SHIPPING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13935, 18 December 1905, Page 6

SHIPPING.

LYTTELTON. The time-ball is r dropped every week-day at X p.m., New Zealand mean time, which is equivalent to 13.30 Greenwich mean time of ta® previous day. being calculated lor 1/icieo l SOmin -east long., and libra 30miu east of Greenwich. mean tune. - . PHASES} OF THE MO OH. DECEMBER.

WEATHER REPORT, ETC. High Water,. This Day (Monday): Morning 856 a.m., afternoon 9.21 p.m. Sun rises 4.17 a.m., sets 7.35 p.m. Moon rises 11.40 p.m., seta 10.5 a.m. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17. 9 a.m. Noon. 5 p.m. Barometer . . 29.72 29.76 29.80 -- Thermometer . 67 69 .. Wind, S.W.

MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY. CHRISTCHURCH. Meteorological observations, taken at 9.30 a.m., Sunday, December 17: - Barometer—29.66l. . ~ Maximum temperature during preceding twentyffour hours—69.s. . Minimum temperature during preceding twenty-four hours—4S.6. Temperature at 9.80 a.m.-Dry bulb 62.2, »vet bulb 54.0. Humidity per cent—s 7. _ ii&jdmum temperature m sun—l 4/. Minimum on grass—‘l-6. Direction of wind—W.N.Y>. Cloud (0-10)—8. . , Hainfall during previous twenty-tom* hours .—Trace. ' . . , Tendency of barometer—Rising, slowly.

ARRIVED,

December 16-Mahuka, s.s., 2783 tons, Phillips, from Sydney, via cast coast ports. . Union Steamship Company, agents. Passengers— Misses Croxton, Bice, Blomfield, Budge, Tobin, Giles (2), Glasgow, Shannon, Finch and Kent, Mesdames Kemp, Orchard, Cossey, Andrew,' Bighton, Bunting, Hawley and chu- ‘ flren Harrison, Stewart and two children. Woodbury and children, Gifford and child, Dowie, Lucas, Menzies, Booth, Shannon, Finch, Fry, Oswald and Boase, Messrs Kemp, Bullied Cossey, Shackleton, Nesbitt, Hill, Godfrey, ■' Bunting, Hardje, Payge, Borne, Humphrey, Woodbury, Gifford, Dowie (2), Northcote, Fogo, Sharman, Young, Fowler and son, Barrett. Lucas, Khule, Wheeler, Armstrong, Chapman, M’Keller, White (2), Morrow and Jones, and forty’ steerage. December 16 —Maxaroa, s.s., IcSl tons, Man- " nmg.' ■ from 'Wellington. Union Steamship Company," agents. Passengers—Misses M’Leod (2), Sutherland, Brett, Thomas, Paterson, li’Cailum, Abernathy, Hampton, Fulton, Tavenda'.e, Gellatly, Freeman (2), Rawnsley, Darby, Giiray, Blanchard, Shand, Feniandez, Edwards, Turner, Sievwright (2), Munro, O'Kane, M'Donald, Wilson, Burn, Morrison, Shand and Beckingsale, Mesdames Cannan, £hacklook, Johnson, Henderson; M’Dpnald, Crace, Foster and three children, Tavendale *nd child, M’Loan and two children, Blanchard, Halley, Fairley and child, Hargreaves and Jarvis, ‘ Messrs D. A. Aiken, Wilson,, Jamieson. M'Leod, Pringle, Warner, Milne (2), Shacklock, Sladen, Johnson,' Webster, Walker, Malet, M’lCay, Griffen, Jacques. Rus-, sell, Brown, Malcolm, Rutherford, Jennings) Jack, Grace, Boater. M’Lean. Hempleman, King, M'Dermott, Page, Matheson, Clarke, Fernandez, Halley, Andrew, Turner, Wynne, Sievwright, Cunningham, Hewhitt, Simpon, Pitoycher, Stewart, Saggate, Snaddaa, Lomas, Stratton, Janis, Peelye, Alexander. Plaisto, Brown, Morgan and Known, and twenty-ono iteerage. , December 16—Baden-Powell, ,s.s., 92_ tons, Muir, from Akaroa, via the Bays. Kinsey, Bams and Co., agents. December 16—Poherua, s.s., 749 tons, Hutchings, from Timaru, Oamaru ‘and Dunedin. Union , Steamship Company, agents. December 17—Amelia Sims, schooner, 98 teas; J. Johnson, from Collingwood. Pitcaithly and Co., agents. ■ December 17 —Huia, auxiliary screw schooner, 200 tons, M’Kenzie, from Kaipara. i Pitcaithly and Co., agents.

