BLUFF HARBOUR.

Southland Times, Issue 10056, 5 January 1889, Page 2

BLUFF HARBOUR.

ABRIVBD. Jan. 4— Asterion, barque, 509 tons, Colling.wood, from London, via Nelson, N.M. and ADo., | agents. "'.;; fXraOTeD ABBIVAI.6 ' rroin northern Ports -Rotomahana From Melbourne— Tarawera. . From London— Ganymede, barque. "';'. - VEBSKLB IN POET. ' Barques— 'Coromandel, Bel's, Asterion, ■, Barqueniine— Annie Bow. Brigahtine--Sarah and Mary. . '; Ship— Thor.

" ihe barque' Asterion, from London, via Nel■on, left.the latter port on 24th ult. Had adverse winds on the passage down, being thrice through the Straits and driven back each time. After, discharging cargo for this port she loads wool for London. The barque Coromandel is rapidly filling up with wool and should be ready for sea in a few days. The ship Thor will load timber for Port Pirie instead of wool for London as intended. A cablegram from Sydne ■' reports that the three-masted schooner Buster, which recently loaded timber at the Bluff for Melbourne, encountered a severe g le offG^bo Island and was dismasted. As the vessel ; was laden with dynamite aud the stump cf a. mast was grinding amongst the detonatorty the crew took to the boats a d abandoned her, fearing tbat an explosion would occur. The Bascer was insured in the South British office, and a vessel has been lent to search for her. It will be remembered that 'a derelict vessel, floating bot'.om npwrds, drifted to the New South Wales coast, off Nwc stle, on the 14th of Jaue.laat, remaining afl ; >at for several week?, and causing the loss oi the s.s. Alhambra while attempting to remove her. The belief generally entertained was tDat she was the American ship John T- Berry, which was abandoned at sea five months previously, after taking fire. Captain Watts, master of the John T. Berry, however, -writes to the Australasian from Thomaston, U.S., stating that that vessel conld not bave been the derelict. The letter reads as follows : — " I see by a copy of your paper dated 14th Jnly, : an account of a derelict ship supposed to be the John T. Berry, wnich was abandoned 350 miles east <f Sydney iait January I wisa to mention twO;facts about tbe derelict that makes it impossible for it to have been the Berry. It appears that the hull of the derelict was painted green, while the Berry was painted black, and never had a bmshful of green paint on her. It also seems that the anchors of the derelict took the ground. I wish to state that the chain cables of the Bsrry : were unbent and stowed below, 80 as soon as tae top-gallant forecastle burned the anchors would go to the bottom at once' clear of everything."— The vessel, whatever.her name, waa laden with kerosene, and a ship loaded with tbat oil was reported as overdue at Japan.