PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

Southland Times, Issue 1239, 19 April 1870, Page 2

PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

ARRIVED. April 15— Claud Hamilton, s.s., 530 tons, Underwood, from Melbourne. H. J. Gibbß & Co., agents. , saukd. April 15— Claud Hamilton, s.s. r 530 tons, Underwood, for Dunedin and Northern Ports. H. J. Gibbe and Co;, agents. ' nm>BTB. Per Gland Hamilton— l pkg, Lewis ; 104 do, Cochran and Blackwopd ; 40 do, Matheson and Cameron; 45 do, Hare, Pratt and Co; 4 do, Podgers ; 42 do. Cowper and Wilson ; 59 do, JSTrensteen and Hall ; 10 do, Sloan and Sons ; 2 do. M'Donald ; 3 do, Yule and Co ; 6 do, Mair and Garven ; 35 do, H. T. Ross ; 28 do, Hay Bma; 88 do, 8.. Tapper; 40 do, Cowper and Wilson; 67 do, Hallenstem and Co; 2 do, Lewis; 1 do, Hatch j 40 do, Cleave j 12 do, Hannah. . ■ PASSENOEB MST. Per Claud Hamilton, from Melbourne — Messrs John and James Taylor. Per Clfmd Hamilton, for Dnnedin — Messrs Bird, Colyer, M'Wffliam, McLean, Blackadder, Levien, Capt. Green, and Miss Mayne. exports. ' Per Claud Hamilton — 60 sheep, New Zealand Company ; 4 pkgs, "Nichol and Tucker ; 287 bags, oats, 112 do malt, Whittingham Bros. The M.A. and N.Z. Company's steamer Claud, Hamilton arrived at the wharf at 10.15 a.m. on the 15 inst. She left Melbourne at 3 p.m. on the 9*n inst ; passed through Port Phillip Heads at 6 p.m., and Cape Pchanck at 8 p.m. same day, and Swan Island at 7 p.m. the following evening. Experienced fine weather during the run down ; sighted the S.W. Cape at 9 p*m. on the 14th, and arrived as above. She brought 51 tons of cargo for this port, which she discharged during the day, and sailed for Dunedin and Northern Ports at 5 p.m. • Intelligence - was received by telegram from j Adelaide yesterday of the total wreck on Mon- | •day of the schooner Flying Cloud, near Cape Northumberland, only two miles from where the ! Bteamer Admella was wrecked in 1859. The Flying Cloud was from Mauritius, via Adelaide, ] and had on board a cargo of 5,000 bags sugar, insured in the National and Adelaide Insurance Company's offices. There was no loss of life, all succeeding in getting to shore. — Melbourne Telegraph, April 6th. The Claud Hamilton arrived at Queen's Wharf <m Saturday afternoon from her usual trip round the New Zealand ports. • She brings a number of ■dhtef and fore cabin passengers, upwards of 15",000oz. of gold,- and 683 bags of wheat and oats, together with a quantity of wool and flax. With regard to the wool and flax portions of the cargo, an episode of a grave and not very pleasing character occurred on the passage of the steamer ■up the Bay. These commodities -were stowed *way in the tbrehold, and about noon, when the Claud was within half an hour's steaming of Gellinrand'B Point, a Btrong smell of fire was perceived about the fore hatchway. This led to the discovery that the cargo in the forehold had ignited, and instant measures were resorted to to ■quench the flames. The engine pumps were speedily at work, and so> prompt was the. action taken by Taptain Underwood and his officers, that within three-quarters of an hour tie fire was altogether subdued. The combustion was supposed to have originated amongst the wool, aa the flax, when shipped, was said to be thoroughly dried. There was.no confusion or alarm . during the brief period the conflagration lasted. — Ibid, April 4th. j A rather singular accident happened in the harbor during Tuesday night. The N.Z.S.N. Co.'s hulk Rosebud," which has of late been lying almost empty, was on Tuesday taken alongside the barque Anne Melhuish to receive a portion of that vessel's cargo of coal. About ninety tons were transhipped by the time work ceased, but on the men returning to their work yesterday morning, they found to their surprise that the Bosebnd had sunk, .the top of her mast being just visible above the water. It is supposed that owing to her having been so long empty, some of the seams must have opened above the-water-line, and on the weight of the coal bringing these below the water, she rapidly filled. We notice that tenders are called for raising her. — Wellington Independent, April 7th. The following is the official decision given relative to the burning of the barque Hera: — " That from the evidence it appears that the fire broke out in a bale of flax on the starboard side, a little behind the after hatchway. That there is no evidence to show how, or by what means the fire originated. The suggestion of spontaneous combustion appears opposed to all principles of reason or experience. In spontaneous combustion, the focus of heat should be near the centre of the heap, and would radiate on all sides. From the evidence, it appears that no heat or close smell had been detected below as late as the day upon the sight of which the fire took place ; while in the provision-room, which- was separated from the flax by a thin bulkhead only, no heat was felt until some hours after the fire was discovered. After the fire became known, the captain and officers appeared to have exerted themselves to the utmost to subdue it, and when all hope of saving the vessel became lost, every exertion was made to save as much of the apparel and cargo of the Bhip as possible. And in my opinion no blame is attributable to the officers and crew of the ship."