: December 17—Morning Light, schooner, 92 tops, Cameron, from Collingwood. Claude i Perrier and Co., agents; December 17—Rotomahana, s.s., 914 tons, Collins, from Wellington. Union Steamship • Company,. agents. Passengers—Misses Liveeey, Evans, Potts, Jenkinson, M’Dowell (2), Berry, Mills, Hnngerford, Bowen, Pahl, Wilkinson, Gunn. Lorimer, Bray, . Marten, Bowen, Francis, Whitcombe, Allan, . Hogg, Blackett, Batten, Myers, Green, Petrie, Sidey, s Kitspn, Pratt, Brownlee and Billens , . (2), .Mesdamos Budd, Fleming, Ellis, Pickorj ing and child, Vonosta, Jones, Turner, Boyce I and three children, Straw-bridge, Weddell, Bogg, Lloyd, Webster and child, Palmer, M’Arthnr, Boyle and two children, Sidey, Warren, Gower-Burns, Miliar, Powell and two children, Bartlett, Charters, Cullan, Cock, Croli, Ssddon, Laurie, Fifield, Iforr and infant, Buckley, Pullen , and child, Hewlett and Duncan and three children, Eight Hon B. J. Seddon, Sir Joseph Ward, Buns T. Y. Dupcen, 0. H. Mills and J. Carroll, Captain Seddon, Messrs Don, Smith, Gettie, Boyce, Merreon, Strawbridge, Garrett, Waghorn, Olsen (2), Evans, Brown, Edmonds, Hopper, Ahlfeld, M’Coy, Gaisford, Van Asch, Jones, Bilton, Ironmonger (2), Guinness, Palmer, Potts, Foote, Collins, M’Arthnr (2), Petrie, Murray, Fisher, Dalton, Atkinson, Clothier, Vernon (2), Talbot, Schiel, Graham, Taylor, Westerman, Millar, Evans, Lamb, Martin, Jackson (2), Milne, Stubbs, Humphrey, Charters, Clark, ! Hutchison, Wilson, Batten, Sutton, Triggs, Pearce, Keliand, Mulch, Bristow-, Eipu, Wilder, Quane, AVhits. Duncan, MTn-S lyre, Turner, Orchard, Ritchie, Holland, ■ Steeds, Beesons, Wilding, M’Alister, iAnderBon,. Berry, Horton, Muston, Lloyd, Bush, Rudd (2) and Griffin and forty-nine steer«go-

December 17—Defender, s.s., . 117 tons, Tatnieson, from Westport and Hokitika, Fit;aithly and Co., agents. BAILED.

