LATE SHIPPING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 959, 8 March 1917, Page 11

LATE SHIPPING.

THE WESTRALIA TO RESUME. Ptum AuociolUm. DUXEDIN, March 7. The Westralia, after overhaul at Sydney, I will take the Wimmtra's place In the MeJ-bourne-Xew Zealand service. The Wimmera will be in future engaged in the Sydncy-Auckland-East Coast service. THE PANAMA CANAL SLIDES. In his annual report made public by the United States War Department Major-Gene-ral George W. Goethals, Governor of the Panama Canal Zone, replies to the published criticisms of the Panama Canal and the theories put forth regarding the canal slides, and says emphatically that so far as the Culebra Cut is concerned "the worst Is over, the intervals between movements are becoming greater, and the quantity of material less." General Goethals reviews the published statements of Professor Miller, of Lehigh University, and that of former Senator Kearues, of Utah, concerning the canal slides, and pronounces them as "erroneous, unwarranted, and unfair," and an injury' thereby done commercially to the waterway. The statement of General Goethals on the canal situation is certainly reassuring, says the New York Maritime Register, and is a sufficient answer to the captious criticisms of those who have no basis for the theories they advance for the prevention of the canal slides other than that gained from superficial examination of the slides at Culebra and who possess but little knowledge of the difficulties that have been met with in overcoming obstacles In order that the recurrence of slides may be lessened to a degree that the canal ninv be made free for traffic. The reply o« Genera] Goethals should serve to silence those who assume to know what should be done to put an end to the canal slides, and comes with authority of one who built the canal and has spent many years in studying the conditions and peculiarities of this great undertaking. It is not to be presumed that the able engineers who have completed this great undertaking are not fully acquainted with all the details of its construction and the possibilities of human effort to prepare the canal for the great increase of traffic that will use this commercial highway after the conclusion of the European war.

NOTES. Mr Rogers, assistant purser of the Moeraki, signed off at Lyttelton yesterday. The Himitangi sails to-day for Wellington, which port she leaves on Monday for Dunedin, sailing on Wednesday for the Campbell Islands. The Wootton arrived last nißht from French I'ass with sheep. She sails again to-day for the Sounds.

The Spanish Government adopted measures early in January, 1916, to prevent the depletion of the Spanish merchant marine through the sale of vessels to foreign countries. The tonnage of the Spanish merchant marine at the end of 1015 had been reduced through the side and loss of vessels to 799,215 gross tonnage, hut during the past six months vessels have been constructed in the national shipbuilding yards amounting to 22-110 tons, making a total of 821.G55 gross tonnage. However, the losses to the Spanish marine have amounted to 147,791 tons, 70,000 representing Ihe tonnage of vessels sold, 27,783 the tonnage of vessels sunk by submarines, 23,008 the tonnage of vessels sunk by mines, and 27.000 that were lost in other ways. These losses reduced the available tonnage of the Spanish merchant marine to 073,894, a decr-.-ase of almost 18 |>er cent. The vessels lost by submarines and mines were 14 in number and valued at about C1,428.2t>3. nine vessels with a tonnage of 15,097 lons are now in course of eonstruet'on in the shipbuilding yards of Spain, but even the utmost efforts cannot for some

time It place the losses sustained. It is reported that the Patea Harbour Board has purchaseil a grab dredge for use in the river in connection with the harbour improvement works. The dredge, which is practically new, is capable of steaming about six knots, and should be a valuable asset to the port.

The harbourmaster at Dunedin received a cable message on Saturday from Colombo sl.ithig that as from the previous day (March 21 certain specified lights about Colombo harlxiur were to be extinguished. It further warned shipping that alter March 14 all the lights on the coast of Oylon are liable to be extinguished without further notice. No explanation, of coursi, aceoniv panics the message. whi"h lcave« considerable room for speculation, especially as there is no word of similar action being taken with the lights on the Indian coast. Oiie of Wellington's best known hulks, the W'cslport Coal Company's Jubilee, is about to make her e\it, it having been decided to tow her to Auckland within u week or two (says the "Post.") The old hulk is exactly 60 years old this year, having been built at Cumberland in 1557. She is "well and truly built"' of the green heart of ripe oak, coppered to the In Horn, anil is despite her age still in very good condition. In her palmy days the Jubilee was a smart China clipper. After many experiences in the Cast, she came across from Australia under sail. Her period of usefulness as a freighter being at an end, she was acquired by the Gear Meat Company, and was used for carrying frozen meat from Petone to the cargo steamers at the wharves. I«iter the old vessel was purchased by the Westport Coal Company, and has continued in that service ever since. Mr R. Kathbone, late second ofTicer of th« Mararoa, has signed on the Kauri in a similar capacity. Mr I'. S. Anderson, late of the Maitai, has joined the Moeraki as chief engineer in place of Mr F. -Scott. Mr K. H. Inness. si-cond engineer of the Kail a. has come ore. Captain Muir. of the Ngakuta, having tome xsliore. Captain I*. .1. Ouwell has join-' ed the vessel in his place. Mr i'..i! .. late second o::icvr of the Calm, is at pre> :>t rhief n!lic r of the Hrccze, in place- of 'a; tan llraidwood, who has been :.;•.•:::<.I temporary master of the latter ,: i;v laving been appointed harbourmaster at I'lctoU.