MOVEMENTS OF DIRECT STEAMERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2319, 11 August 1898, Page 46

MOVEMENTS OF DIRECT STEAMERS

ao arrive,

At Wellington.— Rakaia (N.Z.S. Co.), due August 33. Hawke's Bay (Tyser), sailed June £7. Maori (S.S. and A. Co.), sailed July 9. link's of Devonshire (N.Z.S. Co.), sailed July 23, due September 11.

At Port Chalmers. — Rangatira (S.S. and A., Co.), sailed July 12; due September 6. Banff shire (Shire), from London; put into Keppel Bay for repairs. Al Auckland.— Rimutaka (N.Z.S. Co.), due August 12. At Lyttelton.— Maori (S.S. and A. Co.), sailed fro in London June 9.

TO DEPABT.

From Port Chabners.— Banft'shire (Slikc), about August 16.

nOMEWARD BOUND.

Delphic (S.S. and A. Co.), Lyttelton, June 25: duo London August 12. Waikato (N.Z.S. Co.), Port Chalmers, June 26; due Loidon, August 15. Star of New Zealand, Bluff, ffuly 3. Duke of Portland (N.Z.S. Co.), July 19. Aotea (S.S. and A. Co.), Lyttelton, July 20 ; Star of Victoria, Wellington, July 30. Rua.hrne (N.Z.S. Co.), Wellington, August 4.

THE DIRECT STEAMERS. LONDON, August 2.— Sailed: Waitangi, for Dunedin; Oaniaru, for Wellington. The Matatua (S.S. and A. Co.), from Lyttelton, June 14, arrived at London on Tuesday, 2nd inst, , v.-ilh her meat in good condition.

BLUFF, August o.— Arrived: 7 a.m., Talune, from Melbourne.

lncludpd in the transformation the Kawatiri is now undergoing to fit her for the Tesmanian trade will be the installation throughout the ship of the clectiic light, which seems nowadays to bo Pssential in any steamer that presumes to cany passengers. The now patent steam-steer-ing gear is also to be fitted. A new deckhouse WjII also bo fitted to her.

The new steam service, the 'inauguration of which is 1o give regular communication between Ifuvelock, tlie Sounds, and Wellington, lias been definitely arranged, and a company lms bern floated by Mr Resfcall, manager of the United Farmers' Co-operative Association, for the purpose of purchasing a suitable steamer and maintaining the same. It is confidently expected that they will receive the mail contrfcet.

Tim enormous cargoes carried in one bottom not only decrease the demand for masters and oflkers, but also tend to drive the sailing ships from the face of the waters. ,The steamer Algo<t recently arrived at Marseilles from California with 10,500 tons of wheat. Not less than £20,400 was the duty on this record cargo lor tho French port. About the same time the ■Westmcath left Philadelphia with 9450 tons of grain and general cargo ; and the August Korff, a tanker, with 1,691,640 gallons of petroleum. It would have required at least half a dozen of the frigate built ships of Green, Wigram, or Smith to carry home 10,500 tons of wheat — heiico the falling off in the demand for executive officers.

Captain Allardyce, a daring and successful Arctic whaler, who was harbourmaster at Greymouth for some time, has left the West Coast port, after a. ;33 years' residence, for Christchnrch.

Jt is the tramp steamer that will do the bulk of the ocoun-carrying trade of the work] from now on, «ays the American Shipbuilder, Jviilltr, Bull, and Knowlton, of New York, appreciating thia fact, will have launched m July, at Uath, in the Stutc of Maine, the Winifred, the first American tramp steamer ever built; and .this vessel wil) be the forerunner of a vast fleet of well-built and economical freight steamers ,-which will divide honours with their British cousins.

Mesora Swan and Himter, of Wallscnti, huvo received orders from the Shaw, Savill, and 'Albion Company for the con&truction of a steamer 425 ft in length, and with a carrying

capacity of 9000 tons. She is to be specially fitted up for the frozen meat trade. Dawso'n Island, a lone spot in the Pacific Ocean, which was purchasod for >he .'ate It. L. Stevenson, is for sale. It 13 some miles in extent, and contains rums of an extinct people of great archeologieal interest. The price of the island with its natives and turtles is said to bo £2500.

The Takasago, a Japanese ciuiser built at Elswick, has left England on her journey, and it may be frankly ssvid of her that she is a splendid fighting ship. Her powor of fire ahead and astern is something terrific, as she can {jet 263 rounds off in flvo minutes from her four axial guas. No ship of her size in thp Navy can do anything co good as t!. >' She has also better speed, greater coal-Ijm.-.-i capacity, and somewhat less displacement, with 2ft less draught than British vessels corresponding to her in character, such as tho Fox and Astraea type. The Government steamer Tutanekai, from Grcyniouth, via the Bluff, with a load of 4000 sleeper*, arrived at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Tho Union Company received csible advice on Saturday of tho successful launching of the Mukoia on the sth inst. The Mokoia is the company's new steamer which is being built for tbe intercolonial trade, and will surpass anything they now have running.

Captain Neville, of the Waihora, on her arrival at Auckland from Sydney, reported that on July 31, in lat. 31deg 18min south, long. 168deg 18min east, the vessel passed two or three planks, painted white and green, which had the appearance of being part of a deckhouse or bulwarks; also sunken masts, in the same vicinity.

The Waihora, from Sydney, arrived at 8 a.m. o i Sunday, and was berthed at the tongue wharf. She left Sydney on July 28, and reached Auckland on the 2nd inst.

During the week ending August 7 the following vessels have been at Dunedin wharves: — Arrivals • Napier, s a., 48 tons (twice) ; Janet Nicoll, s.s., 462 tons; Waihora, s.S.', 12G9 tons; Tutanekai. s.s., 412 tons ; total, 2239 tons. Departures: Wakatipu, s.s., 1258 tons; Tarawera, s s., "1269 tons : Napier, s.s., 48 tons (twice) ; Elingamite, 1675 tons; Invercargill, s.s., 123 tons; Janet Nicoll, s.s., 462 tons; total, 4883' tons.

According to the New York World of June 12. Lieutenant Hobson, who so pluckily sank the Merrimac in the harbour of Snntiapo dc Cuba, ia 3 descendant of Captain Hobson, R.N., who first planted the British flag in this colony.

On Sunday morning (August 31) the schooner Qreen, lying at Coromandel wharf, was struck by lightning. Tbe truck of the mainmast was the object of attraction, and was felled to the deck. Tho cabin was filled with smoke.

It is a noticeable fact that in the forecastle of almost every sailing vessel which visits Fremantle (sgys a Perth exchange), a largo percentage of her hands consist of foreigners. This, however, is not siirprising, when it is considered that some little time ago a Britishowned ship, flying the Union Jack, was lying in Ne>v York harbour with a notice-board exhibited alongside tbe gangway, which read, "12 A.B.'b wanted; no Britishers need apply." This ship subsequently left New York for Fromantle, and" when she arrived in Cage Boads she had only one Englishman among her crew oi 12 A.B.'s.