ARRIVAL OF THE R.M.S. TARTAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1162, 7 March 1874, Page 14

ARRIVAL OF THE R.M.S. TARTAR.

[BY TELF.GKAPH.]

Auckland, March 4th. The Tartar arrived this morning from Kandavu. Captain Ferros reports :—: —

The Mikado, with the outward mails, left Kandavu on the 23rd for San Francisco. On the 25fch the Macgregor arrived from San Francisco. At 11.45 p.m. she cast off, tho pilot stating that he could take both steamers to sea that night by the Star of the South loading tho way. Thesteamorsproceeded slowly towards the entrance of the harbour. The leading steamer failing to find the passage, as tho moon had gone down, judged it advisable to anchor till daylight. At 4.45 on the morning of the 26th, the Macgregor was got under way by Pilot Frost, the Tartar weighing, and followiug slowly in her wake. AtC. 15 the Macgregor struck on a shoal inside tho reef. Tho Tartar came to the stern of tho Macgregor, anchored, and at the request of Captain Grainger, passed hawsers I to tow him off. After a trial of several hours, and all the bust hawsers having parted, it was thought expedient to lighten the Macgregor forward and await the night's tido. This was accomplished by tho Star of tho South going alongside tho Macgrogor and taking ninety tons of cargo for transhipment to Auckland. Tho Tartar then made fast to the Macgrogor with her stream anchor and best hawsers. Aftor three hours' trial, it was thought advisable to move aft a portion of the coal remaining forward in the Maostregor, and mako anothor trial by day tide on the 27th, which ako proved unsuccessful. It was then considered inexpedient to make any further trial to get her off until she was thoroughly lightoued forward. It was found, after consultation,

that this would occupy too much time, and it was thought advisable to transfer all the mails and passengers to the Tartar. This was accomplished, and the Tartar went outside the reef without the pilot at 7 p.m. Captain Grainger is confident that, on removing all the coal and cargo aft, the ship will proceed to Sydney without further delay. The sole blame of the mishap is attributable to the pilot, as with ordinary caution no danger need be incurred in entering the harbour ox Kandavu by day. When the lights now being placed there are in position, it wiH be equally safe at night.

The Tartar brings 13L7 mats sugar, 144 kegs salmon, and 300 packages of salmon for Auckland, and a large cargo for Sydney. Passengers for Auckland : Mr and Mrs Pearson, Messrs Eoach, J. Barnington, Cf. Lynch, A H. Smith, J. C. Elley, VT. Lindsay, J. B. Lindfoot, E, C. Lindfoot, j. D. Hoskins, Sam. W. Whick, J. VV. Carter, Eobsrt Gammie, William Cully, P. Grain bonnie, J. B. Auttemau, and K. Davie. For Dunedin :Mr G. Duncan, six saloon and fourteen steerage passen gers. For Sydney : Mr and Mrs Hall, Hon. Saul Samuel, and 110 for Auckland ports. The Tartar has Australian mails on board, and proceeds to Sydney this evening. j lief erring to the new Australian line steamers, the Alta California says : — "The pioneer vessel of the new hue of steamers has arrived. Mr H. H. Hall has arrived overland from the East, and expresses the utmost confidence in the success oi the enterprise. The resources of the Company are ample, and he declares that if the public are not satisfied and the line should not succeed, the fault must be his. He has been busy while here in the interest of the Company, and is confident that his negotiations with the Railway Company will lead to a fast train being put on from San Francisco bo New York, carrying tho Australian passengers and mails.' He has succeeded in getting specie over this line, and hopes to be able to add a good deal of fast freight when the negotiation is coiupleted.

