PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

Southland Times, Volume 1, Issue 8, 5 December 1862, Page 2

PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

4th Decemeeb, 1862. Wind, at noon — Light breeze from W.S.W. Wtather showery. TIDES. High water nt Bluff Harbor at full and change, 1*40 ; rnnge four to eight feet. High water at New River Heads one hour sooner ; there is, however, very little difference between the time of high water at the head of tho Bluff and the jetty at Invercargill. JDAII/r TABLE.

INWARDS. December 2 and 4 — Nil. ISWABDS— COA3TWIS». December I—Titania,1 — Titania, s.s., 100 tons, Jarvey, from River ton. December I—Gannot,1 — Gannot, Paterson, from Waikivi, for Dunedin, windbound. December 3 — Aphraaia, p.8., 91 tons, Cheyno, from InvercargM. December 4— M.S.S. Prince Alfred, 100 tons, £. Whe.-ler, Esq., commander, from Dunedin. OUTWABD9. December 2— Nil. December 3— Eliza, 100 tons, M ( D»nald, for Melbourne. OtirWABDS — COASTW7BK. December I—Titania,1 — Titania, s.s., 100 tons, Jarvcy, for * Dunedin. December 4 — Gunncfc, Peterson, for Dunedin. December 4 — Apbrasia, p.s., 91 ton?, Chejne, for Invercargill. EXPECTED ABRITALB. M.S. Otneo, from Melbourne, this day ; Robert Passenger, from Melbourne, daily; Storm Cloud, fir its Glasgow, daily. PROJECTED DEPARTURES. M.S.S. Prince Alfred, for Duneain and Northtrn Ports, this day. Midas, for Melbourne, on or about Bth inst. VES9BIB IS POET. Midas, from Melbourne. M.S.S. Prince Alfred, from Dunedin. IMPOSTS. t Wct sl earner Titania, from Invercargill, via Eiverton: — 105 bundles sheep hurdles, 6 cases geneva, 10 bags line, 1 do oats, 1 keg butter, 1 cask sundries. BXPOSTS. Per steamer Apbrasia, for Invercargill: — 6 drays, 1 cask sundry bullock chains, 22 yokes, 19 bows, Captain Stevens ; 1 case, 1 cask, H ill. Ex Prince Alfre'' : 1 case, 1 parcel, Bank New Zealand ; 2 wheels, 1 axle, Boyer. PA9BENGEB LIST. Per steamer Prince Alfred, from Dunedin — Cntin .- Messrs George Dunlop, S. A. Wood, J. P. Taylor, S. Palmer, Bower, and Rattray ; fore cabin —Mr Mulligan, Mrs Masby and three children, Mrs Soper and infant, Mr A. M'Cullum, Mr and Mrs Boyer. The Intercolonial Royal Mail Company's screw •team-ship Prime Alfred, E. 'Wheeler, arrived at the Bluff at half -past 8 yesterday morning, making the passage from Port Chalmers in fourteen bours. Her dnfes are as follows: — Sydney 15th, Nelson 25th. Pieton 27th. and Wellington "29th Novmber; Lyttelton Ist, and Ofngo 3rd December. The run from Sydney to Nelson occupied five and a-half days; that from Wellington to Lyttelton, 17 hours; from Lyttelton to Otago, 20 hours. An average speed of 10 knots has been maintained throughout the voyage, though the wind has bren for the most part unfavorable. In speaking of the extensive repairs and alterations undergone by this vessel, in Sydney, the Nelson Colonist says: — "Vast improvement? Lave been made in her since her last visit to this port. While in Sidney she was stripped to her hull; her engines pulled to peices and refitted; new and larger boilers put into her : new propeller fitted ; new decks laid down; saloon rebuilt; and sundry other minor alterations and improvements made in her. The results is that 6b e is novr one of the finest steamers in the New Zealand trade. On her trial trip she ran at tho rate of 11£ knofs per bour ; and her making tne passage from Sydney to this port, under adverse circumstances, in fire and a half days shows tbat sbe is "apable of maintaining a high rate of speed. An impresion sei-m* to begenerallv prevalent that this steamer is more addicted to rolling at sea than steamers usually ara. Whatever may have been the case previous to her refit — we might almost say her rebuilding — we hear on all hands from those wbo came dow from Sydney in her, that a more easy or comfortable boat could not be desired. Indeed there is further proof of this in the fact that of the thirty horses •hipped by Mr Potter all in an emaciated condihon, through the present drought i n Australia; not one died on the passage. The saloon of this eplendid vessel is large and tastefully decorated. Her state rooms are capacious and fitted with every accessary. Her first-class accommodatian for forty saloon passengera, and sofa berths for fen more. Marble wash stands are plnccd between the staterooms, so that those gentlemen who, when the ship is full, are compelled to take the sofa berths can perform their ablutions without feeling they are trespassers in another's cabin. The ladies' cabin is usually large, and its fittings are in keeping with the dining saloon. In the second cabin there are thirty fixed berths ; but should three or four hundred offer, as many bertha may at once be erected in her spacious 'tween decks — the fittings and appliarnes all being there in readiness. The Prince Alfred is a large steamer of 1000 tons, and is commnnded by Captain Wheeler, late of the Lord Ashley — a gentleman who has gained golden opinions in the North, and who is well known and much respected in this province." Of her trial trip the Sydney Merald Bays : — " On testing her speed, it was found that under easy steam she averaged ten, and with moderate pressure, upwards of eleven knots an hour. Her machinery worked smoothly, and the vibration so much complained of by paseengere in 6crew steamers scarcely perceptible. On her previous trip, on the 3rd instant, her compasses were adjusted. Yesterday, the results of the observations taken on that occasion were verified. So thorough has been the overhaul undergone by the Prince Alfred — new boilers, newdecks, new masts, &c. — tbat she may be considered as equal to a new ship. When under the disadvantage Of having boilers all but worzt oat, she made generally very good passages, in her present Btate of complete efficiency it may reasonably be expected that her performances for some time to conic will equal, if not surpass those of any steamer in the New Zealand trade. Leaving the Gratton wharf at 6 o'clock in the morning, it is not surprising that but few visitors were on board."

ft.m. p.m. December s— High water 12 30 ... 12 52 December 6— do 1 15 ... 1 37 December 7— do 2 0 ... 222 December 8— do S 45 ... 3 7