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Star (Christchurch), Issue 108, 17 September 1868, Page 2

: The iron clipper brig Centaur, Captain T. liOckycr, urrived in the bay yesterday in tow o£i the steamer Sophia. Captain Lockyer Mports that the Centaur left Lyttelton on Fuday, the 7th ult., and passed through Cioli Straits on the 11th, with fresh breezes from the southward, which were carried : tfflabreast of Cape Howe which was sighted at noon on tie 19th. The wind vras then fromi fiU; S.W.. ami freshening, and at midnight it Mew » heavy gala, with a high cross sea, and bCsted for four days. Light winds from the eastward were then experienced. The Centeur. passed Wilson's Promontory at nine p.ui. on the 25th, the wina at the time hauliiJg to the northward with heavy lightning and a rapidly falling burometer. On the 26th the wind had increased to a strong gale ftotn the westward, accompanied with terrific sojialls of hail and a very high sea, which couUnued until the morning of the 30th. Light variable winds were afterwards experienced to the Hpp.ds. The Centaur brings a-fall cargo of barley, oats, &c., consigned to "W^-Ovrston and Co. — Argus, Sept. 4. The magnificent steamship Great Britain fias. again arrived in Hobson's Bay, after a rapid nan of fifty-six days from port to port. Thii is the second occasion on which, during n-long career of uninterruptedly successful vojmgea to this port, she has distinguished herself by performing the distance in such brief time, and her well-earned and steadilyacfluti'ed repute for rapid and successful passa»£3 has thus been still further established. Her.gallant commander, Captain Gray, on each successive trip is most fortunate in add-

ing to his own and the vessel's popularity, and the present voyage is no exception — all classes of hit passengers at its termination having given hearty and spontaneous vent to their approbation of his personal and professional worth and excellence. The passenger accommodation of the Great Britain was fully taken up, and in the list of those who arrived by her yesterday will be found the names of several well-known colonists. She was sighted off Cape Otway about half -past four o'clock on Thursday afternoon, and anchored inside the Heads at ten minutes before midnight. On her arrival in the bay yesterday forenoon, she was surrounded by quite a mosquito fleet of boats, the occupants of which had put off to receive their friends. Captain Gray has with lnm the same officers as on the last voyage. Mr Chapman is chief : and the physical wellbeing of the passengers is as zealously attended to as ever by Dr Alexander. The " stokehole " — or more politely the engineroom — still claims the skilful attention of Mr Maiden, the chief engineer ; and Mr Unsworth has possession of the purser's keys and cabin. After the vessel had been cleared by the senior immigration officer, the passengers, as they left her, gave loud and prolonged cheers for Captain Gray and the good ship he commands. The Great Britain left Liverpool at three p.m. on July 9, and crossed the equator on the 26th of the same month, in lon. 19dcg. 20min. W. The meridian of the Cape of Good Hope was passed on August 13, in lat. 38deg. 52min. S., and Cape Otway on the 3rd instant. The voyage was exceedingly pleasant, light winds and fine weather having been experienced all the way. The greatest distance accomplished on any one day was 332 knots, and the ehortest 156 knots. — Argus, Sept. 5.