewhat of a hoky-poky nature and not fitted either for comfort or convenience, ventilation and ligho being alike bad. The present cabin, however, ia a com- ■ plete transformation from dificomfnrt to comfort. It is built flush with the deck, and is 30ft in length. The first, or gentleman's saloon, is 21ft long, and contains 16 berths, also captain's cabin and steward's pantry. The 1 after apartment is set apart for the ladies, and to all appearance is the most commodious • of its kind possessed by any vessel on the Coast. For roominess and neatness it; is certainly n< t inferior to some of the larger going sea vessels, and possesses all the necessary requisites for sea-going purposes There are four berths in it, and it is excellently lighted, while the vibration of the screw does not effect the stern cabin 60 severely as is felt iv other vessels. Taken as a whole the alterations have been most n aiked improvements, and, as bas been remarked by competent judges, more than doubles the value of the vessel. She possesses no comp ier in New Zealand for the stock-carrying trade, nor do we believe one her superior can be found in the Colonies. Her ad apt ability for the West Coast rivers is now seemed, while her easy working at sea, for which she was previously noted, has been forcibly increased. Her . well-known and much-liked old master is still commander, and Captain Flowerday may well be proud of his vessel. The ether officers are the same as were in her before Bhe went to Auckland, and we are glad to L . y see that they remain by her, as the new St. ' Kilda is most decidedly the brst as she is the latest addition to our intei colonial steam • 'fleet. At the Auckland Police Court, on 10th January, Joseph P. Fox was fined LSO for having smuggled tobacco on board the schooner Helen. {The Melbourne Age says that during the passage of the ship Dhawar, which arrived at that port on 23rd December, she sighted in one day 7 -4 vessels, all. of which were • steering to the southward. The Dhawar lost a man overboard, and the steward committed suicide during the voyage. A yacht has lately been built "by several lads at Freeman's Bay, Auckland, and on the occasion of its launch a few days ago, there was considerable excitement among the youth of the neighborhood. On her last trip from Melbourne the Alhambra called at Milford t'ound on an excursion trip, and a very delightful time was spent in what may be truly termed one of Nature's grandest recesses. The steamer arrived off the Sound in the evening, and the weather being thick and rainy, she stood off and on all night, Next day broke away, and the good steamer was run inside right up to Freshwater Basin, where she was made • fast to the trees. The excursionists then landed and scattered about the place, some of them sketching, others shooting and fish- - ing, .'and so on. Thirty-six hours were spent ashore. The Alhambra was to have called . at some of- theother West Coast Sounds, but the weather coming on very thick and • squally, whilst one of the passengers was ill, and required medical assistance, Captain Underwood decided to run for the Bluff. — Otago DaiLf Times The. s s. Otago, formerly such a favorite in the ; New Zealand trade, will once more revist the ports of the Colony in the present month, .fyhen she hW, been laid on to bring the Suez mail in place of the s.s. Albion. Afterwards, she : will run regularly in the New Zealand and Melbourne trade. The Otago has been thoroughly overhauled, and entirely refitted, since she was bought by :W.iifi9Vbtip Underwood for Messrs M'MtokaD, Blackwood and Co. She has now a hurricane

deck like the Albion, over which steamer ; she has the advantage of three tons in point of size, or at least, had in the former build of the vessels. .The Otago always was renowned for her speed, like the Albion, and it will be very satisfactory to have two such splendid steamers to perform this link of our Suez mail service. The Qtago is due at the Bluff about the 20th inst. A steamship of 2200 tons burden is now in construction at Bordeaux, France, on plans drawn by M. Bazin, inventor of Bazin's "exrress ships." The bulk of the vessel consists of three vast rollers which sink into the water to their axis It is claimed that the reduction of friction secured by the adoption of this shape, instead of the usual keel, will result in the attainment of a speed byjwhicb. the trans atlantic journey can be accomplished in four and one-half days. The steamer now building is to have engines of 450 horse-power, and is to carry 450 tons of freight and 250 first-class passengers.