December IG—Manuka, s.s., 2753 tons, Phillips, for Dunedin. Union Steamship Company, agents. Passengers—Misses M’Lean (2), Jacob's and Holdsvrorth, Mesdanies Hpldgworth and Lawson, Messrs Lamb, Blaokie and Nicholson. P member 16—Cygnet, s.s., 60 tons, Murray, for Akaroa. Pitcaithly end Op., agents. De ’.ember 16—Baden-Powell, s.s., 93 tons, /Muir, for Stonyhurst and Wellington.’ Kin- ’ eey, Barns and Co., agents. December 18—Poherun, s.s., 74,0 tens, Hutchings, for Wellington, Westport and Grcymouth. Union Steamship Companv, agents. December 16—Mararoa, sis., 1381 tons, Manning, ' for Wellington. Union Steamship Company, agents. Passengers—Misses Marchant, Campbell Mtinro, M’Laren, M’Crorie, Cameron. Sheath, O’Brien, Greenys, Brincans, Wilson, Barr, Ward, Longton, Free, Ralph (2) and Gardner, Mesdames Tiphng, Qinwlddie, D’Authreau, Howe, Piikington, M’Laren, Coxhead and three children, Cameron, Orr, Swailie, _ Paton, Ralph, Gardner, Fallse and tws children, Hampton, Horne and family, M’Djarmid and Shelly, Messrs Thornton, Gray. Fraser, Dinwiddie, Jameson (2). Hulme, Ross, D’Authreau, R. M’Nab, M.H.R., Bateson, M’Donald, Robineon, Summers, Garrow (2). Craddock, Winstene, Walker, Whifta, Luke, Whitley, Graham, Barber, Satchel], Haigh, M’Kay, Neill Garratt, Jacobs, Cross, Campbell, Cloghorn, Sims, M’Diarmid and Shelly. December 17—Falcon, schooner, S 8 tons Clarkson, for Havelock. T. H. Ker, agent. ' EXPECTED ARRIVALS. From London—Waiwera, s.s.. at Auck’and November 27. Tongariro, left Hobart Decernbe 14, due Wellington December 18. Kaikonra, &,s., left Capa Town November 23, due Auckland December 25. Tonjoana' s.s. • at Melbourne December 12. Athenic,’ s.a" ’ ie'fi Cana Town December 8. due 'Weib'iWon January 2, Inclraghiri, 5.9., at Melbourne “.November 23. Mataiua, s.s, left November 4 due Port Chalmers December 23. Star" of Australia, s.s., left November 27. Turakina ».s., left December 9, due Wellington January 17. Kainara, s.s., left December 4, due Bunodin January 21. Ayrshire, a s„ leit December 13. From Liverpool—Whakaiane, s.s., at Napier December 16. Somerset, s.s., left November ' 11 Karamea, s.s., left October 23, duo Auckland December 16. From New -York—Fort George, barque, 1765 tons, left August 23. Cape Corse, s.s., left November 13. Star of Ireland, left Auckland December 15. Perthshire, s.s., left December U. From Melbourne—Wavriraoo, s.s., left December 13. From Sydney—Zealandia, s.s., left December IS. Wimmera, s.s., left December IG. ■ From i Edithfaurg—Elizabeth Graham., barque, 593 tons. From Marseilles—Caterina, barque, , 90S tons. From Port EsperaApe—Dilpussund, barque, S3O term Laira, barque, 493 tons, left November 30. THE UNION STEAMSHIP, COMPANY’S FLEET. MONDAY. —Rotomahana runs Akaroa excursion and leaves for Wellington. Taluno arrives from Dunedin and leaves for Wellington and cast coast ports. On Saturday the s.s. Manuka, arrived from Sydney via east coast ports at 6.40 a.m., rh* 8.8. Mararoa from Wellington at S.lO a.m., and the s.s. Baden Powell from Akaroa via the Bays at 11.10 a.m. Tie schooner FalcMH 1 , cleared for Havelock

in ballast, was towed out to the stream on Saturday morning. ■ Mr O. Roberts, late third officer of the s.s. Warrimoo, has joined the Maheno in a similar capacity. Mr Carson has joined the Eotoiti as third officer hi place of Mr M’Alister, who proceeds south for orders.

Mr Morley is io join the Takapuna as chief officer on Wednesday, Mr Brown coming ashore for orders.

Mr Wallace, formerly of the Island trade, has been appointed purser of the s.s. Wainui.

! Hr Carey joined the Wainui at Wellington i on Friday as chief officer, and Mr Cain has ! taken up the position of second officer of thesame vessel.

The hulk Felicitaa, purchased recently by the Union Company, is to bo stationed at Dunedin, and is now being got in readiness at Wellington for the tow down the coast. The Union Company has been advised that the steamer Apurima, which loft Calcutta on December 7 for Now Zealand ports, via Singapore and Java-, is bringing a total of 4730 tons of cargo. Following are the amounts of cargo for each port:—l3oo tons for Auckland, 700 tons for Wellington, 1000 tons for relton, 670 tons for Dunedin, 480 tons for Bluff, and 559 tons for Timaru.

On her return from the Sounds the Government steamer Tutanekai will visit the Cook Strait lighthouses. It is not anticipated that tho Hinemoa will be ready for another month. 1 The s.s. Poherua arrived from Timaru, Oamaru .and Dunedin at 4.30 p-.m. on Saturday. The Union Steamship Company’s s.s. Talune is to arrive this morning from Dunedin and to leave on arrival of the first express for Wellington and east coast ports, in order to keep up the “ ferry ” connection. The Eotomahana is to run tho Akaroa excursion.

