NOTES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11655, 10 June 1912, Page 3

NOTES.

Tho Flora left West-port at 5 p.m. yesterday for Oamaru direct. She will bring to laud here 200 tons of coal, and trill complete discharge at Dunedni, returning to Oamaru on Thursday to load for the usual northern ports. Further proof of the trade possibilities between the Pacific Coast and Australia is afforded- by the announcement just made to the effect that another regular service of up-to-date steamera as to hj? established before the end of the year. Messrs J. J. Moore and Company, of San Francisco, says the Sydney Shipping List, will inaugurate the line under the title of the Crown Line. No less than eight steamers, all capable of maintaining a speed of from ton to eleven knots per hour, are to be employed, and, in addition to being replete with facilities for the promptest handling of all classes of cargo, both inward and outward voyages, will use oil fuel. The vessels will be. of from 6500 to 7000 tons register, and according to designs will be able to carry 6000 tons of merchandise, although the main idea is the : lumber trade, for "which they will be eminently suited. The steamers will come to Australia, direct from the Pacific Coast, Sydney and Melbourne being the ports decided on to date, and the first of them will be despatched in October next, the other following at regular intervals. Two steamers of the Crown Line are now on the stocks, and the others are being prepared for the opening of the new service.