SHIPPING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4010, 23 December 1874, Page 3

SHIPPING.

This Summary is to date December 20th, and condenses the events of an exceedingly dull month in shipping matters, so far as it has gone. An almost unprecedentedly long spell of easterly weather has barred the arrival of overdue home ships, and hence the foreign trade of the month was next to nil. The Interprovincial and Coasting business maintained an average, although bad weather militated against the home trade proper, whilst the Intercolonial trade has been well maintained, and discovers a slight improvement upon that of last month. The month has not been prolific of incidents. The more noticeable were the launching of the two iron steamers that were built at Dunedin—the one by Messrs Sparrow and Co., for the Wangamii and Wellington trade, and the other by Messrs Kincaid and M 'Queen, for the Shag Point coal trade. Her owners, Messrs Rowley, Mason, and Wilson, appropriately named her the Shag, and it is to be hoped that she will long keep above water and prove but the forerunner of larger and ! more powerful boats than the Shag Point coal trade will call into existence. The Shag is a handy boat of 35 tons register and 60 tons burden. Her 'power is 15-horse nominal and 50 indicated, and her dimensions are, length over all 76ft; keel, 71ft; beam, 13ft; depth of hold, 6ft 3in. She is built of five-sixteenths and four-sixteenths inch iron plates in the bottom, and three-sixteenth inch plates in the topsides. She is a very creditable specimen ot local industry. The Egmont is a larger vessel, her registered tonnage being 70, and her burthen considerably over one hundred. She is built of plates five-six-teenths of an inch above and below, and foursixteenths intermediate. Her engine is a novelty in its way, because it is the first compound ever constructed in Dunedin—a very pretty piece of mechanism it is; power above thirty horse, but capable of indicating much higher. The length of the Egmont over all is 83ft, and at the keel 75ft; her beam is 15ft 6in, and depth of hold 7ft in the clear. She was draughted for carrying rather than for speed, but yet is a judicious compound of both characteristics; and, moreover, is very buoyant, and of light draught, two great desiderata in a vessel that has to work bar harbours. The Egmont made a trial trip to the Port on Saturday, and behaved remarkably well, steaming close up to nine knots, the distance, 9 miles, being done in one hour and five minutes against a strong head wind, the tide, young ebb, with: her. Sixty pounds pressure of steam was easily kept up, and the engine worked at fifty revolutions without heating bearings. Taking her throughout, the Egmont is a decided success, and will do no discredit to the port of her birth wherever she may go. Another incident of the month worthy of notice was the arrival of two fine new ketches that are to hail from this port and work in the coasting trade. We alluded to them in a former summary as vessels built in Tasmania to the order of Mr G. F. Reid of this town. One of them, the Edith Reid, w, without exception, the handsomest vessel of her class that ever came into this port. Her tonnage is 72, and her build is exceptionally good, first class lines, combining good bearings, with ample space, and juet as fine as a vessel of her description requires. The other ketch, the Good Templar, is a handy, substantial craft of 44 tons register. Both are built of Tasmanian hard wood, and on the centre board principle. , Another ketch, the Granite City, is expected shortly. She alao belongs to Mr Reid, and is about ten tons largerthantheEdithßeid. The coasting trade is also receiving special attention in another direction. The steamer Maori, belonging to the Harbour Steam Company, and which, in our last Summary, was mentioned as having been subsidized by the Government to make a monthly trip round the island, and call on the way at the inlets of the S.W. coast, has made her first trip. She returned yesterday, after an absence of fourteen days only. We anticipate that beneficial results will accrue upon the arrangements made with the Maori; it is of the utmost importance that settlement should be promoted on the S.W. coast of this Province.

Of events "that have occurred close at home, we may mention as one of the more important the opening of the new pier for traffic. The pier ia not nearly finished yet, but the pressure of business demanding an effort, the contractors were induced to tarn over the pier, as it stood, to the Government, and now there are three large ships—the Invercargill, Calypso, and Waikato—-lying at it, and receiving wool as fast as it can be delivered. Aline of railway connects the pier with the Dunedin line, so that traffic proceeds nnintentiptedly. The pier in its entirety will not be completed until the end of summer; but as it can be made to minister to the pressing need of the season, that matters but little. So far, the season has not been particnlarly brisk. Wool has come slowly to hand, but is fast accumulating in the country districts, so that a heavy rush is certain to occur directly. Our supplementary summary contains a list of the ships loading, and the quantity of wool each has onboard. We can report favourably upon the undertaking of the day, by increasing the capacity of the Upper Harbour for navigation. The new Harbour Board is bestirring itself, and when one or two little differences with, the Government are adjusted, the great work will progress apace. The Board held a meetiDg a few dayß ago, and then resolved, upon the recommendation of the Engineer, to commence dredging

