SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. PORT OF OAMARU.

North Otago Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1198, 14 February 1876, Page 2

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. PORT OF OAMARU.

Feb. 14.— High water at Oanaaru, 5.29 p.m.

VESSELS IN PORT. Barques — Isabella Ridlej, Samuel Merrit. Three-masted schooner — Mera. Topsail schooner — Pelican. Fore-and-aft schooner — Onward. Ketch— Good Templar.

INWARDS. Nil

OUTWAUDS. February 12. — Samson, p.s., Sinclair, for Dunedin. H. Aitken, agent.

EXPORTS. Per Samson, for Dunedin — 160 bales ■wool, 1 pel, Anderson and Movrat ; 12 bags potatoes Stomion and Leigh ; 10 dodo, Diaper; 32 do do, A. Copeland ; 36 do do, J. T. Evans ; 6 pigs, W. Shaw ; 100 bagi flour, Lees and Moore ; 22 bales wool, Booth and Anderson ; 40 isfea flour, 40 i do do, J. and T. Meek ; 2 bags, Reid and Gray ; 50 bales 'wool, A. H. Maude ; 1 tin box, Mrs Pevman ; 1 case, 4 chts, 1 bag, H. Aitken ; 1 parcel, Beranger. ♦

The fore-and-aft schooner Mabel Jane, Captain Graham, sailed for Danedin early on Saturday morning. The brig Craig Ellachie, Captain Meredith, sailed for the Bluff, in ballast, at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The fore-and aft schooner Janet Earn say, Capt. Xiaing, took her departure for the Bluff at 10.15 a.m. on Saturday, irith a north vest freeze. The Union Steam Ship Company's p.s. Samson, Captain Sinclair, shipped a large freight of produce at the wharf on Saturday morning, for Port Chalmers and Dunedin, and after her passengers, to the number of about 20, had been receded on board, she left the wharf at 11,45. The -wind was at that time S.W., and continued in that quarter all day. 0 ■

During the past year, the number of vessels arrived at Catlin's River was 142, equal to 5813 tons register. These conreyed from the mills in the district upwards of 3.400,000 feet of timber, besides a large quantity of "wool and produce. The only casualty was in the case of the Spec, on 16th. August, when she struck upon the centre rock and became a irreok. Were thia rock removed the entrance would be safe, and an increase of the traffic would no doubt he the result, as the freights ■would then be lower. It is to be hoped the Government will shortly take action in the matter. — Clutha Leader. If anything is calculated to show the rapid progress of the Colony (writes the " South Australian Advertiser") it is the present fleet of merchant ships at Port Adelaide. Taking the list for Tuesday, the 11th ult, there were in all 94 vessels in port, divided as follows : — 16 coasters, with a total of 637 tons; 11 schooners and brigantines, giving 989 tons; 8 brigs, total 1,999 tons; 35 barques, aggregate tonnage 14,377 tons ; 17 ■hips, total 18,130 tons ; and 7 steamers, giving 2085 tons ; making in all a total of 39,217 tons register. In the fleet are some of the finest vessels which have ever arrived here, and in the present prospect of the wheat returns, the greater number of the ships will go away laden with grain. The line of wharf frontage is so entirely taken up that it is a difficult matter for a berth to be obtained, and in the stream there are six craft made fast abreast of each other in tier. A means of saving life was very severely tested at the end of the patent alip, WilliamsCaptain Payne, when Holmes' patent light for life buoys was exhibited "by Captain Coleman, of the E.M.S.S. Mongolia-, who etated that all the company's steamers are now supplied with these lights. The patent is a very simple looking article, very much resembling a cylinder with two necks, in fact looking more like a roasting jack than anything else, but on a smaller scale. The modus operandi is exceedingly simple, a point which, will recommend it to many, and is as follows : The light is placed in a float composed of wood, and then toggled to the buoy, when it is thrown overboard. Immediately upon its touching the water it bursts into a brilliant flame, which lasts five minutes, when the flame diminishes a little, and burns so for twenty- five minutes. The flame burns with still further diminished brilliancy for half-an-hour longer, so that it will burn for one hour from the time it is immersed. It was subjected to a more severe trial than it is ever likely to receive, as no matter how high a sea may run the light would be constantly in the •water, whereas last night it was lifted out aud plunged in again many times, the only difference perceptible being that a more brilliant light emanated from it upon its being immersed again. Captain Coleman expressed himself to the effect that this invention is the most valuable one he has used in regard to determining the position of buoys after they have been thrown overboard. — Melbourne Argui.