SHIPPING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 4393, 12 March 1875, Page 2

SHIPPING.

LYTTELTON. AEBIVSD.

March 11—Kestrel, ketch, 26 tons, Clarkson, from the Bays, with firewood. March 11—Herald, schooner, 53 tons, Hamilton, from Pioton, with timber. _ . March 11—Transport, brig, 307 tons. Pox, from Newcastle. . . March 11-Fawn, brig, 218 tons, Brent, from March 11—Columbia, schooner, 46 tons, Conway, fa Mai^ P U—Wild Wave, schooner, Karalus, from ketch. 24 tons, Bennett. CS and intermediate ports. Pasaengfflra: and Miss Harding, Mrs Kiver, Mrs Hassell, Messrs Balhmtyue, Southerane, Morrison, Merkle, Pearson, Campbell, Rough, Kew, Felton, Wade, iffrand Mrs Scarborough, Mias Allan, Miss N. M’Lean; 10 in steerage. OUSAEEP. March 11.—BlackwoU, ketoh, 26 tons, Ontridge, Emerald, ketoh, 40 tons, Whitby, for Wangoßui. Marck 11— Fiery Cross, brigantine, 72 tons, Smith, for Kaipora, in ballast, SAILED. March 11—Waitangi, ship, 1037 tons, Botham, for London. Passengers—Rev J. Grace, Mrs Grace, and 6 children, Mr Somerville and 2 children, Mr and Mrs Ogilvie, Mr and Mrs W. Currie, and 2 children. Miss Noon. IMPOSTS. Transport: 500 tons cool. Fawn : 340 tons coal, 500 felloes, 20 pairs naves, 500 spokes, 10 shafts. Consignee—B. Wood. Wild Wave : 1150 sleepers. Consignee—General Government. „ _ _ Ms »areti 14,000 feet timber. Consignee—E. G. Bruce: Prom Dunedin—34 cases, 8 rollers, 4 trusses, 1 bag, 5 prols, 3 boxes, 17 bales, 9 casks, 1 circular saw, 2 trunks, 253 bags bark, 4 kegs, 1 chest, 57 bars, 3 barrels, 29 bdls, 160 sashwexghta, 37 pipes, 8 l-casks. Prom Timoru—399 bales wool, 1 chest, 8 casks, 5 cases. From Akarpa-8 bales wool, 14 rams. Consignees—Wilson, SawbeU and Co., Hook, Mitchell and Compel!, Keouah, Wood, Green, Howland and Co., Wright, Robinson and Co., Morrow, Bassett and Co., Strothers, Kps took and Son. Baxter, Bayfield and Parsons. Fairbaidc, Collier, M’Lean, Lakoman, Stuckey, Reed ami Bam, Pavitt, Gee, Wills, Thomas and Niven, M Callnm, Bank New Zealand, Mitchell <md c s Agency, Ballantyne, Maekay, Cuff and Graham. Williamson, Coleman, Strange, My, Ma Strottoca and Co., Goss, Wilson, M’Naught and Co., Hansen, Sucking Bros., Lightbond, Allan and Co.i Dempsie* Harley, Wagner, Fletcher, Cooke ana Boss, Wood Bros., Inwooa and BUton,- Miles and Co., N.Z.S.M.A. Co., Matson and Co. EXPOETS. Bkckwall: 360 sacks oats. Shippers-P. Cunsacks oats, 140 do grass seed, 90 bags flour, 5 cases cheese, 16 sacks biscuits, 2 bogs do. Shippers—Eoyse, Stead and Co. .... Clyde- 5 hales, 1 parcel, quantity of timber. Shippers—Reed and Bain, Caff and Graham.

The barque Catharina has finished discharging cargo, and will sail for Newcastle shortly. The brig Transport arrived in harbour yesterday from Newcastle; she left the same day as the Fawn and experienced similar weather. _ The s.s. Bruce, Captain Jones, arrived in harbour yesterday at noon from Dunedin, via intermediate ports; left Port Chalmers at 6.30 p.m. on March 9, and arrived at Timaru at 6.30 a.m. on March. 10* hut owing to h dense fog could notjuake the land untu 10 0.m., discharged 136 tons of cargo, took on board 309 bales of wool, and left at 9 p.m, arrived at Aknroa at 6 a.m. on March 11, and discharged 20 tons of cargo. The Bruce sails, on her return trip this brig Fawn was signalled on Wednesday afternoon, but Jher number was not run up. She anchored inside Ithe Heads during the night, and come up to an anchorage off the town yesterday morning. Left Newcastle on Feb. 18, with light easterly winds and fine weather, which continued varying from HE. to N.E. the whole of the passage across, until sighting Book’s Point, 12 days out; a fresh N.B. gale then set in, lasting for 24 hours ; tirnnca had S.W. winds to Cape Campbell, which wad audited on Saturday, March 6; came through the Straits the same day with westerly winds; thence had light airs and calms until arrival at the Heads. The captain reports that the barometer recorded 30.80 for three days before making the heads, a circumstance he had never witnessed before in all his voyages. TEIjEGEAPH NOTICE BOAED. [Oop£ posted at the Christchurch office

