PORT OF ONEHUNGA.

New Zealand Herald, Issue 17, 22 December 1863, Page 4

PORT OF ONEHUNGA.

Entered Inwards. DC CEMBER. 21 —Kangaroo, s. h., 180 tons, Bell, from Svdney, with 49 Lead cattle. CLEvnirn Octwards. DIXF.MURR. ly-Kmaia Elba, 23 tons. Smith, for the Waikato Heads. with (XI casks bottled beer, 10 quarter-casks Leer, 20 boxes soap, 20 bags salt, 57 mats sugar, 1 marquee, (>OO feet tiiiiber, 20 cases salmon, 20 eases lobster, 4 casks sugar, 2 casks currants, 4 kegs herrings, 20 cases pickles, 13 boxes candles, 5 chests lea, 4 cases coffee, 1 bale paper, 2 bales drapery, 6 cases drapery, 4 boxes raisins, 5 kegs butter, 2 barley, 2 kegs ontm-nl, 2 eases shirts, 17 cases picklen, 4 box.'s cigars, 4 packages cheese, 5 sacks bread, 2 cases tobacco, 2 tons Hour, 4 cases salad oil, 2 cases mustard, 1 cask split peas, 2 casks nuts, 7 cases jams, 2 cases starch, 1 case blue, 2 cases vinegar. 10 eases sardine.', 9 cases mixed groceries, 4 cases pipes 1 ease stationery, (Mr. R. Simpson)—2 p&jsingers. —George Hodge, ajent. i'UK'i'ANT Tu MARINERS. ;t<:, ol tho French whalint? p}i*t> \Vins\ow, now lying in Al.fuoa, report j the discovery ot a shoal having 7 fathoms of water on it in Int. 2-1 dog., l°ug. 100 <!•>£. 15 s.ecs., one having only '1 lathoms of wat.'i m lat. -.;o d<>ir. 44 sees., lomr.'lfig dog. M ■ one- hnv-iui- 6 lathouis in Int. '20 dee. li> hoc-'., loir/. 1 . r >B de: r -i;< ; mid another <>!' 'xtrnt in lat 19 '!.* sec., long. 1,'.8 dc«. ;'/2 S.. c „ from ft "o 10 ththotnM of water, Ureakew were discovered in lat. 19 dog. 28 hoc.;., long. lf,s de;;. Bees. A rott', 12 miles in extent, running X. N. E. utid S. M. \V.. south *-nd in lat. 1!' dog., 23 see-i , long. l.'.H dctr. fio v, ( . c .. Ati island ■I;') foot in height' lat. 19 dry. if, sec,?., long. 15S dog,, sees. ; 2s. k! end of Hampton shoal, lat. 19 dog. 3 sees , long. \r,'j dep. A small island with hushes on it. The whole ol the above latitude* are south and longitudes West.—ltyttflton T'nnps, I)ee. 8.

Wjieck OF toe II titer mux —Captain Mnrphv, late of tlie above Rchooner, lias supplied us with the following additional particular* of her loss Left Kyduev Heads, on Tuesday, Ulth ultimo, at G p.m., the wind being fresh from the southward. The master remained on deck until nearly 1 a.m., then retired, Icariug the mate in charge, requesting when within three miles of lobby's light ho should be called, and also to etand on atid olf till davlight. The night was beautifully clear, the moon shining brightly. At 315 a.m. the captain was aroused to save him•elf, as the vessel was close in a ground swell ; he at once rushed on dock and fried to wear, but being too near the shore she would not come round; let go both anchors) so m to save the lives of those on board, Mid get her stern on instead of starboard but the starboard cable parted, and before the port, one could bring her up she struck the reef and soon became a total wreck. Captain Murphv expresses his warm thanks to Captain Allen, also Pilots Taylor and Escott, who, with great activity, saved all hauda | from a watery gr*re.—Sydney Mail, Dec. 6. i

The Planet, from 110 110, came the Eastern passage. She reports the wreck of the American ship William Stnrgess, on the Magician Shoal, on the 18th September. She was inward bound. All hands were got off the wreck by the Electra's lifelioat, and the steward and stewardess have come on to Sydney. —Ibid, Dcc. 7.

The Smr Brother's Priok.—The pilot boat loft the jetty yesterday afternoon, to bring up the ship lir (tlrer's Pride to her anchorage at Camp Bay, this being thi: second time thoy have had to board her. The first time, ■which was on Monday, the captain refused to bo piloted up. It is at present uncertain whether the ship will be put in quarantine or not until after undergoing medical inspection. The reported deaths on board, which are 44, have caused a great sensation in port. It is reported that the medical comforts were exhausted during the early p;irt of the voyage. The ship has been in a very ,-icklv state for some time, and great neglect on the part "of some one must have been the cause ot the great mortality, which, it is to he hoped, will be inquired into by the proper authorities. At 7 p.m., yesterday, the ship was outside the Heads. —Canterbury Press, Doe. 9.