On Saturday the s.s. Manuka left for Dunedin at 2.23 p.m., the s.s. Cygnet for Akaroa at 8.2-3 p.m., the s.s. Poherua for Wellington, Westport and Greymonth at 9.10 p-.m., the s.s. Baden-Powell for Stonyhurst and Wellington at 9.10 p.m., arid tho s.s. Mararoa for Wellington at 11.55 p.m. The s.s. Eotomahana arrived- from Wellington at 11.20 a.m. yesterday. The schooner Falcon sailed (in ballast) for Havelock at 1 a-.m. yesterday. Three timber-laden schooners arrived at Lyttelton yesterday. The Amelia Sims, from Collingwood, anchored in the stream about 1 a.m., and was brought inside tha moles to a berth at the Gladstone Pier later. She left Collingwood on Wednesday night. The auxiliary screw schooner Huia, from Kaipara, came to the Gladstone- Pier at- 4.30 a.m. She sailed from Kaipara on Wednesday. The Morning Light, from Collingwood, arrived in the stream at 7 a.m., and was brought to the Gladstone Pier about 11.30 a.to, This vessel, sailed from Collingwood on Wednesday night. Ail three schooners reported fine weather and uneventful passages.

_The coastal s.s. Defender arrived from Hokitika via Westport at 3.45 p.m. yesterday, with a load of timber. She left Hokitika on Thursday night, and Westport at half-past twelve o’clock ou Friday night, and had variable weather on the trip. The Defender is to load produce for Hokitika, and 1 is expected to leave here to-morrow night. The Sydney “Daily Telegraph” of December 9 states:—The Huddart-Parker liner Zealandia is maintaining her reputation for speed. She made a smart run of eighty-nine hours from Auckland to Sydney, her average speed being 14.6 knots. The Zealandia ran between Dunedin and Lyttelton in 13hr 44min, which is regarded as an exceptionally fast passage. She followed this up by arriving at Wellington from Lyttelton in llhr 42min, which is the quickest trip between these two ports that she has ever made. Wellington to Rapier was rattled off in iahr aOmin, while between Gisborne and Auckland the vessel created a new record for herself by covering the distance in 191 hours. ; Captain Jamieson, of the s.s. Defender, reports that at noon yesterday he passed a schooner .about thirty miles to the northward of Lyttelton Heads, apparently beating up towards this port. She was too,distant from his vessel for him to recognise her. Captain Blanchard:, late master of the Union Steamship Company’s s.s. Mahinapua, has been appointed to the command of the s.s. Flora,_ in place of Captain Hair, resigned. Captain Hales, late acting master of the s.s, Poherua, has been appointed to take- charge of the Mahinapua. Captain Spence, -who'is at present acting master of that vessel, will probably return to his former position of chief officer of the- e-.s. Wakatipu. 'The Hobart Marine Board has under consideration proposals for equipping the principal lighthouses with wire.ess telegraphy apparatus for signalling passing vessels. Tho s.s. Perthshire was to -leave New York on Friday for, Melbourne. Sydney, Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. Mr Williams joins the Mapourika as second officer, Mr Cowan going off on holiday leave.

, - The Shaw, Savill and Albion steamer AVaiwora, haying completed the discharge of her cargo from London, was moved to tho stream at Wellington on Saturday, and will remain there till Wednesday. next, when she will proceed to tho Bluff for Homeward loading.

The Union Steamship Company’s s.s. Wainui, which has been laid up, was recommissioned at Wellington on Friday, -under tho command of Captain Backstrom. A Melbourne journal gives the following partisuiars of the recent voyages of two New Zealand vessels from this colony to Victoria. They both arrived on November 30. An unbroken series of westerly gales marked tho trip of the Alexander Craig, from Kaipara, which port she left a month before. At times the storms encountered were of a very trying nature, the vessel being sorely pressed to hold her own. Captain AV. Nagle, an old identity in the New Zealand trade, is still in charge of the Alexander Craig, which brought 431,000 ft of timber. The barque anchored off AVUliamstown at- nightfall on November 30. She was _ followed an hour and a half later by tho Dilpussund, which reached the anchorage in tow of the Advance. The barque had a similar experience of weather to that of tho Alexander Craig, and lost several sails, which wore blown away. Greymouth was left thirtyfour days before, and the vessel had 401,000 ft of timber.

The following aro approximate movements of the steamers of the Tyser line:—The Marere, Indralema, Niwaru and Mimiro are all homeward loading at New Zealand ports. The Tomoana sailed from London October 25 for Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand ports, -the Indraghiri from London, via Melbourne', is at The Star of Ireland, from New York, via Melbourne, arrived at Sydney on December 2,' and at Auckland on Docemcer 12. The Star of'Australia sailed from London November 27 for Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand ports. The , Star of Scotland was at London November 15,-and sails December 24 for Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand ports.

