Shipping. PORT CHALMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1005, 4 March 1871, Page 12

Shipping. PORT CHALMERS.

ABBIVALS. * Feb. 25— Caledonia, schooner, 60 tons, Campbell, from Oamaru. Keith Bamsay, ssent. Flying Bquirrel, ketch, 19 tons, Campbell, from Kahanni, Clark and Co., agents. Anne, ketch, 26 tons, Haswell, from Oamaru. Keith Ramsay, agent. Defiance, ketch, 32 tons, Pratt, from Kakanui. Keith Ramsay, agent. Wallace, p s, 56 tons, Edie. from Oamaru. J. Mills, agent. Passengers— Mibs Javet, Messrs Spalding, Bell, Coote, Grant, and 34 in the steerage. Pioneer, schooner, 22 tons, Matheson, from Timaru. Keith Ramsay, agent. Warrior Queen, ship, 988 tons, Wilson, from Graveaend, 29th November. Dalgety, Nichols, and Co., agents- Passengers: Saloon— Mr and Mrs Heycook, and child. Seoond Cabin— Mr and Mrs T. Coul and family (3), Mr and Mra W. Coul and daughter, Mr and Mrs F. Coul, and 2 children, Mies Wilson, Mr R. Parker, and 20 in the steerage. Phoebe, s.s, 416 tons, Worst), from Wellington, 24th inst. Driver, Stewart, and Co., agents. Passengers : Messrs Thorne, Marks, Southern, M 'Donald, and 4 in the iteerage, and 21 excursionists. February 2B.— Phoebe, s.s, 4l6tons, Worsp, from Bluff Sarbour. Driver, Stewart, and Co. , agents. Passengers — Messrs Menzies, Seed, and three in the steerage. March I.— Maori, s.s, 118 tons, Christian, from Lyttelton via intermediase ports. J. Mills, agent. Wallace, p.s, 56 tons, Edie, from Oamaru. J. Mills, agent. Passengers s Hon. H. J. Miller and Mr Lees.

DEPARTURES.

Feb. 25— Phoebe, s.s, 416 tons, Wowp, for Blnff Harbour. Driver, Stewart, and Co. agents Passengers : Mr Hill, and lin the iteerage. Beautiful Star, s.s, 125 tons, Hart, for Lyttelton, via intermediate ports. J. Mills, agent. F«b. 28— Wallace, p.s, 56 tons, Edie, for Oamaru. J. Mills, agent. March I.— Phoebe, s.s, 416 tonß, Worsp, for Northern Ports. Driver, Stewart, and Co., agents. Passengers — Mr and Mra Vaile and 2 children, Mr and Mra Levy, Mrs Hogarth, Messrs Hay, Ritchie, Goldsmith, Howden, Eyes, and 8 in the steerage. Bengal, barque, 428 tons, Rogers, for Newcastle. J. W. Hutchison and Co., agents.

March 2 — Hydra, barque, 585 tons, Best, for Newcastle. Guthrie and Aaher, agents. March 3.— Wallace, p.s., 56 tons, Edie, for Oamaru. J. Mills, agenfc. Maori, 5.3., 118 tons, for Lyttelton, via intermediate porta. J. Milia, agent.

THE HARVEST HOME.

The clipper ship Harvest Home, after a smart passage of 84 days from Liverpool, arrived off the Heads on the 23rd ult. signalled for a tug, and was towed up in the evening. The Harvest Home left the Salthouse Dock, Liverpool, on the 28th of November, remained in the Mersey to take in powder until the let December, when she started ou her outward voyage. Took her departure on the following day from the Saftees, and had moderate weather to off Madeira, where she encountered a heavy W.S.W. gale for three consecutive days. TheN.E. Trades wete middling, and the Equator was crossed on the 27th, in long. 29 W. Had the S.B. Trades well to the eastward, and lost them in lat. 23 S. Variable breezes were then experienced. In lat. 33.7 8., long. 28 W. passed the iron ship Malabar of Greenock, burned to a derelict, all the deadeyes were burned out of the chainplates. Her decks and masts were completely gone. The Harvest Home went close up to her stern, and there was no sign of any people or boats near. She was still burning. The meridian of Greenwioh was passed on the 19 th of January with N.N.W. winds, and the Cape of Good Hope on the 23rd, in lat. 47 S. Her easting was run down on the general parallel of 52 S., during which she sighted several icebergs ; the largest ones were passed between 119 and 122, E. longitude. The Island of Trinidad was sighted and passed on the 3rd of January, and the Snares rounded on the morning of the 21st ult. ; thence had variable light airs to arrival, thus accomplishing one of the smartest passages of the season.

THE WARRIOR QUEEN.

The frigate-built ship Warrior Queen, under the command of our old friend Captain Wilson, from London, previously reported as being off the Heads, put in her appearance on Saturday afternoon ; received her pilot on board, waited for tide, and was taken in tow by the p.s. Wallace on her retern trom Oamaru. The signal for a tug being hoisted at the Port, the Geelong proceeded down, and meeting the Bhip half-way up channel lashed alongside, and assisted to tow the Queen to the quarantine ground, where she brought up until the powder portion of her cargo is discharged. The following account of her passage is culled from her log. Left London on 28th November, and Gravesend on the 29th, Had fine weather in the Channel, and parted with her pilot off the Start on the 2nd December. Took her final departure from off the Lizard on the 3rd December. Experienced light winds to passing Ferro, one of the Madeiras. The N.E. trades, whioh also proved light, were then met with, and parried to

lat. 4N. Crossed the Line on the 28th of December, and had fair B.E. trades. Sighted the island of Trinidad on January the 4th. Lost the trades in lat. 30 S. Westerly winds of a moderate nature followed to crossing the meridians of Greenwich on the 19th, and the Cape on the 23rd. Very heavy weather from (he same quarter, with high seas, causing the ship to roll heavily, was then experienced. Her easting was run down on a general parabel of 49.30 S Icebergs were passed in long 126 and 138 E. in lat. 49 40. The Snares were sighted on the 21st instant, the Queen thus making the quiok passage of 80 days from land to land. From the Snares light variable winds were expe • rienced to arrival off the Heads on the 24th. ult. She has brought about 40 passengers, all of whom have enjoyed good health.

