SHIPPING NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2197, 9 April 1896, Page 36

SHIPPING NEWS.

COLONIAL AND FOREIGN. - ARRIVALS. ffiarh 31 — Herald, b.b., 356 tons, Jones, from the West Coart. April I.— lrivercargill, s.s., 136 tons, Sundatrom, fronr Lyttelton. Mora, 8.5., 838 tons, Bernoch, from Aucklaiid, via the East Ooaßt. Opawa, barque, 1075 tons, Martin, from London (December 20). Omapere, b.s., 352 tons, Fleming, from Westport via Oaroaru. April S. — Hauroto, s.s., 1276 tons, Anderson, from Melbourne, via Hobart and the Bluff. April 4. — M. A. Doran, brigantine, 317 tons, [Lloyd, from Clarence river, -i — Corinna, 8.8., 820 tons, Macbeth, from Wellington, via Ly ttelton. April s.— WakatipUf b.s., 1158 tons, Spinka, from Sydney, via Wellington and Lyttelton — Znvercaigill, s.s., Sundstrom, from tbe routh. April 6.— Waihora, 5.«., 1269 tons, Neville, from Sydney, via the East Ooait. Depab.tub.es. . 1 March Sl.— Tasmania, s.s., 1265 tons, M'Gee, for Sydney, via the East Coast ports. Marmion, schooner, 92 tons. Wood, for Wellington. Enterprise, brigantine, 84 tone, Connor, for Wanganui, via Timaru. April 1. — Flora, s »., 838 tons, Bernech, for Auckland, via the EaßtCoaßt. Invercargill, 8.8., 136 tons Suno'strom, for the Bluff and Invercargilh— — Herald, ».s., 356 tons, Jones, for the West Coast, Via Oamaru. * ' April 2.— Tarawera, 8.5., 1276 tons, Sinclair, lor Melbourne, via tbe Blnff and Hobart. April 3.— Omapere. ».s. 368 tons, Fleming, for Jhe West Coast, via Timaru. , April 4. — Napier, b.s , 48 tons, Matheson, for Fortrose and Waikawa.— — Hanrtto, s.b., 1276 tons, Anderson, for Sydney, via Cook Strait. ■> '"Aprii 6.— Corraca, s s., 820 tone, Macbeth, for ■Lyttelton and'Welliogton. < • , THE DIRECT STEAMERS. The Tainui left Plymouth on the 21st ulfc. for • "Wellington, via <?»pet'own and Hobart. Her" »argo consists of 2600 tons. \ Hobart, March 3l .—Arrived: lonic. She sails For New Zealand at 9 a.m. ou Thursday. She Jbrin «" 26 passengers for New Zealand and 28 for Australia. Adelaide, April 4.— Arrived^-Mofayehire, from liOndon. London, April 3.— The Tekoa arrived from New Zealand on Wednesday. Tbe Waikato has sailed for Auckland and Wellington, 1 THE FLYING SQUADRON. .The flagship of the special firing squadron is "H.M.S. Revenge.' She is a steel-armoured battle Bhip of the Naval Defence Act programme, and was completed for eea in 1894. Her displacement Is 14,150 tons, and indicated horse-power 13,600. Her length is 380 ft;, and breadth of beam 75ft ; maximum draught, 27ft sin She carries^ as her principal armament four 67-ton guns in two armoured barbettes, and has a partial belt of armour of 18in maximum thickness. Her speed is 17 5 knots, 'ihe Revenge was commissioned at Portsmouth in' January 1596, and carries the flag pf Rear-admiral A. T. Dale, commanding the ipecial flying squadron. • . . The Royal Oak is a steel-arnoured battle ship rf the Naval Defence A<*t programme, and was completed for sea in 1894. Her displacement is 14,150 tons, and indicated horse-power 13,000. Her length is 380 ft, and beam 7lft, and she Carries as her principal armament four 67-ton guns in two armoured barbettes, and has a partial belt of armour of 18in maximum thickness. Her speed is 18 "2 knots, and she was commissioned |jb January 1896 by Captain Burgess Watson. H.M.S. Gibraltar is a steel copper ' sheathed first-class cruiser o,f the Naval Defence Act class, and was launched from the yards of Messrs Napier, at Glatgow.in 1892, and engined by the Same firm. Her displacement i8'7700 tons, and indicated Horse power 12,000, her length is 350 ft, and breadth of beam 60ft. She carries aB her jptincipal- wnament two 22-ton guns protected by Steel shields. Her epeed is 197 knots. She is commanded by Captain Harry F. Hughes Hallett, and hoisted her pennant aa one of the t special flying squadron in January 1896. H.M.S. Theseus was built at Blackball, on the River Thames, by Messrs Mauditley and Co. in 3892. Her displacement is 7350 tons, and indicated horse power 12,000. Her length is 360 ft, and beam COft, with a maximum draught of 23ft 6in. Her principal armament consi ts of two 22-ton guns ' protected by steel shields. She is commanded by Captain Charles Campbell, and was commissioned at < hatham in January 1896. H.'M'.S.'Ch'arybdis was commisnioned in "January 1896 by -Captain John M. M/Qubae. She was , built at the Royal Dockyard at Sheerness in 1893, And engined by Messrs Earle. Her displacement is 4360 tons and indicated horse power 9000. Her length is 300 ft, and breadth of beam 49ft 6in. 'She carries as her principal armament twe 6in quick-firing guns protected by steel shields. Her Speed is 19 5 knots.