operations in the long' channel and provide a temporary passage for Vessels, whilst the more difficult work of dredging a permanent way in the ,short channel' was proceeded with. It is calculated that the channel ct^| be opened up to a depth of 16ft.' in the course of four months; also, that before the expiration of the current twelve months the Upper Harbour will bo open to the Injterproviacial steamers. Dredging operations in the long channel will be commeticed as soon as the dredge has deepened fche channel leading to the Graving D,ock. The pressing necessity of more dredging power is, recognised by the Board, and accordingly tenders for a new dredge have been invited from ths leading firms of Melbourne, Sydney, and of this Colony. The Board has also decided to extend the-Kattray street Jetty at the Upper Harbour, and to set about the much needed work at once. More wharf room iB also required at Port Chalmers, and its provision is not by any means improbable. The requirements of the rapidly increasing trade of the Port can scarcely be met by any other means. ■ , STATISTICAL, FOREIGN, ETC. The total trade of the port during the poi" tion of the month we deal with in this Summary is represented approximately by 157 vesselß,,of which 79, aggregating 14,027 tons, arrived; and 78, aggregating 16,340 tons, sailed. An analysis of these places the arrivals from foreign ports at one only, viz.^ that of the schooner George Noble, which came in from Foo-Cbow-Foo on the 30th November, after an uneventful passage of 87, days. She brought a cargo of season's teas, and landed it in fair form. The foreign departures' were two only, viz., the ship Lennox Castle, which sailed for San Francisco on the 12th instant ; and Messrs P. Henderson and Co.'s fine ship Christian M'Ausland, which took he departure for I ondoti on the 14th inst. She was the first wool ship of the season, and left with a cargo valued at £117,729, and including 3492 bales of wool. The various lines wiil be found published in another place. Whilst dealing with vessels that trade to ports outside the Colonies, we may remark that those which came in from Britain last month are all discharged,' or nearly so, and turned out their freights in good order. Several of them were brand-new ships on their maiden voyages -to wit, the Invercargill and Auckland, belonging to Messrs P.: Henderson and Co.; the Waikato, belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company; and the Calypso, belonging to Capfc. Leslie, her commander. The ship Mataura, also of the New Zealand Company, and once known:as the Dunfillan, is also about out, and so is the smart little, May Queen, also Capt. Leslie's property. The ship Celestial Queen, which came here from London to the New Zealand Shipping Company, has been re-chartered by that company.to load wool for London at Napier, and leaves for that port to-day or to-morrow.

The three-masted schooner George Noble arrived at the Port on November 30th, bringing a part cargo of this season's teas from Foo-Chow-Foo, the lot being consigned in two lines to Messrs Bates, Sise, and Co., and Messrs W. and J. Scbular. The George Noble made the passage in 87 days, and came via the Eastern route, keeping well out in the Pacific to secure steady winds. But she was not very highly favoured in this respect. She discharged her cargo at Dunedin. Sundry islands were sighted during the passage. On the 9th October she passed Ponupi—one of the Seniavina Group—and on the 19th she passed within sight of Le Maire Island. On November 4th she sighted Tucopia Island. Captain Melville also reports having spoken the ship Hourah, from London to Wellingtoß, with immigrants. She was then 50 miles north of Banks Peninsula. The Medora was at Foo-Chow-Foo, loading for Dunedin, when the George Noble sailed. INTERCOLONIAL. Intercolonial business has been fairly sustained during the month, twelve vesselsaggregating 4853 tons—haying arrived, and thirteen, of a united tonnage of 6271, sailed. Intercourse with Melbourne was chiefly maintained by the steamers belonging to Messrs Macmeckan, Blackwood, and Co., of which the Alhambra arrived via Gook Strait on the 2nd instant, and sailed via the Bluff on the 4th. She was followed by the Claud Hamilton, which arrived via the' Bluff on'the ) 2th instant, and sailed via Cook Strait on the 14th. Then came the mail steamer Albion on the 20th (to-day), and is to sail away North to-morrow or the day after. One sailing bottom—the barque Otago—arrived with a mixed cargo, of which part ODly was for the Fort, on the 25th ultimo, and after dis charging here proceeded to Auckland with the balance of her freight, on the 6th inst. Macmeckan's boats, as usual, brought heavy passenger and freight lists, and turned out their cargo in prime order. The Otago's cargo also turned out in fair condition. A good average business was done with Newcastle, three sailing vessels—the brig Firefly and the barques Glimpse and Bobycito having arrived with coal cargoes: the first on the 26th ultimo, the second on the Ist instant, and the third on the 12th. The Firefly discharged and left again for Newcastle on the 4th inst. The other two are still in port.. Messrs Webb and Fulton's steamer Easby made a very smart round trip to Newcastle and Sydney, arriving here on the.sth; after an absence of only twenty days. She brought nearly 2000 tons of coal from Newcastle and a lot of general cargo from Sydney. Well and carefully handled the Easby proves herself to be a moat safe and serviceable boat, and steers well now. that her rudder has been enlarged. With the view of strengthening the relations between this Colony and New South Wales, also to extend the sphere of the. Easby's usefulness, and increase the' 'sources of profit, the Easby's owners decided to make Wellington a port of call both ways,' and j accordingly the..;Easby .proceeded. to i that port when, she left here on another trip on the 12th inst. . Thence she sailed for Newcastle. Trade with Tasmania had steadily preserved its balance. Hbbarfc Town'; sent three vessels, ■ being tbe barques Glencoe and Olive Branch, - which ■ ar-/ rived on the 25th nit., and the barque Free Trader, which arrived on the 26th. The Glencoe and Free Trader discharged carsoes of produce, and left on their return to Hobart Town, the- latter on the 4th and the former on the sth inst. The Olive Branch had only horses for this port, which having been landed, the barque went on to Oa'maru with some produce she had in. From Port Esperance came the barque Acacia, with a cargo of timber for wharf building purposes. She is still in port, but is to sail for Hobart Town to-morrow. INTEEPBOVINCIAI. AND COASTWISB. ; The home trade has kept fairly up to the mark this month, the inward tonnage being 8980 tons, and the outward 8444 tons. From, north to south, the coast .has been regularly lined by the New Zealand S. S. Company's steamers, of which the Phoebe, Wellington, Lady Bird, and Taranaki nave called here, the first two twice. 'These smart steamers have done a heavy business both in passengers and cargo; the Wellington, which arrived yesterday on her second trip, brought no fewer than 100. Of sailing vessels Interprovincial, the schooners Lizzie Guy, Mary Ogilvie, Dagmar, Friendship, and the ketch Edith Reid came from Hokitika with cargoes of timber, the demand for which continues unabated. The schooners Cora and Excelsior j also brought timber cargoes from the Havelock mills, and a large cargo of the same material came from the Bluff in the barque Record. A handsome brigantinfe, of Auckland build, came from that port early in tbe month. She is on her first voyage, and her sightly proportions attracted much attention and evoked unqualified admiration from the initiated. She brought a full cargo of timber.