'When the Union Steamship Company’s s.s. ;Manuka was last at Sydney a trials was made •’ Clayton firo extinguisher, which 'she has on board. A lighter was moored beside the Manuka, with its hold partially filled with shavings and -other highly inflammable matter. A--toroh was applied, and the hatch of the burning hold at onoe covered. The extinguisher was then put to work. The idea is to manufacture sulphuric gas, and to pump this to the fire; while the oxygen is simultaneously drawn from the hold by another hose. In about twenty minutes the firo was out. But to have a thorough test (says the Sydney ” Herald ”), it would be necessary to engender far more heat than was reached yesterday. _ To extinguish a lire from light materials in a cloaed space is a comparatively simple matter. Nevertheless, the trial, which was conducted by Mr Patou,, the first engi.neer, pleased those present, as it was considered an advance in the right direction. Subsequently the visitors were entertained in the saloon, Mr Jackson, the Sydney manager, presiding. In this course of some brief speeches it was mentioned that the apparatus had proved successful iu a ical burning ship at Wellington.

The last annual report of "the Sydney Harbour Trust Commissioners stated that tho revenue for the year, after deducting transfers and refunds, amounted to £253,580 17s 9cl, being a decrease of £8095 17s lOd in comparison with the previous year. The decrease was caused by shrinkage in the revenue from wharfage rates and from the bonded and free stores, due to the depression in the import trade.

An appeal has been made to the Railway Commission by the shipowners of the Great Lakes to compel tho Grand Trunk and the Canadian Pacific Railway Companies to give greater despatch to grain brought from the west. The shipowners assert that preference is given to American grain, thus causing a serious blockade, of Canadian wheat, bo that it cannot he exported this autumn. When the R.M.S. Manuka- was on her way from Sydney to Vancouver in May of last year, several cf her passengers bound to Zion City enclosed a, message in a bottle, and cast it on the seas. Tho vessel was then in lat. 1.37 south, and long. 170.57 west, and for flfteen months the message was carried by th& currents, until on August 22 last it was found by a native of Nugarca, in the Pead Islands, in lat. 3.25 south, and long. 151.51 east. The native handed the bottle to Mr J. j. Johansen, of Akani station, the so.e -white residence! of the Fcad Group, who, in accordance with' tho instructions contained therein, has forwarded tho message to the owners. Tho slip of paper, which bears the signatures of several passen.gers. as well as that of Captain Phillips, is exceedingly well preserved, the messages being as follows:—“ Greetings from Australian pilgrims afloat on tho Pacific to those by whom they aro probably not forgotten.” H.M.S. Pioneer, which was commissioned a.t Chatham on October 5 to relieve the Mildura as tho drill ship for New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. She is a vessel with a displacement of 2200 tons. _and was built at Chatham at a. cost of ,-£15!,180 m ipug and completed in the following year. Her’dimensions are:—length. 305 ft; breadth, PG f t 9!ri; and draught, 13ft Gin. Her engines, which were built at Fairfield, arc cf 7000 horira-wwAv, and develop ■ a speed of twenty

knots. The armament of Die Pioneer consists of eight 4in guns, eight _ three-pounders, and two light guns, and she is also provided with two torpedo-tubes. Her complement is 224 all told. . - ' Forty-eight sailing vesse.s, with i (X-l <-ons register, and 76 lives, were- lost and reported to the Board-of Trade in October, 190 o; while 10 steamers', with’o42o tons, and 13 lives, we-rei lost at the earn® time. Tho Union Company (says the Otago Daily Times") advises that Captain Backstrom, who has been noting master lately the s.s. Rosamond, is rejoining the VVam-ui, Mr Cashman, of Port Chalmers, late chief officer of the Navua, has been appointed acting master of the Rosamond, and took command at Onehunga on Tuesday. Mr Robertson, late chief officer of the Tarawera. has succeeded to the position rendered vacant on the N>avua. , In the presence of a congregation composed almost entirely of seafaring men ? nc H women folk, Admiral Sir George DigbyMorant unveiled a menfbria’- on October 26 to the officers and crew of the London barque Brier. Holme, which was wrecked last year while on a voyage to Tasmania, Captain John H-. Rich, the commander of tho ill-fated barque, was well known in Thames port, and- most of his crew were Englishman. I he, whole: crew was found by the 'Sailors’ Horn®, J® Dock Street, London Docks, and when the news came of the loss- of tho Brier Holmo the sailors in the home, -to whom many or the crew of the barque were known, ultimately arranged, with the help of Mr Vernon Weston, the home’s shipping agent, to place, a marble tablet to their comrades memory in the sailors’ church, St Paul’s, Dock Street. This has now been done. -Admiral Moran-., in unveiling the tablet, said Captain Rich and -his men died at their posts, bravely! doing their duty. There was nothing_ nobler that' ai man couldi do than to die doing his duty, whether that duty was- fighting in tho Royal) Kbvy or sailing tho ships that carried the.' nation’s commerce in her mercantile marine,-