Loss ok thf. Sporting Lass. —On Friday morning the boats belonging to the Sporting Lass, whaling brig, arrived in Brisbane, bringing the crew and Captain Bennett, the master of the vessel. The following account of the loss of his vessel has been furnished to us by Captain Bennett: —The Sporting Lass. Whaling brig, of Sydney, Bennett, master, left that port on the 24th August, on a whaling cruise to the South Pacific whaling grounds. She arrived at Chesterfield Bank on the 14th day out, and remained there while whales were to be seen. On the 3rd November she left that place for the French Reefs, to the north-west of New Caledonia, and during the passage she had light winds from the west, veering round to the south-west, south south-west, south, and south-east, and afterwards light and variable winds, principally from the south-east. On the 4th November, at 4..10 p.m., she sighted an island bearing about north-north-west, about sixteen miles from the ship. At 7 p.m., while in the act of tacking, the wind followed the ship round, when the sheets were hauled aft and she stood on, the vessel heading to the northeast and by north, and the isle bearing north-west, about twelve miles distant. At 11.SO p.m. the lookout reported that he saw the bottom, and on sounding seven fathoms of water were found. No reefs or breakers were visible. The helm was ordered to be put down and the yards hauled aft, which was done ; and the vessel then struck, but so lightly that it was not felt on board, and indeed it was not until the coral knolls were seen all round the vessel on looking over the side, that it became known that she was on shore. At this time there was a strong current running to the north and west. Both pumps were rigged, and kept going; but as she was making a great deal of water, the port cable was veered out, and the brig was allowed to drift on to the eastern prong of the reef, as it was feared that she would sink before the provision, &e., could be secured. At 1 a.m. the water was over the blubber-room, although the men were continually kept at the pumps ; and at 2 a.m. the brig gradually settled down on the port side. The whaleboats were then lowered and anchored clear of the vessel. An hour later a dingy was lowered, and got safely alongside the brig, which at this time was gettiug very uneasy. A few tools and other articles were taken into the boats, and as daylight broke an island was sighted from them as they lay at anchor. They then left the brig and made for the island, and on reaching it, it was found that it was occupied by the crew of the American whaler Hope, of New Bedford, which had been wrecked on the shoal on the 17tli October. Captain Bennett mnl Ins crew landed on this isle, which was railed Cillmd's Ir-land, mi the oth November, and eamped there until they left for the Australian const. On the following day three boats were sent to the wivck to procure some boat planks and other necessaries to fit the lioat« out for the passage for Sydney, whither it was his intention to proceed. Eveiytliing was ready for sea on the 12th of November, but as the weather became unsettled, they did not leave Giffurd's Island until 9 a.m. on the 17th of the same month. They then made for Bennett's whaling station, which was reached at 7 p.m. on the same day. On the 18th, Captain Bennett, with a portion «>f his crew—twenty-one one men in all, having left seventeen coloured men on the Island, left the station in three boats, in company with four boats belonging to the Hope, containing the whole of her crew, numbering twenty-six men. These seven boats remained in company till the evening of the 19th, when thone bel 'liging to the Hope vvre lost sight of, and were not again seen until after they had arrived in Brisbane. One boat belonging to the Hope is still nusviug, and as we understand that she could not be considered in ft seaworthy condition some fears are expressed for her safety. She was in charge of the third mate, and had seven men in lier. Captain Bennett informs us that there is no water naturally on the island on which he left his seventeen men, but there is a distilling apparatus thereon which is capable of condensing 110 gallons of water in fourteen hours.— Courier, Nov. 2S.