The departures interprovincial were numerous, the most noticeable being that of the ship Jessie Headman, one of P. Henderson and Co.'s vessels, for Wellington, where she is now loading for the old country. An interprovincial incident was the arrival of the Government steamer Lnna, with the Southern portion of the English mail, via Suez. She came and went again, and returned to-day on her way South on business in connection with existing lighthouses and to select sites for others. The coasting trade has, as usual, been closely attended to by the Harbour Company's steamers Bruce, Beautiful Star, and Samson, which run to Lyttelton and intermediate ports; and by Messrs H. Houghton and Co.'s steamers Wanganui and Wallabi, which run to and fro between Dunedin, the Bluff, and Riverton. The steamer Express, also belonging to the same firm, will soon join them. She is to start on her first trip in the trade on the 26th inst. The Wallabi Ims run one or two interim, trips to the Molyneux, thus sharing the trade of the place with the regular trader Lady of the

take steamer. -'The'steamer Comeranghas 'ftlsd rurito the Bluff and Eiverton., Catlm's River Sawmills find constant employment .supplying .the,Dunedin market, and their produce is conveyed as ÜBual by the fleet of small craft belonging to' Messrs Gathrie and Lamach. • Ordinary trade with small "ports adjacent to Dunrdiu is very well sustained by the mosquite fleet of the port.

• , , IMMIGRATION AND EMIGRATION. As no immigrant ship arrived during the month," 1 here is very little to report under this head. The ordinary passenger traffic was—lnwards; 683 ; outwards, 435: thus leaving a balance of 148 in favour of the Province. DOCKS, SHIPBUILDING, ETC. The business of the ironth under this head is no exception to the standing rule of work and to spare for shipwrights. They have found steady employment about the many vessels docked. Of these, the, steam, dredge and steamer Peninsula were taken Into tho graving dock to have certain repairs to them completed, and were followed seriatim by the ships Invercargill, Calypso, • barque Cezarewttch, and ship Celestial Queen. The Invercargill and, Calypso—both new vessels—merely went in to have their bottoms cleaned and recoated; whilst the Cezarewitch and Celestial Queen were overhauled for leakage, and left the dock as tight as bottles. Murray's floating dock was occupied by the steamer Maori, which went in for an overhaul before she took up her new line of running, and by the ketch Huon Belle and schooner Bencleuch, both of which underwent extensive repairs. We have . alluded in another place to the launching of the two new iron si earners at Dunedin. At the Port shipbuilding has been confined to the schooner on the stocks in Messrs Sutherland and Co.'s yard, and the large decked boat for Bluff Harbour purposes, which is growing up in Messrs Murray's yard. Messrs Jackson Bros.' completed a job they had in hand of raising upon and decking the Surat's long boat, to fit her for recovering anchors slipped at Qamaru, and also for fishing, &o'. THE WEATHER. Easterly weather has prevailed during the month, moderate on the whole, and at the commencement very fine and warm, with the barometer ; ranging high, from 30 to 30 50. During ; the last fortnight much rain has fallen, and the glass has hung between 29 40 and 29 90, weather very thick indeed at times, and :Wind generally ligLt, between S.E. andN.E.