Two magnificent passenger steamers (according to “Lloyd’s Weekly Shipping Summary ”) were launched on the Clyde in Nor veraber for the Canadian Railway Company’s fast Transatlantic They have been christened Empress of Britain and Eimpross o£ Ireland. Everything in their equipment is of the most modern _ pattern, advautago having been taken of the very latest improvements. These comprise many new features for the comfort of passengers and the protection of perishable freight. _ With the opening of the St Lawrence navigation next year the steamers will run between Liverpool, Quebec and Montreal. It is stated they will he the largest and fastest steamers running to Canada. Their tonnage is 14,500, length S76ft, breadth 65ft, and depth of hold 32ft. The cost of construction was’ nearly half a million sterling each, They_have accommodation for 309 first class, 350 second class and 1000 third class passengers. It is expected that the voyage from Liverpool to Quebec will b& made in less than one week, even when taking the Southern route, via Cape Race, adopted by the company on account of its, safety. A “ little difference ” between the Melbourne Pilots and the Marine Board was settled by the Chief Justice of Victoria recently, on ’the return of an order to review the decision of Mr Dwyer, P.M., dismissing the complaint brought by J. G. M’Kie, the secretary of the Board, against the pilot on a charge of unlawfully neg.ecting to obey an order of the Board calling upon him to attend a meeting of the Board on "August 3 last. It appeared that complaints had been made to the Board by some shipowners that it was the practice of the pilots to employ tugs while removing vessels from their anchorage to the wharves,. a practice which does not occur in other Australian ports, and is not adopted by exempt masters of Interstate ships. In reply to the Board’s inquiry from the pilots, Pilot Seal, on behalf of that body, wrote that they had nothing to say on the matter. .Thereupon the Board required Pilot Seal to attend a meeting of the Board. It appeared that Pilot Seel .was present at the Board’s offices on the day mentioned, but refused to attend as the Board was not sitting in committee. Thereupon, proceedings under the Marine Act were taken against him for refusing to obey a lawful order of the Board, and the case came before the justices on August 24, when the complaint was dismissed with £a 5s costs. The Chief Justice, in giving judgment, said that the Board was entitled to have the information it sought from the pilots, who were the only persons who could give it. It was ridiculous to suppose that tho pilois were to be so independent as not to bo asked why they did the thing complained of. Instead of sending the case back for rehearing, and as,-the • Crown did not press for anything more than n nominal penalty, he would set aside the order of the justices, and fine Pilot Seal Is, with £5 5s costs.

The shy millionaire and tho exclusive Englishwoman (says on exchange) have justified our confident anticipations by jumping at the opportunity for greater aloofness offered by the experiment of giving first-class passengers on the Atlantic liner Amerika. the option of taking their meals in a special a la carlo restaurant, instead of sharing the substantial faro of the common dining saloon. By a novel arrangement with the owners of the Amerika, the catering, inv'tho restaurant is done by the proprietors of the Carlton Hotel (Louden), and M. Autor. the manager of that expensive and fashionable resort.of the West End diner out, watched tho cooks and smiled on the patrons during tho maiden voyage of the new steamer. Pis ie delighted with his experience. Six scoro epicures avoided tho risks of the ordinary saloon, and placed themselves unreservedly in his hands, and ho'relates with a particular cest hew one of them spent £ls on a supper. M. Au'ior is indeed stimulated to prophecy. In five years, he declares, every big passenger ship on tho Atlantic will ha\’e its a la carte restaurant. II a further trial of the innovation on the