Ironclads ov the Mersey.—Though it is well known that several ironclads are in course of construction in various parts of the kingdom for foreign governments, and though one has sailed for Russia and another for Denmark without occasioning surprise, the public suspect that any vessel of war built on the Mersey must be intended for the Confederate Government. For a considerable time past mysterious asset t ions have been circulated respecting two ironclad* building in Messrs. Laird's yard, and the Federal spies have never lost sight of tiiem. A fewdays ago it was currently reported and believed that one of these vessels had slipped away to sea clandestinely to join company with the Florida off the Irish coast. That such was not the case, a visit to Messrs. Laird's yard made evident. There at present lie the two suspected vessels sido by side, with the French Hag floating over the one nearest completion. Messrs. Laird make no mystery about El Toussou and El i Maunassir, as the ships are named. They are un- ] doubtedlv built on French account, and it is under- ' stood that the French Vice-Consul has given the j Collector of Cxistoma satisfactory explanations respect- • ing them. El Tousson, which was launcbed some j time ago, will be ready for a trial trip in a month or , six weeks. El Mounassir was only launched on j Saturday, but already a portion of her machinery is j on board. Perhaps there are not two more formid- ' able frigates all oat. They are 230 feet over all. 42 j feet with 19 feet G inches depth of hold. Ton- | nasje 1,855 0.m.,; horse-power 350. They will com- I bine speed with good seagoing qualities. " They are | very tiat-boltomed, with exceedingly fine ends, and ! will sit low in the water. Their draught whenjloaded will be about 15 feet: estimated speed about 11 knots. The stem is so formed that the vessel may be used as a ram, and the stern which overhangs affords protection to the screw and rudder from shot or collisions. The rig is that of a barque, the masts, which are telescopic, and the lower yards, being of iron. Tho nrmour-plating on the sides of the vessel is 4i inches thick amidships, and rather less at the ends. The plates, the joining of which together is imperceptible, and fitted into a teak backing of jjreat strength. The deck in of 5-inch teak, protected with iron. °The bulwarks let down in ease of action in order to allow the turret gunß to fire over thorn. They have two cylindrical turrets on Captain Cole's principle—one net ore and the other abaft tho engine-room, heavily ' plated. Tluwe turrets are made for two guns each. ! 'lhe pilot-house is formed of teak and iron. At i either end of the vessel are raised decks, which afford ! excellent accommodation for the officers and crew. In i the captain s cabin provision is made for two heavy stern guns, ami heavy guns can be trained from the 1 forecastle deck. These vessels have capacity for 300 • ton* of coal. All the machinery is below the water line. Several experienced naval officers who have inspected the vessels have expressed opinions most ■ gratifying to their designers. In the adjoining dock : is Her Majesty's steam frigate Agincourt, of" 6,720 tons. The vessel is being constructed in a dock which ' was adapted specially for the purpose, and is now one j of the finest, in the kingdom. It is about 400 feet ' long, with an entrance of 75 feet wide, and a depth of i water on the blocks of 24 feet at an average sprint j tide, or 20 feet at a high Bpring tide. Rapid progress | has been made during the summer months—about ! three-fourths of the iron-work of the hull is now ' fitted in place, and a large proportion of this com- i pletely riveted and finished oil', so that- the carpen- j tcra have commenced with the wood-work, some six I or seven streaks of the teack backing for the armour plating are fixed on amidships, and various checks, ! waterways, planking, &c., are being prepared for the | different decks. The forging for the stem artd stem frames have, as usual in these very large ships, re- ' quired a longer time to make than was expected, but j the lower part of the stem has now been in its place for some months, and the stern post weighing some | thirty-five tons, was finally erected last month. The j remaining parts of the stern and the rudder-post will be complete iu a few weeks, aud then the extrema I

bow and stern of the vessel will be rapidly closed in. Large quantities of the 52-inch armour plates have been received, and as all the machinery for preparing and fitting them has been complete and at work for iome time, it is expected that rapid progress will be made with fixing them to the sides of the frigate. The winter weather will not have the effect of interfering with the progress of the work to the extent usually to be feared in this climate, as the whole ship and dock is covered over with a shed, under which arc placed the travelling cranes and other appliances for carrying on the work. —Times, August 31. SrpposF.n Destruction of the Vanderbilt. — The Daily Telegraph, in a recent issue, publishes the following letter which appears to throw some doubt upon the reported destruction of the Federal war setamer Vanderbilt: — " Sir, —I perceive a paragraph going the round of the newspapers, narrating a sea fight between the Confederate war cruiser Georgia and the United States steamer of war Vanderbilt, upon which occasion, it is said, the Vanderbilt was destroyed, " and went down with the crew and even-thing on board." Before I Bailed from the Mauritius, the Vanderbilt had been cruising after the ' Alabama' in the latitude of that Island for some time previously, having been apprised of her captures off the Cape of Good Hope, and when I left, which wa9 on Ist October, the Vanderbilt was laying at anchor at Port Louis. How she could, therefore, have i ailed from Port Louis, Mauritius, and have fetched such a distance as tho Great Bahama Bank, where she is said to have been destroyed by the Georgia; and how the newH was brought here and printed, all within the period since I left Mauritius, viz., Ist October, to thin date, admit of much suspicion. Indeed I believe the story a very improbable one. Besides the Alabama has been hitherto commanded bv Captain Seiumes, and it is very unlikely that he should, without any apparent cause, resign command of a ship whose fame is now world wide. " I am, &c., " J. Maughan, " Master barque Amyeus. "