During the week ending April 5 eight vessels, With a total of 5155 tens, arrived at the Dunedin ' trharves, and 11 vessels, with a total of 6512 tons, left them. -The many friends of Captain J. M. Baxter, formerly master of the New Zealand Shipping Company's ship Waipa, will be glad to hear that he has become principal of a nautical Bchool in London, a position for which he is peculiarly fitted. The New Zealand Shipping Company's barque Opawa,- from London, arrived on the lst inst. Her cargo consists of some 1200 " tons, 700 tons of which is for Dunedin, and ..the balance for other ports. Her passage has been rather a long one for so fine a vessel, having Decupled 102 days from port to port, which ia Accounted for by her meeting with unsteady winds part of her passage, and having easterly tvinds for 10 days off the Cape of Good Hope. Grave fears are entertained for the safety of the British steamer Oceanic, bound, from Sunderland to Baltimore to load grain. It is thought Bhe has found eied with all hands. A new steamship, the Mataura, was launched by Messrs Barclay, Curie, and Co at Whitejncb on February 15 for the New Zealand Snipping Company, and is intended for the frozen mrat trade between New Zealand and London. The vessel is schooner-rigged, and constructed on Lloyd's three-deck rule to the highest riass in their register. The refrigerating machinery has been supplied by the Linde Refrigerating Company (Limited), of London, and is on their ammonia system. Her dimensions are : Length, 431 f t; breadth, of beam, 51ft 6in ; depth of hold. 32ft. She is engined on the triple expansion principle with Howden's forced draught. She will carry about 8400 tons of cargo. The question of the employment of foreign Eeamen on board British vessels is exciting much attention at Home, and is regarded with great ' dissatisfaction, wbile a recent discussion at the Royal United Service. lnstitution as to the ability of tha merchant service to furnish reserves -for the Royal Navy, in time of need, has received much, attention. Commander Caborne, 8.N., . states that after -the reserves have been called out, the navy cannot rely upon more than another 10,000 seamen from the merchant service, and great discussion took place as who was responsible for this condition of things, presuming that it 'exists. The disposition was largely to lay the blame upon shipowners and - shipmasters, the latter more especially. Another Important factor is the want of facilities of trainIng boys for the sea, which affords an opportunity for the employment of foreigners, though it is frequently overlooked. A great many persons are in favour of a total exclusion of aliens from the mercantile marine, on the ground that the>r presence in the vessels on which England is depen- ' Bent for her food supply is contrary to the public Interest. It is evident that this state of affairs is very unsatisfactory, and earnest measures will have to be taken to remedy it. The barque Frederick P. Litchfield arrived at Baltimore, "D.S A., on February 12 \mder the command of Captain F. W. Peterson, her lat« chief officer, with a cargo of matting and Chinese products from Hongkong. Tlie following statement made by Mr Frank H. Ainsworth, whe was second officer of the F, P. Litchfield on her arrival at Otago with the late < aptain Benjamin W. Ohadbourue, will be interesting to his many Wends in this port .•— " Upon our arrival At Hong-

bong/* Bald Mr Ainuworth (now chief officer), "we loaded our cargo, and sailed from Hongkong on October 3. The matting and its casing of rough matting was, of course, composed of green straw and reeds, from which it is supposed noxious vapoura arose. At any rate, Captain Chadbcmrna became ill on New Year's Day, and gradually sank until January 13, on which day he died. He had beriberi, an Asiatic disease, which haß the effect of paralysing the body. He lingered for days in a state of unconsciousness. During his illness his faithful wife nursed him night and day, and so neglected hor own physical needs that when he breathed hia last she too was ill. The burial of the captain took place the day after his death." Owing to pro3tiation Mru Chadbourne was unable to attend the burial services ; and, by consent of the crew, Mr William W, Peterson vraa placed in charge of the ship, and Mr Ainsworth succeeded him as chief officer. Both gentlemen were devoted to the duties of their new positions," but found time to attend to Mrs Chadbourne, who from the long nursing of her husband and grief at his death was fait failing, 'hey both observed this, and determined to save her life if possible. On January 17 she became delirious, and sTcourae was shaped for Barbadoes, the nearest land, distant 450 miles. After a slow passage they arrived, and Mrs Chadbourne was taken to Dr Archer's private hospital, but, despite all that could be don*, she died, soon afterwards, and the entire crew attended her funeral in the BDglish cemetery. AH the captains of the English" and American vessels in the port attended the funeral, and out of their scanty earnings the crew of the Litchfield bought a moat beautiful floral wreath and placed it on her grave. Mrs Chadbourne had been, ell over the world with her husband, and was -twice with him in Dunedin. One voyage, in a ship called the Oasis, which was wrecked, she and the captain were lashed, to the mast, and remained there eight days until rescued.