SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 40, 28 October 1871, Page 10

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

arrived OCTOBER. 20, Claud Hamilton, s.s., 529 tons, Clarke, from’ Melbourne and the South. Passengers Martin, Captain Kellar, Mrs Ellison, Mrs Blair, Mrs M‘Lean, Miss Holmes, Master Ellison, Messrs Vincent, Craize, Roberts, Bowroy, Baker, Whittem, James, Twentyman, Robinson, Walker, Kennedy, 4 saloon and 36 steerage for other ports. 21, Ruby, schooner, 24 tons, Frazer, from Te Kopi. 21, Star of the Mersey, brig, from Adelaide, bound for Lyttelton. 24, Glimpse, ketch, 38 tons, Croucher, from Napier and Castle Point. 24, Ahuriri, s.s., 131 tons, M'Kinnon, from Lyttelton and Otago. Passengers —Mr and Mrs Message, Messrs White, Watson, Whane, Keasdale, R. H. Rhodes, and JNancarrow. 21, Ruby, schooner, 24 tons, Fraser, from Te Kopi. 25, Gothenburg, s.s., 459 tons, Pearce, from Melbourne via Hokitika and Nelson. Passengers —Messrs J. Banning, Palmer, H. Kelly, Reeves, Herman, Bromley, Holly, Saunders, O’Brien, Amery, Clark, Palmer, Matheson, Martin, Mrs Cullen, and thirteen for other ports. 25, Wanganui, s.s., 164 tons, Linklater, from Wanganui. Passengers : Cabin—Mrs Pirie and child, Messrs Duncan, S. Flyger, and one in the steerage. 26, Taranaki, s s., 299 tons, E. Wheeler, from Picton, Nelson, Taranaki and Manukau. Passengers : Cabin—Capt. Nowland, Mr and Mrs Wells and child, Mrs Suisted, Miss Campbell, Messrs Roskruge, Caterer, Ellis, N. Joint, Richardson, P. Donald, Sinclair, and four in the steerage. SAILED. 20, Wanganui, s.s., 165 tons, Linklatei’, for Wanganui. Passengers—Mr Duncan, Mr and Mrs Ward, Mrs Morey, Mrs Miller, Mrs Coombs, Mrs G’Hanlon, Major Durie, Messrs Gillies, Ritchie, and Morey. 21, Claud Hamilton, s.s., 529 tons, Clark, for Nelson, the West Coast, and Melbourne. Passengers—Cabin : Mr and Mrs Kinogue, Dr Renwick, Messrs Robinson, Thompson, Fowler, Young, Holmes, Harvey. 23, Ruby, schooner, 34 tons, Fraser, for Te Kopi. 23, Star of the Mersey, brig, 255 tons, Brown, for Lyttelton. 24, Esther, schooner, 46 tons, Campbell, for Castle Point.

25, Glimpse, ketch, 38 tons, Croucher, for Orongorongo. 25, Gothenburg, s.s., 459 tons, Pearce, for Melbourne via Southern ports. Passengers — Mr Furhmann, Mr and Mrs Williams, servant, and child, Mrs Wakefield, Mr Martin, Miss Richards, Miss Laird. 25, Anne Melhuish, 344 tons, Williams, for Newcastle. 25, Ahuriri, s.s., 131 tons, M'Kinnon, for Napier. Passengers Miss Robinson, Mrs Butler, Messrs Sproune, Gurney, Sutton, Kenny, Isaacs, and one native. 26, Wanganui, s.s., 165 tons, Linklater, for Wanganui. Passenger : Mr Robinson. Captain Saunders, of the ketch Huon Belle, directs our attention to the fact of his vessel striking on the wreck of the p.s. Gundagai, lost off Patea five years ago. By this accident the Huon Belle is believed to be damaged to the amount of £250. She is now on Coffee’s slip, and a survey was held on her on Saturday. Capt. Saunders was under contract for twelve months to convey goods to Rangitikei, but, in consequence of this accident, the contract will be interrupted for some time. Capt. Saunders complains that, while a private owner of a vessel wrecked would be compelled to remove the wreck, the Government simply sold what they could, and allowed the rest of the wreck to remain, much to the risk of trading vessels visiting Patea. DOUGLAS’S BOAT-LOWERING APPARATUS. The boat-lowering apparatus invented by Mr Douglas, of Dunedin, has more than once been mentioned in our columns of late as having been favorably tested. Capt. Moresby, of H.M.s. Basilisk, thus writes to His Excellency the Governor regarding it : “ Basilisk, Wellington, “ 21st September, 1871. “ Your Excellency—ln reply to your letter of the 19th instant, requesting me to give an opinion on the improved method of lowering boats from vessels, lately invented by Mr Douglas, of the Marine Department, I have much pleasure in bearing testimony to the usefulness of "the improvement, and beg herewith to enclose my opinion on the results of the experiments which I witnessed—l am, &c, (Signed) “ F. Moresby, Captain.” The following is the enclosure referred to : “Having witnessed the various experiments made in lowering a boat fitted with the improved lowering apparatus (invented by Mr Douglas, of the New Zealand Marine Department) from steamers going at a speed of seven or eight knots, as also the trial which took place on board Her Majesty’s ship Basilisk under my directions, I am of opinion that, for facility and safety in dropping the boat clear of the ship, as well as simplicity and economy of construction, it is far superior to either the Kynaston or Clifford lowering apparatus, as at present ÜBed in her Majesty’s ships. (Signed) “F. Moresby, Captain.” The “ Age” of the 29th ult says : —“ While the Nelson was hove to off Williamstown yesterday afternoon for the purpose oflanding the Governor, a trial was made of Mr W. R. Douglas’s boat disengaging apparatus, a novel invention for lowering boats almost instantaneously. The boat is let down from the davits to the (surface of the water, and then, by merely unhooking a chain connected with the

apparatus, is immediately detached. Experiments had previously been tried in New Zealand by Mr Douglas with the most complete success. Yesterday a boat was lowered about half a dozen times, and each time the apparatus worked without the slightest hitch. It certainly excels, in the rapidity of its application, any previous invention in the same way, and will prove invaluable for the prompt lowering of boats when life is in danger. Mr Douglas has patented his invention both here and in England.” The “ Argus” of the 2nd inst., states:— “ Opportunity was taken on Saturday afternoon last, during the pleasure trip of the s.s. City of Adelaide, to try a new boat lowering apparatus lately invented by Mr W. R. Douglas, local Government Inspector of steamers at Dunedin, and master of the Government steam dredge at that port. The apparatus, which has been already favorably spoken of by various judges of such matters, may be thus described. In each end of the boat is placed an upright stanchion, terminating in a socket. These sockets contain each an iron ball, in the upper side of which is an eye to which the usual block and tackle is affixed. The balls are held in the sockets by means of bent levers, hooked-shaped at their extremities, and connected at the lower ends by a chain traversing the boat’s bottom in a horizontal direction. While a strain is kept upon the chain the point of the levers press on the balls, and keep all fast and secure ; but when, by touching a rod, this strain i 9 relaxed, the balls fly up attached to the tackle, and the boat is free. The experiment took place under the immediate supervision of Capt. F. H Trouton, manager of the A.S.N. Cempany, and certainly appeared quite successful. The boat, with a number of men in it, was lowered from the davits by tackle in the ordinary way, the ship going at twelve knots. It did not go down so regularly, however but that one end touched the water, first, when the balls being released, the boat fell evenly on the water, and the men in her were scarcely splashed. The whole cost of the apparatus is only £4. Mr Douglas has been awarded three medals for his indentions by the Royal Scottish Society of Arts. We wish Mr Douglas success in his patent.”