Amerika justifies his enthusiasm, provision may perhaps be made for restaurants in some of the steamers on the Australian route. A TRAGEDY OF THE SEA. Despatches received at Queenstown'recentiy from Wilmington (North Caroline, U.S.A.) contain details .of the terrible results of a mutiny on board the four-masted ship Harry A. Berwinde, off the' North Carolina coast, when the. captain and four of the crew were murdered. The ship was on a voyage from Mobile to Philadelphia, and on October 10, when thirty miles off Cape Fear, a dispute arose among the crew. According to a statement of two of the crew a negro named Henry Soott killed four of the men. They state that Soott shot the mats at daybreak on Ocober 10, and threw the body into the sea. Then he killed the donkey-engine man. end soon after lulled the cook, whom he also threw overboard. A negro seaman was then shot down and left to bleed to death on the deck. The men did not see Captain Bumili killed, as he mysteriously disappeared before dawn that day, but they believe he too was shot. Shortly afterwards they overpowered Scott, and bound him securely until the schooner Blanche B. King bore down and put part of her crew aboard. The. latter found the decks and cabin splashed with blood, and one of the crew, a negro, ’lying dead on the dock. Four other members of the crow had been killed and thrown overboard. The new crew put Scott and the other two men in irons, and navigated the Harry A. Berwinde to Southport, North Carolina, where the men were handed over to the. authorities.

TEXiBGBABH NOTICE BOARD. December 16. Arrived, 0,35 p.m,., Cygnet, from Kaikoura, via. coast; 0.40 a.m., Manuka, from Wellington; 8..10 a.m., 'Mararoa, from Wel-ingtou; ■ 11.10 a.m,, Badon-Powell, from Akaroa; AS3 p.m., Poherua, from Timaru. ■Sailed, 2.25 p.m., Manuka, for Port Chalmers; 8.25 p.m., 'Cygnet, for Akaroa; 9.10 p.m., Baden-Powell, for Wellington via Stonyhiirst; 11.50 p.m., Mararoa, for Wellington. ■December 17. Arrived;, 11 .SO atm., E-otomahana, from Wellington; 3.45 p.m., Defender, from' AVestport. WELLINGTON, December IS. Arrived, 3,35 a.m.,- Mahcno, from Dr-Mel-ton; 5.4'5 ai,m„ Devon, from l Lyttelton; 10.25 a.m.,, Prometheus (warehi-D), from Auckland; 5.20 p.m., AVakatu, from Kaikoura. Sailed, 11 p.m,, Eoiomnihana. for Lyttelton; 4 p.m., Bangsiira, for Timaru; 5.40 p.m., Maheno, for Sydney. December ,17. Arrived, 6 a.m., Star of Ireland, from Auckland; 10.50 a.m., Mararoa. from Lyttelton; 2.45 p.m., Poherua, from Lyttelton. ' POET CHALMERS, December 16. Arrived; 4 a.m., Monowai, from Lyttelton. December 17 Arrived, 5 am., Manuka, from Lyttelton. ' Sailed, 3,5 p.m., Taluno, for Lyttelton. AVESTPORT, December 16. Arrived, -4.55 p.m., Kotuku, from Lyttelton. December 17. Arrived, 3.20 a.m., Canopus, from Lyttelton. AKAROA. December 16. Sailed, 4.45 a.m,, Baden-Powell, for Lyttelton. December 17. Arrived, 12.40 a.m., Cygnet, from Lyttelton. TIMARU, December 16. Sailed, 4 a.m., Poherua, for Lyttelton, AUCKLAND, December 17. Arrived, 11 a.m.. from Sydney. I EAST' CAPE, December 16. HuddartiParker steamer passed north at 4.23 p.m. SHIPPING- TELE'GEiAMS. AUCKLAND-, December 17. Arrived—Zealandia, from /Sydney. Arictoria, from the south. / POET CHALMEB-S, December 16. Arrived—'Monowai, from Lyttelton. BLUFF, December IS, Sailed—Alma, barque, for Malden.. Island/ AUSTRALLVN SHIPPING. SYDNEY, December 17. Arrived, 11,30 p.m.—Sierra, from Auckland. Sailed. 2.50 p.m. yesterday—AVimmera, for AVellington. MELBOURNE, December 17. Arrived—Moeraki, from the Bluff. ADELAIDE, December 16. Arrived—Elizabeth Graham, from XCaipara.

d. h. m. First quarter . . - i 6 8 a.m. Full moon . . 12 ,10 Last ouarter . . . . 19 11 39 p.m. .New moon . , 2t5