THE DIRECT STEAMERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13209, 16 February 1905, Page 6

THE DIRECT STEAMERS.

AUCKLAND, February 15.—Arrived: 5 p.m.,. Star pf Ireland, from New York, via Sydney. . MELBOURNE, February 15-Arrived:. Indradeyi, from London. 'SYDNEY, February 15:—Sailed: 6 p.m., Somerset, for New Zealand. Tho Star of Australia left Wellington for. London at 6 a.m. yesterday. The Cprinthic left London for Wellington on Tuesday. The Taicri is due here to-morrow from Lytfelton. The Talun'o should reach Duncdin from Auckland aliout 7 o'clock this morning. ' '•The Mqeraki sails for Sydney, via Cook Strait, this afternoon at S o'clock, leaving Port on the arrival of Hie 2.30 train. H.M.S. Phcebe returned to Port Chalmers' from a short cruise for gunner}' purposes yesterday forenoon, and anchored iii Mansford Kay. The Union Company's cargo steamer Wai«»ri returns to headquarters on Saturday, and will be docked at Port Chalmers about Tuesday next. The.flags at Port Chalmers were halfmasted yesterday as a inark of respect for the late Mr W. Campbell, one of the Union Steam Ship Company's leading hands and an old resident in the borough. The scow Hawk arrived yesterday morning from Whangape with a cargo of nearly 150,000 ft of timber. The Hawk made » M-days' .passage, and had a rough time iii Cook Strait The Moeraki, Captain R. Neville, with 66 passengers and a large quantity of general cargo from 'Melbourne, via Holiart and Muff Harbour, arrived alongside the George street', pier, Port Chalmers, at 6.30 a.m. yesterday, and after waiting for the tide steamed up to Dunedin. The Moeraki left the company's wharf at Melbourne on the nth inst, and cleared Port rhil|ip Heads at 8.30 p.m. same day. She arrived at Hobart on tho 10th, and called at. Milford, George, Thomson, and Doubtful Sounds on her way to the Bluff, where .she arrived at 7 a.m." on the 14th. The Moeraki had a fine passage to Hobart, with fresh northerly winds and moderate seas on the run across Fine weather prevailed during Mir inn through the .Sounds, and thenco she bad light, variable winds- to arrival at Iho Bluff, followed by dull weather and smooth seas alone the coast. ° Messrs Tiirnbull, Marlin, and Co. inform ns that the Evcrton Grange sailed on the 12th inst. from Liverpool for Australian and New* Zealand ports, and that she will be followed by. the Nairnshire about the lllb of next month. Tho Drayton Grange, from Sydney, is due at Port Chalmers today, and will'load: frozen meat, butter, poultry! bran, etc. She •will'then go north to complete her loading. The Somerset has been nominated for the March berth for South African and West of England ports. Sho is due at Port Chalmers from West of England ports on March 10. and will load back after discharge. The Langlon Grange, now on her way to New Zealand with a portion oftho Buteshire's cargo, will take the April berth for South African' and West of England ports. The Buteshire's general average doposit has been provisionally fixed at 60 per cent. Tho vessel herself has been seriously damaged by the fire, and will probably return to London for repairs. Messrs Barclay, Curie, and Co. launched on December 2*, at Whitcinch, on the Clyde, the twin-screw steamer Poona, which they have built for the Eastern and Australian service of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Tho keel of the Poona was laid on June 14, and within six weeks from, now, or about eight months from the time tho contract was placed, sho will bo delivered complete to her owners. The firm has aho under construction the Peshawur, a sister ship of the Poona, and also the Dongoja. which is intended for the Eastern mail and passenger service of the P. and 0. Company. The Poona is 495:t long by 57ft 3in in breadth by 35ft 9in moulded depth, while her deadweight carrying capacity ja 10.000 f fln!; , The berthing of bio- 10.000-ton steamers at Port Melbourne railway pier is a work that is always attended willi difficulty, and frequently with danger. When the White Star liner Suovie came in tp the Port Melbourne pier on the Ist, inst; her lines were brought ashore bv Alfred Holland and an assistant named Cornwall in a. boat belonging to Mr T. TT. Holland. The lines were got ashore without accident, but the boat remained between the ptpamnr and the pier. The steamer drew to (ho r.icr rather more quickly than was exnec'ofl. and the boat was caught between the sides of Iho steampr and flip, piloi of the pier. Her two occupants- saw the danger, and. diving over the side of the boat, swam under the pier, and into safety. Slowly the great steamer pressed the boat a?ainst the'piles. There was a crack,'and then a-loud crunching sound ns the steamer brought tin against, the pier side, a number of framnciits of wood floating about in the water being all that, remained of the bout. The .hvo men were none (he worse for their adventure.