NOTES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVI, Issue 14912, 3 December 1912, Page 6

NOTES.

The Maungauui, Maheno 3 "UlLniiroa, .Warrimoo, iiuiralura, fc'-ilverton, Torch,' Moana and Aorangi wore uvo to be -within call of Wellington yesterday. - . - The Ulimarca arrived at tho Bluff at 11.39 a.m. yesterday from Hobart with an. English mail. Owing to yesterday'a strike at the waterside, it is impossible to cojreetly guago the movements of tho various eteajtners. Nothing definite can bo obtained from tho agents of the various J vessels, although tho John js understood to bo loading here on "J l.mvsday fordterfcain for northern ports. Yesterday both tho Corin.ia ana Kitt.xva were ordered to 'Lyttolton. Tho i'.aiapoi is stated to be discharging tho whole of her coal cargo at Wellington, and the big collier Waito.nata duo to-irmrrnw from Newcastle direct, will probably bo sent on to Lyttolton. Other shipping companies could not give any deiLnito information when inquiries, were ■ made. Inst evening Mr, William H. Roberts, who recently passed his examination for a rate's certificate, has joined the John as mate in plncq of Mr Shaw. Ruliftg' rates of freight from Newcastle to New Zealand ports are as follows: —Auckland, 9s; Gisbomo, IGs (id; Napier j 10s Gd; Wellington, Hs 6d; Wanganui, 13s; Lyttelton, !0s; Timaru, lCb Gd: Dunedin, 10s (jd; and Bluff, 10s 6d. The question now being discussed in Belfast shipbuilding circles is the effect of the double skin of tho Britannic and the side bunkers of tho Olympic on the weight of the vessels, and the relation ibetvveen that increased weight ana tho "facilities for tho' ships gotting in and out of Belfast. At a modest t.'.-timate it is computed that tho Olympic, when ehe loaves Belfast after tho alterations are completed, will bo at least 2000 itohs heavier, and tha'b when tho Britannio js completed sho will l>e flout •52,000 instead of about 50,000 tons. Of demrse, it will bo a long time before the Britannic is finished, so that tho point of immediate importance is the weight of tho Olympic. During tho recent passage to the Channel from "Wallaroo, tho officers and crew of the ship T nveravon witnessed a terrible sight. Tho ship was eff Capo Horn, when a crowd of albatrosses ami other sea-birds were, observed fighting over a dark object that could easily be discerned in the water. When the vessel drew near it was seen that tho object Was the body of a man, a{rarently some sailor who had been washed overboard from another vessel and drowned, and tho flesh had ."jeen torn off the body in strips by the liuvgry sea-birds. Of course, nothing could ho done by those on the Inveravon, who were pleased when the vessel passed tho I gruesome scene.