Mr Hall says the first new Clyde-built iron screw steamships for this line will be launched in August, and will arrive here about January, 1575. He is already negotiating for a fortnigtly service to be conducted by four American and four English ships. The Company is twothirds American, that proportion of stock bping owned by American capitalists. The ahips will be 3020 tons each, and built very nmch. on the plan of the slaps of the "White Star Line. The machinery is of the latest and most improved pattern. They a.c supplitd with three compound engines each — two of low and one of high class, with separate condensers, so that in case of accident to one, two remain in working order. The ships are guaranteed for fourteen knots an hour, sea speed, loaded, while the contract calls only for twelve knots. The Macgregor was fitted up and repaired while hero at a cost cf 7000 dollars. A complimentary dinner was given at Delmouico's, New York, by Mr K. W. Cameron, the eminent Australian shipper, to the Hon. Saul Samuel and Mr H. H. Hall. The Chairman remarked that Mr Samuel av^s the only representative who had ever visited New York in a public capacity. He said the Webb line failed singly from want of support from the American Government. He complimented the Governments of New Zealand and New South Wales on their liberality, and predicted the happiest results. The Chairman regretted that the United States had not taken the initiative in the matter, but the service would now receive every encouragement from that country. The healths of Mr Samuel and Mr Hall were drunk. Mr Parker Goodwin, in replying to the " Press," spoke very favourably of the Press of New Zealand. In New York, 10,000 dollars were paid for holding a pout mortem examination on the Siamese Twins. The death of Dr Livingstone is doubted.

LATEST.

Auckland, March sth, 12.15 a.m. The Tartar sailed for Sydney at 4 p.m. The Lady Bird has arrived, and leaves tomorrow night with the mails for the South. A deputation waited on Mr Hall at Kandavau, urging tho desirability of constituting Levnka a port of call for the new service. They offered to guarantee Mr Hall a trade of £20,000 a year.

(VKOM OUlt OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

There are no American papers by the mail, owing to a confusion in transhipping them from the Macgregor. Tho following unpublished is reliable :—: — There was great excitement at San Francisco the day the steamer left. The evening newspapers are in demand at one dollar and upwards, owing to a personal difficulty between two editors and their friends. It ended in a general shooting match all round. The Macgregor is jammed into a coral reef, and it is vary doubtful if she can be got off, after the failure of the powerful attempts made. Theio was great excitement in Honolulu, ending in an attack of the natives on the Legislative Chamber, smashing overy thing, ovon cutting and destroying the reccrds. Many members were wounded, several supposed mortally, and the remainder obliged to tako refuge abovo the ceiling till finally relieved by the marines and sailors from one of the British and two American men-of-war in harbour. The relief came justj ust in time to save the building from being fired and members being burned with it. The scene is described as Btvvage and wild in .

! the extreme. Crowds of mad aativeß drugging out members and others who had supported the election of a King; beating and trampling on them in the streets, 8 mashing carriages, and everything near. The cause of the excitement is the opposition to the election of a King, the natives wanting Queen Emma instead. The riot began at tot *'o o'clock and lasted till six o'clock, when the Macgregor leffc. There are no published accounts, but the intelligence is perfectly re* liable.

The English news has been anticipated by the Suez mail. In America the panic has quite subsided, and the effect passed over. ENGLISH NEWS. The following are extracts from the Euro* pean mail : — The directors of the Union .Bank of Aua« traiia have declared a dividend of £1 15s pcl 1 share, being 7 per cent, for the half-year. Subscriptions are invited by the agents of the New Zealand Loan for £500,000 4£ per cent, debentures, having not less than five, nor more than 30 years to run. The price of issue is fixed at 8 per cent., interest remaining as from February Ist. Mr J. L. Wright, of Birmitighaai, has rei ccived a letter from thu Minister of Immii gratioD, New Zealand, offering to grant pasi sages to a selected number of agricultural laboureis, and inviting Mr Arch to visit New Zealand. His Majesty the Emperor of Austria haa conferred on Dr Featherston the Commander's Cross of the Imperial Order of Francia Joseph. During January, ten ships left with immi* grants for New Zealand, and eleven others were to follow in February. About 2500 souls are to be despatched per month. The Kent Agricultural Labourers' Union sent 200 adults, per William Davie, for Otago ; and 75 in the Wemington, for Wellington. Previous to their departure a grand entertainment was given, at which 1600 persona were present.

SHIPPING.

Sailed. — January 17th : Dorette, for Auckland ; 280 immigrants. December 14th : Jubilee, for Canterbury ; Auriga, Portlaud, Eakaia, and City of Glasgow (from Glasgow), for Nelson ; John Bull, for Otago ; William Davie, Atrato, and City of Dunedin, for Wellington ; Schulhallion, flndine, and Mallard, for Canterbury. Off Plymouth, December 29th : Portland and Eakaia. Passed Dovei", January 11th : Scimitar, for Otago. Passed Plymouth, December 24th : Woodlark. The ship Splendid, from New Yoik, for Dunedin, sprung a leak, and returned to port.