ARRIVAL OF THE BARQUE ISLE OF BUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5496, 28 June 1879, Page 4

ARRIVAL OF THE BARQUE ISLE OF BUTE.

The above fine iron barque, flying the flag of Messrs. Shaw, Savillo and Co., arrived in harbour yesterday at mid-day, after a tedious passage of 111 days from the Downs. The rossel brings a number of passengers, and a cargo of general merchandise (1400 tons) valued at about i"22,000, and is consigned to Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co. The Isle of Bute is a largo iron barque of 929 tons register, and owned by Messrs. Conway, Iredale and Co, of Liverpool. The vessel has hitherto been chiefly employed in the West Coast of America and Australian trade, the present being the first voyage to a New Zealand port. Although the voyage has been prolonged, it is chiefly due to the tossing about on this coast, and having been caught in a dead calm off the Cape of Good Hope. Barring these adverse circumstances, the vessel would have made an ordinary pa?, sage. The passengers have enjoyed excellent health, with one exception, and each bear willing testimony to the desire of Captain McAvoy and his officers, to conduco to the comfort of those placed under their charge. The voyage was somewhat marred by the death of oae of the steerage passengers, named ffm. McKay, who expired from heart disease on June 5, and whose remains were consigned to the deep on the following day, the burial service being read by the worthy captain. Captain McAvoy reports leaving the Downs on Sth of March, with a strong westerly gale, passing the Lizards on the 14th; wind blowing fresh from W.S.W. Squally weather was experienced across the Bay of Biscay, and Maidera was sighted after bieng 21 days out. The N.E. trades were picked up on the 24th, in lat. 24'13 N., which proved, upon the whole, favourable, and the Equator was crossed, 23 days' out, in long. 26" W. The S.B. trades were secure in 1* N., and carried the vessel as far as 38' S. A dead calm was subsequently experienced, which lasted 10 days, when in the vicinity of the Cape of Good Hope. The meridian of the Cape was crossed on Monday, May 5, in lat. 46" S. Light airs were then enconntered from N.E., the veasel going to 4S , S. The wind came then from the N., and the eastings were run down between the parallels of 46" and 48' S. A very good run was made until off the coast of Tasmania, on May 20. For fourteen days another dead calm the barque, with occasional light airs from the N.E, the vessel going to the southward. A breeze then sprung up from the N.E., bnt only of short duration, succeeded by a dead calm. Ultimately tho wind hauled to the N.N.W. The run across was very baffling. The Three Kings were sighted on the 16th, the chronometer being then found to be 110 miles out. ' Rounded tho North Cape on the following day, and was knocking about until the Little Barrier was sighted on Sunday last, when a heavy S.W. gale set in, and drove the vessel away to the eastward. The wind on Thursday was from the same quarter, blowing a, gale, with heavy sea. The vessel anchored outside Tiri, and hoisted signals for a pilot. She was then riding with 120 fathoms of chain out. At 4 a.rn. yesterday the weather moderated, and, the anchor being hove up, sail was made. Bounded Tiritiri at 10 a.m., and received the pilot at 11.30 a.m. The vessel is now at the powder-ground, and will remain there until the powder she has on board is dincharged. _____^^__^______ The Loss op the Thoopship Cltde.—The steam-transport Clyde, the loss of which Is reported in the latest news from the Cape, left the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, en Saturday, the tit of March, with 559 officers and men, who were sent out to Natal to fill up the gap in the unfortunate 24th Regiment. Several of the officers belonged to the Brigade of Guards, who were attached to the 24th for service daring the campaign, and the Duke of Oonnaught was one of tLa many friends who were present on the tee pier to bid the troops good-by. It is believed that all the troops had reached their destination and disembarked before the casualty to the ship, as the arrival of tha ship was reported several days since. She was hired by the Government from her owners, Messrs. Temperley, Drake, and Carter, of London, and was in command of Captain Lockhurst, an officer of considerable experience. Her stores included about 120 tons of ammunition, in which are reckoned some 7-pounder shells and a considerable quantity of small-arm cartridges. The bulk of the cargo consisted of provisions, principally preserved meats in sealed tins, packed in wooden cases. The loss of tho stores is not regarded as of serious consequence, as ten days after the Clyde left she was followed by the transport Andean, with the artillery ammunitien train, which took out the large quantity of 200 tons of ammunition, and ■even days afterwards by the Loanda, carrying a ahipload of provisions. It is believed that there will be no inconvenience caused by the loss, and that it .will be at once replaced by a fresh supply from home. Sdccessob to Sib Geobge Nabes.—Captain Maclear, E.N., son of Sir Thomas Maclear, has been appointed to Bucceed Sir George Nares, K.C.8., in command of H.M.S. Challenger, at present employed on a scientific expedition. Captain Maclear entered the navy in 1851 as a naval cadet, and obtained his commission as sub-lieutenant in 1857. He was promoted lieutenant in 1859, commander in 1868, and captain in 1876. He served in the Costor in the Kaffir war of 1851, and in the Algiers daring the Crimean wax, when that vessel was employed first in the Baltic and afterwards in the Black Bea. He wt.s in the Cyclops in 1858, when the outbreak took place at Jeddah, and in the China war was in the Sphinx. He was present at the capture of the Taku forts. He was first lieutenant of the Octavia during the Abysitinia war, and iionimandor in the Challenger in her scientific voyage round the world from 1872 to 1876. It will, b," seen from this brief record that Captain Madear has missed no opportunity of seeing sen ice. He wears five war medals, and has been presented by learned societies with marks of their recognition of hie services in the cause of science. Sir Thomas Maclear has another ■on —Captain Maclear, of the Buffs —who is serving in Zululand. He was with Colonel Fiiareon at Elcowe. AN Advestdbgus VOYAGE.—Captain George B. Wallace, of the American shiD Edward O'Brien, was presented with a silver jug, at the meeting of the Liverpool Local Blarine Board, in acknowledgment of his humanity to si shipwrecked crew, whom he reicued while voyaging from Liverpool to Norfolk, United States. Early on the morning of the 10th October last Captain Wallace observed two rockets. He hove-to till daylight, and then discovered that they had been Bent up by the water-logged bhip J. P. Wheeler, Captain James McCay, bound from St. John's for Londonderry, with deals. The captain and crew had been obliged to take refuge in the tops. There wae a gale of wind, and the sea running very high. In three trips of his boat, which he towed nnder the lee of the J. P. Wheeler, Captain Wallace rescued the crew; but one boatload was taken on board a steamer which hove in sight ■ The rescued men were in a destitute condition, and had been 48 hours in the tops. Ail far as possible, they were provided with clothes. Eight days later, Captain Wallace rescued the captain and crew (10 in all) of tho_American barque Clarence, from New York to London, which he found in a sinking state. As Captain "Wallace had his wife and family on board the ship, besides a fall orew and two shipwrecked crews, 52 persons in all, there was much difficulty in accommodating them. To increase the inconvenience, the mate of the Clarence had his leg broken and the steward was laid up with, fever. Before effecting the rescue, Captain Wallace had lest most of hie provisions daring heavy weather, so that he had to put all on board on short allowance. Captain Wallace also assisted another Teasel, and supplied her with water,— Argus.