ABBIVAX3 PEOM CHINA. (Front the Otago Daily Times, March 8.) We have to report the arrival of two barques from China, the one, the long-expected Medora, the other,, the Gloucester. Both showed up at the Meads on Saturday, the Medora in advance, but as the Gloucester was full of Chinese passengers, precedence was given her by the Geelong, which, after towing out the Janet Cowan_on Saturday, fastened to her, and essayed to bring her to the Fort anchorage. It was blowing a fresh gale from S.W., with a strong ebb tide running, and hence, after straggling along to the head of the Cross Channel, and there meeting with a succession of squalls, the tug had to drop her tow, the latter anchoring for the night. Yesterday morning she was brought up to the proper anchorage, and hoarded by the Health and Customs’ officers. Her report was satisfactory, the Coolies, 268 in number, having been well behaved and quite healthy daring the passage. The Gloucester left Hong Eong on the 3rd January, and took the eastern passage, coming vSA Mindora Strait, through the Mindora Bea, the Strait of Basilan, past Hummock Island, off the south end of Mindanao, one of the Fhillipino islands, and so on to the eastward of the Molucca group along the coast of New Guinea. The route is not often taken, this, however, being the second time the uloncester followed it, the first being last year, when she went from Hong Eong to Melbourne. Alter leaving Hong Eong Captain Vincent made for the Bashes Channel, between Formosa and Batu Hies, intending to take the outiude eastern passage, but the strong N.E. monsoon was too easterly for hla purpose, so alter standing twenty-four hours to the eastward he bore up (or Mindora Strait. Lahaa Island was Sighted and

pawed on the 6th January, and on the same day the barque passed through the Strait, keeping the deep water channel between Appo Shoal and the main land, the latter being kept well in sight. The monsoon there fell light, and hold so until the Bth, on which day and the next the Cnyos Islands were passed and Basilan Strait, formed by Basilan Island and the S.W. Peninsula of Mindanao, on the 11th, Balk or Hummock Island, due south of the south point of Mindanao, was passed within 10 miles on the 14th, and the Pacific Ocean fairly opened with a fresh N.E. trade. Thence an E. by S. course was steered to take the barque north, clearing Earekalung Island; but a strong S.W. current running at Hie rate or SO miles, in 12 ho urs upset the reckoning, and set her so much to the S.W. during the night that she bad to keep away and pass 4 to the westward Of the Fnlur Group altogether. She skirted the group, which, although once a Dutch possession, is comparatively unknown, and Captain Vincent informs ns that the islands were .in a high state of cultivation, and looked remarkably fertile. We may observe that these islands lie between the 4th and sth parallels north of the Equator, longitude about 126 east. The barque passed them ou July 18, and on the 19th she lost the N.E, trade in latitude 2 north. Hence she encountered 15 days of light variable winds and calms. Crossed the Equator on the 26th in long. 133 F., and. shaped a course to clear New Guinea. Bat again a current opposed her, and set her to tbe westward, at the rate of 20 miles per day, the set being the more noticeable inasmuch that, when the Gloucester crossed the same waters in 1874, she met with a strong easterly current there, and had a steady westerly monsoon in her favour os well. The westerly current set her over to the coast of New Guinea, and on the Ist February she found herself within sight of the Cyclops mountain, between Walckenner and Humboldt Bays. There she lay becalmed for a couple of days, and proved an attraction to canoes from the shore. A great many came alongside, and the Natives readily bartered fruit, weapons, and tortoise-shell for hoop iron, knives, Ac.—the knives being in great request. The Natives were very peaceable. One of the canoes, contained a personage evidently of some rank. He was gorgeously attired, with feather-* in bis hair, carried m hia Land a lime branch with fruit upon it, and sat upon a raised platform otium cum diguitatc, whilst two women, probahly his wives,' paddled the canoe. He was moat amiably inclined, and ready to trade anything he possessed, excepting the lime branch, which, possibly being a symbol of rank, was not. to be parted with on any terms. The women are described by Captain Vincent as young and “ rather interesting, especially the one in tbe stern, who looked ru’Jly pretty when she smiled, which she always did whenever she was invited on board." 3he, however, invariably declined, “ More, it woo thought," p.s the chronicler naively remarked, “ out of consideration for the old Chief than for herself." Ou Feb. 4 the light w ather gave way to a strong fresh, westerly monsoon, whi e the westerly current still Tinning carried the Gloucester to 18 south latitude, and 153 east longitude. She coasted along New Guinea,, aud took a final departure off land in those latitudes when Cape Eing William dipped beneath the horizon. Ou Feb. 16, in 13 south, she fel’ iu with the S.E. Trade, and lost it on Feb. 21, in 31 south. After leaving rvew Guinea she shiped a course for Stewart's Island, so as to pass between Australia and New Zealand. N.E. anl easterly winds at firs t favoured her, but afterwards the wind proved vsw --v-h-bie, and at times blew heavily, On March ’5 F.O Bigh.ed Stewart 8 Island, there picked up a t uie’r.ing -i. W, breeze, and arrived ai the Hoads the. came night, end was towed in at above.