H.M.S. CLIO.

" Queenstown, February 24th, Hon. W. Gisborne, Dunedin. Bligh Sound. — The Clio has this afternoon struck on a sunken rook not in the charts, and the leak is so serious that though the water can be kept down by the pumps, she will probably have to be careened here, and will be detained in this anchorage (Bounty Haven) for several weeks. Dr Hector goes overland by Martin's Bay with this telegram. There is, thank God, no danger. The storeß &0., will be landed, and the repairs pro oeeded with at onoe. I hope you will send the Luna forthwith, and in her 50 sheep, as the crew will be put on half provisions to* morrow. The Luna can bring me back, as the Virago will be required to help the Clio. We reaohed Milford Sound ou the 11th, having been delayed by bad weather, which prevented us from viiitine Hokitika. We stayed in Milford Sound till this morning, the 17th, made surveys, &o. Pray inform your colleagues and the public. (Signed) G. Bowen, Governor."— "Queens town, February 24th. — Hon. Colonial Secretary, Dunedin. —Just arrived, across mountains, and go by coach to-morrow morning. A telegram will reach me at Deinstall. Governor is very anxious to get the Luna round, as he fears he will not be able to keep his appointments in Otago. Have been bit and a half days en route, two of which were lost through bad weather. (Signed) J Hector Government Geologist." Instead of the Luna proceedingfrom Wellington, tbes.s. Stormbird, whioh was at InveroargilJ, proceeded to the scene of the disaster on Sunday morning, for the purpose of bringing His Excellency the Governor to Inveroargill, from thence he proceeds overland to Dunedin. H. M.S. Virago left Wellington on Saturday morning last to assist. After the leak is temporarily Btopped, it is the intention to bring the Clio to Port Chalmers, there to be docked. If so, she will ne the first vessel taken into the new graving dock, which it -would appear is only just ready in time. The face of one of Her Majesty's Ghips being docked here will speak volumes for the port, and no doubt afterwards the Admiralty will cause a store depot to he maintained here for the use of the men of war ou the station.

The Great Bkitain among Icebergs.— On a recent voyage of the above favourite steamship from Melbourne to Liverpool, she was completely surrounded by icebergs of enormous size, and of every conceivable shape, when in lat. 57-46 deg. and long. 85.34 deg. W. The following interesting description of the scene, says a Sydney paper, is extracted from a letter from the Rev. Dr Cairns, who was a passenger by the Great Britain : — "During our voyage it was our privilege to see more than we anticipated, or than is at all useful. While far to the web ward of the wellknown region of icebergs, we were all at onoe involved in a dense fog. Along witb the fog the atmosphere fell to a chilling coldness. It was suspected thit we were in the vicinity of ice, and Boon hugß bergs loomed through the mist like sheeted apparitions from the Antarctic. This continued for nearly 300 miles. There was much anxiety felt, for, in addition to the fog, there was the darkness of moonless nights. But God mercifully preserved us, and guided our noble ship through these menacing dangers. In due time we reached the place of the icedrift, and a magnificent spectacle was displayed to our delighted gaze. Words can convey but a very faint and inadequate idea of the grandeur of the scene. We passed about 100 in one day, varying considerably both in size and figure. Their height above water ranged from 200 to 600 feet, and considering that less than one third of the mass is visible to the eye, or rises above the sea, this altitude gives a pretty accurate conception of the enormous bulk of the hills or rather mountains of ice. In colour they were pure dazzling white: Borne were peaked, some ! round a-top ; some resembled towers or castles erected on a broad platform of Bhining marble ; some had the similitude of a huge palace in ruins ; while others had the appearance of a large island, with its heights Mid valleys, its scooped out bays and sheer precipices. The feeling of admiration excited by Buoh a display of the prodigies of nature, was mixed with an awe allied to fear. Let a thick mist envelope the expanse, and how soon might this capacious vessel, strong as Bhe is, be dashed to pieces by collision with one of those giants of the deep. No wonder ships are lost in the southern Bea ; the matter for surprise is that the casualties are so few."

The establishment of an institution similar to the Bushman's Club at Adelaide, has been mooted at Auckland. ■ • ' "' -

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR MARCH.

The Moon is full on the 7th, and enters her last quarter on the 14th. New Moon is on the 21st, and first quarter ends on the 29th. Is nearest the Earth on the 10th, and farthest from it on the 26tb. Is near the position of Uranus on the 2nd, Mars on the Bth, Saturn on the 14th, Mercury on the 20th, Venus on the 23rd, and Jupiter on the 27th.

Mercury is badly situated for observation tbiß month. Is a morning star for the first 20 days, rising on the Ist about half an hour before the Sun. During the last 10 days of the month the planet and the Sun rise nearly together.

Venus is an evening star, and more favourably situated for observation. She varies in her time of setting after the Sun from nearly two hours on the Ist to two hours and a half at the end of the month.

Mars is well situated for observation, rising before midnight Is now moving eastward among the stars. Jupiter is an evening star, and remains nearly in the position occupied for several weeks back.

Saturn is a morning star, but not very well placed for observation.