NAUTICAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1989, 7 April 1892, Page 20

NAUTICAL ITEMS.

The fastest run from Queenstown to New York was that made in August last by the s.s. Teutonic in 5d 16hr 31min, during which she travelled 2778 miles at an average speed of 20*35 knots, or 23*43 statute miles per hour. Next to her comes her sister, the Majestic, which a fortnight before crossed in sd'lßhr Bmin, travelling 2777 miles at 20*10 knots an hour. Third on the list is. the City of Paris, which in August 1889 crossed in 5d 19hr 18min, running 2788 miles at 20*10 knots an hour. Fourth comes the Etruria, which in June 1888 crossed in 6d lhr 47min, running 2854 miles at 19*58 knots an hour ; and fifth comes the City of New York, which in March 1891 crossed in 6d 2hr lOmin, travelling 2886 miles at an average of 19*74 knots an hour.

The record from New York to Queenstown,— the uphill road, as it is called— is also held by the Teutonic, which in September last crossed in 5d 21hr 25min, travelling 2791 miles at 1974 knots an hour. Next to her comes the City of New York, which, during the same month, crossed in 5d 22hr 50min, travelling 2777 miles at 19*44 knots an hour. Third comes the City of Paris, with 6d 29min, accomplished in May 1889, in a voyage of 2894 miles at an average of 2003 knots an hour. Fourth is the Majestic, with the 6d 2hr, when she crossed in July, 1891, doing 2882 miles at an average of 19*74 knots an hour. And fifth the Etruria, with 6d shr 19min, done as long ago as February, 1887, when she ran 2911 miles at 1949 knots an hour.

The barque Kingdom of Saxony, which was driven on shore and sunk at Albany on the Ist inst., was an iron vessel of 558 tons, built at Hartlepool in 1864 by Messrs Denton, Gray, and Co., and owned by Messrs Trinder, Anderson, and Co., of London ; her class at Lloyd's was *Aal.

A STRANGE STORY OF THE SEA.

Particulars have been received, says the Liverpool Mercury, of the White Star steamer Runic (Captain Thomson), which arrived at New York on February 3 from Liverpool, having fallen in with a large derelict ship named the Florida, of Porsgrund, laden with timber, on January 28 at 7 p.m., in lat 44.50 N., long. 42.46 W., bound from Havana to Norway. She is 1254 tons register and had a crew of 25 men, whose fate is enshrpuded in mystery. She had all her sails set, and the Norwegian fl«vg flying at the fore. Captain Thomson, of the Runic said : " Early in the day on which we sighted the Florida, about 7 o'clock the mate reported from the bridge that a big ship was lying dead ahead, and appeared to be in trouble ; I went out on the bridge, and about two miles away on the port bow I saw a fullrigged ship, with the ensign at half-mast. She looked weatherly enough, and I did not imagine she was deserted. We veered up a point or two for closer inspection, and passed her about 20yds off, I coulep see right down the whole length of tho deck, there was not a soul to be seen. The ship was clearly deserted ; there was not the sign of a light, The wheel was lashed, and the ship 'was broadside on to the sea." "Why did you not {stop and investigate?" was asked " Simply because time is the first consideration with a White Star ship. If there had been a soul on board I would have stopped. I hailed repeatedly, but there was no answer. There wns a great head sea running, and to have stopped the Runic, turned, steamed back, launched boats, and boarded the Florida without assistance would have been a matter of three hours or more. It was not to be thought of. I am confident the Florida could not have been abandoned more than 12 hours. The heavy gale of the day previous would have torn the ensign to rags. The topgallant sails were set a-back, and the others stowed down as neat as a new pin.'" " Were all the boats there ?"— "There were a couple of boats aft on the skids, but two tackles were up and hanging at the weather starboard clews as if the longboat had been put out. Of course this is a conjecture, as I do not even know whether she had a longboat or not. The whole thing looked queer to me. If the crew had been long away the two tackles would have been "unrove" by the wind ; as it was, they were all as taught as wax. The ship appeared in good condition. I do not think the crew abandoned her except for another vessel."

Mr Alexander Purdie, M.A., of the Otago University, at present assistant at the Thames School of Mines, has been offered the post of director of the Kyneton School of Mines in Victoria at a salary of L3OO a year. Mr Purdie has to reply at once, but wishes first to ascertain what inducement the ijesy Zealand Government may offer him to remain, tie is greatly esteemed by the students of the Thames' School of Mines, and it is hoped that Government may appoint him permanently to the Staff.