T ie second • r rival from China was the harquc JKedorn,, v»lic.U, it vjUI be romerubered, left Foo Chow in Seyio '.ber last year bound to Dunedin, and, being fcnjistcd in a heavy typhoon south of Formosa, hod to ran bank to Hong Kong nnder Jury rig to relit.. Tine bairquo’a report of the typhoon, as was published fci 'ho Hong Kong Times, states that she left Foo < .‘haw o n Sept. T.*, but had to anchor at Sharp Peak on the 2nd, pending the abatement of a heavy sea on the bar. Got clear of the loud on the

23rd, and carried light winds and cloud; weather to the Pescadore Channel: was there becalmed until Sunday, the 27th. It was then the typhoon coin, menced with a strong north wind and a falling barometer—weather clear. 4 p.m.—wind increasing, took in small sails; 5 p.m,, furled topgallant sails and spanker. Barometer, at noon, 20.91 1 8 i p.m., 29 86; * p.m., 29.80 j 8 p.m., 29.70 ; 8 p.m., 29.40; 10 p.m., 29.80; midnight, 28.90. At 6 i p.m., gale increasing, the mainsail was furled, and at the same time the upper foretopi sail blew away, and the foot-rope of the foresail parted. At 8 p.m. sail was reduced to the two lower topsails. At 11,30 the wind veered to W.N.W., bringing the barque upon a lee shore, Yarns Island bearing S.S.E., distant 25 miles. The wind hauling more, she managed to clear the land. A tremendous sea ran, breaching dean over, smashing bulwarks and starting spars. At 6 a.m., the lower foretopsail blew away; at 8 a.m. the barque was on her beam ends, with her hatch combings in the water; at 10 a.m. the barometer droppsd to 28.30, and still falling, with an increasing typhoon. To ease the barque the three topmasts were put away, and she righted a little. Soon after the barometer moved up and tba wind increased to tremendous fury, whilst the sea swept the decks in eheets of water, that all hands had to be battened under hatches : remaining there until the typhoon moderated a little. When they returned on deck they found the barque had been stripped to her lower masts, the lower yards having blown right away. A terrific sea got up os the gale went down, and if the Medora hod not been a remarkably strong vessel she could not have survived it. Finally the weather cleared, and such sail as ooidd be improvised was made, and the barque ran back to Hong Kong, a distance of 1000 miles. She arrived there on Oct. 8, underwent a thorough refit, and sailed again on Jan. 6, t much of her original cargo having been left behind in a damaged condition. A steady N.E. monsoon carried her through the China Sea; Macclesfield Bank was passed to the eastward, ten miles distant, and a course shaped between.the Natuua Islands. All other islands on the line of route were passed to the westward, and after crossing the Line on Jau. 14, she made a first land fall of the islands of Toejo at tho entrance of Banca Strait. The Strait was cleared on the night of the 15th—weather very thick, and hence she had to feel her way through with the lead. The North Watcher light, situated on the island of that name, about a degree north of Anger Point, was distinctly sighted next night. On the 1 following day she was oft Anger, and the wind there falling light, whilst the tide was strong ebb and low, she came to an anchor, and waited for the flood to make. Got under weigh again with the first of it, ana worked through the Strait of Sunda against a strong westerly monsoon that blew a whole gale at times, and hence it was not until the 23rd that she cleared the strait, tailing a last departure from Princes Island. She passed to westward of, and out of-eight Of. Christmas Island. Picked up tho south-east trades on Jan. 26 in lat, 13 south, and lost in 35 south and long. 103,32 east on Feb. 10. Hence she was muzzled by light southerly winds and calms, and struggled with them until the 19th, when the westerlies found her off the Leeuwin. Thenco steady and moderate passage winds, hanging between W. and N.W., stuck to Mr until she made the Solander on the 4th inst., and tbenp strong S.W. breeze carried her through the Strait and along the coast to the Heads by the afternoon of the sth. As it was blowing too hard to tow in sbe anchored, and was attended upon by the Geelong yesterday morning, and fetched the Port anchorage in due course. She brings a full cargo of tea consigned to various Chinese houses. Capt. Vincent, of the Gloucester, wishes us to report that when, after the barque cleared Mindanao Island and entered the Pacino Ocean on the 14th of January, she passed close within u mile of where an island, named Kalingal, is laid off on tho chart, but, at the same time, is marked “ doubtful.” Not the sign of land was seen from her deck, and hence Captam Vincent is of opinion that the island has no existence.

mwua. Port I Dt Hour | Vessel Prom Bluff n 11.45 a.m. 1 Albion Melb'me I Sz. Mail ' Ijttelton 11 12.30 pjju| Since Akaroa DSPiaXUttM. Port | Dt Hoar | Vessel For Nelson ll 11,40 a.m. Phoebe Picton 1 S. P. Mail Se 11 9 a.ra. { Wallace Westport . 1 S.F.Mail