SHIPPING NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 181, 24 June 1854, Page 14 (Supplement)

SHIPPING NEWS.

ARRIVED. June 17, steamer Nelson, 215 tons, Martin, from Wellington. Passengers, Messrs. Myers, Bealey, Oakham, Leon, Peel, Mrs. Martin, Masters Dobson (2). SAILED. Juue 20, steamer Nelson, 215 tons, Martin, for Wellington. Passengers, Messrs. Innes, Boulton, Smeaton, Cochrane, Phillips, Wrigglesworth, and Mrs. Martin. June 22, barque Tory, 483 tons, Livingstone, for Sydney. Passenger, Capt. Muter. June 23, cutter Rover, 10 tons, Day, for Otago. Passenger, Mr. Gibbs.

In the Australian and New Zealand Gazette of January 21, the following vessels are advertised for this colony :—By Messrs. Willis & Co.; Thetis, to sail February 7 S for Otago, Wellington, and Canterbury; Eclipse, February 20, for New Plymouth and Auckland; Eliza Moore, March 5, for Nelson and Wellington, Cashmere, in March, Cressweli, in April, for Auckland and New Plymouth; Simlah, in March, Maori, in April, for Wellington and other ports. By Messrs. Stayner & Co.; a first class ship in February, for Nelson, Wellington, and Canterbury. By Messrs. Young Sc Co.; the Norman Morrison, for Wellington, Canterbury, and Auckland, to sail on the 20th February. [In addition to the above, Messrs. Young & Co. have advertised two vessels of 700 tons, to sail in April-"] The steam ship " Emu," advertised for the steam excursion trip to New Zealand, on her arrival at Sydney, has been chartered by the English Government to convey troops to Malta.

Makried.—February 14th, at Martley, Worcestershire, Charles T. Bridge, Esq., of Canterbury, New Zealand, to Elizabeth Frances, youngest daughter of Sir Charles Hastings, M.D., of Worcester. Died.—On the oth May, of measles, the Maori Chief Kawiti, one of the leaders in the disturbances of 1845. He embraced Christianity about 2 years back.

We copy from a Provincial Gazette published this week the following particulars: Provincial Secretary's Office. 20th May, 1854. TN continuation of the Report of the Lyt- -*- telton and Christchurch road commission published in the Government Gazette of the Ist instant, the following correspondence is published for general information. H. G. Gottxand, Provincial Secretary.

From the Provincial Secretary to W. B. j Bray, Esq., Chairman of the Hoacl Commission. I Christchurch, Ist May, 1854. Sib, —I am directed by His Honor the j Superintendent, to request your attention to I the following observations arising out of the j report of the Commissioners on the Christ- ' church and Lyttelton Road. His Honor is disinclined to expend any | money on the Sumner bar, because nothing which could be effected by any moderate outlay would avert the danger arising from the overfalling sea outside the rocks, which is the real cause of the navigation of the channel being so frequently closed. The filling in the rocks as suggested by the commissioners would undoubtedly render the ingress and still more the egress, somewhat easier, but it would not materially alter the principal obstruction to the navigation to which I have referred. His Honor also declines to entertain the question of a railway by Gollan's Bay, because if a railway continued into a deep sea jetty at that place were desirable, the railway through Lyttelton would still be the shortest line of communication therewith, and the value of Lyttelton property would not be injured by such a line ; the question then reduces itself to the recommendation of the road or of the railway under the Bridle

path: without at present entering into the respective merits of these lines, His Honor is of opinion that the railway ought not to be commenced if the present means of communication are to be left unimproved until the railway is finished, that is, for five years. His Honor therefore requests your particular attention to the subject of opening some temporary but efficient means of communication pending the completion of the tunnel. It appears to His Honor that if the railway were made from Christchurch to Martin's house, which could probably be effected in one year, a temporary tramway might be made over the hill worked by i-opes and a fixed engine on the top, by which goods in small quantities, say a ton or a ton and a half at a time, could be transmitted with regularity and security from Lyttelton to the terminus of the railway, and that this work would prove a very small addition to the cost of the whole line when complete. His Honor therefore will be obliged if you will report whether this plan is practicable, and should you find it so, that you will furnish an estimate of the following works; 1. What would be the cost of constructing the railway as far as Martin's ? 2. What would be the cost of constructing a tramway over the hill into Lyttelton? 3. What would be the working expense of such a line ? 4. How soon could it be constructed; 5. What would be the additional expense every year until the whole railway were completed ? I have the honour to be, Sir, Your mcst obedient servant, (Signed) H. G. Goxtla.nd, Provincial Secretary.

To H. G. Gouland, Esq., Provincial \ Secretary. Sir, —On receiving your instructions to report to you whether it would be practicable during the execution of the railway tunnel, to open a temporary but efficient communication with Lyttelton by means of a Tramway over the hill, which might be worked by ropes and a fixed engine, I proceeded immediately to examine the spurs on both sides of the Bridle path hills, to determine the most suitable line for such a work. I find the ground much more favourable than might have been anticipated ; on the north side of the hill, the ascent might be nearly straight from Martin's, till having crossed the Bridle path it approached the rocks on the short cut spur, when curving regularly to the left it would reach the summit about 250 yards east of the Bridle path. The descent on the south side might be tolerably straight down the right or west side of the Bridle path spur till it came to the hollow where the Bridle path crosses the spur, there the line would also cross to the left or east side of the spur, and reach the level of Norwich Quay, opposite Mr. Tribe's store. The gradients or slopes of this line would be very steep. Beginning at Martin's with a rise of ten feet in eighty eight, the line would gradually become steeper, and the main ascent would rise 10 feet in 24ft. The descent would be 10ft. in 26ft. for the first part, and gradually diminish to about 10ft. in 43ft. towards Lyttelton. Under these circumstances I have considered that it would be practicable to lay a tramway of flat iron bars, on longitudinal bearers, from Martin's and across the hills in the line above described to Norwich Quay. From the summit to the centre of each incline, and at each end of the line, it must be double to allow of the ascending and i descending waggons passing each other.

At the top of the hill a powerful <n n must be erected, with two drums, to be worked by bullocks, for drawing the waggon up by wire ropes, one rope for each side of the hill. A loaded waggon being attached to each end of one of the ropes, the waggon descending would help to raise the ascending waggon, and so materially assist the movinopower that four bullocks would be sufficient for the work. The steepness of the gradients would render it essential to safety to adopt a very slow rate of travelling, in order to diminish the jerking strains which might break the rope. A waggon with one ton of goods would be 1 i hour from Norwich Quay to Martin's. But as one waggon might leave every half hour from each end, passing each other at the places provided for that purpose, the total result of" eight hours continuous working would be 12 tons of goods conveyed each way, between Christchurch and Lyttelton, supposing the railway were made from Christchurch to the tunnel mouth. This would be ample to meet any increase of merchandise traffic that might accrue during the construction of the tunnel. It is to be regretted that the time occupied in performing the journey, as well as the risk of accident on the inclines, renders the line ill adapted to the conveyance of passengers; consequently but little revenue is likely to arise from this source until the line can be carried through the hill. Assuming the ordinary rate of wages to be ss. per diem, the expenses of working the line between Christchurch and Lyttelton, exclusive of depreciation or loss of horses and bullocks, may be taken at £5 per day. For this amount 10 to 12 tons of merchandise would be conveyed each way, being a cost of about five shillings per ton. But, as the present traffic falls considerably short of the above quantity, it would need a proportionably higher charge for carriage, in order to meet the working expenses. On examining the plan and section first prepared of the line above described for the tramway, the works required in several places, more especially on the southern incline, appeared far heavier than would be desirable in an undertaking of such temporary character as that in question. It was, therefore, necessary to vary the line according to the irregularities of the ground, giving it a serpentine course, in order to diminish the outlay of cuttings and eriibankments as far as was consistent with the nature of the subsequent works. Some further modifications of the line might be advantageously made, if the work were to be carried into execution, so as to render more equable the power to be exerted by the bullocks. The accompanying drawing shews the general direction and the curves of the modified line; and the section exhibits the proposed inclines in their real proportions, viz., with equal vertical and horizontal scales. x The cost of the tramway from Martin's to Norwich-quay may be estimated at 6,7341. (see Appendix), and the cost of the-raiiway from Christchurch to Martin's would be 37,6001. (see Appendix.) Both these works might be executed in one year if the iron work could be obtained from England in time. The construction of the tunnel would be a longer work, and during the four years it would require for its completion, the annual outlay on railway works would be about £30,000. On the opening of the railway through the hill, the use of the tramway would be , discontinued ; and the greater part of it | might be pulled up, and the materials and I the bullocks be sold.