TELEGRAMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 564, 11 March 1870, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

Westport.— March 11, 2 a.m., Kennedy from Nelson ; 2 a m., Waipara for South ; Murray for South.

Wellington.— March 11, 10.30 a.m., Rangitoto from Lyttelton. Nelson.— March 11, noon, Ahuriri for Wanganui.

Port Chalmers.— March 11, 9.40 a.m., Jessie Readraan (ship) from Glasgow ; 9.30 a.m., Nightingale (barque) from Western Australia ; early, Tairoa for Molyneux ; 1.30 p.m., Wellington for Lyttelton.

Tbo schooner Jennie Duncan, Captain Nichol, arrived in harbour yesterday morning from Fiji, bringing a car^o of produce and several passengers. Capt Nichol reports baring left Fiji on Feb. 17, and had light northerly winds till the 23rd, then fresh easterly breezes with heavy rain and thunder storms till making Cavalier Island, on the 26th ; thence northerly winds and fine weather. While the schooner Jennie Duncan was lying at Levuka, on Feb. 14, a very heavy gale was experienced from the S.S.E., veering round to the north, and which con r tinued also with great strength for twelve hours, during which the schooner Crest of the Wave dragged both her anchors, and was driven ashore. On the 16th she managed to discharge her cargo, and was hove off by running out anchors. The only damage done was ascertained to be some of the copper torn off. Several small vessels also went ashore during the height of the gale. The e.s. Eagle, lately arrived from Sydney, had to keen, with engines going full steam, head to wind, to keep her from going ashore. When the Jennie Duncan left it was ascertained that the damage done was very small, considering the farce of the gale.— Southern Cross, Feb. 28.

From information received from Commander G. S. Nares, of H.M. Surveyiug Vessel Newport, which passed through the Suez Canal, at the opening, November 18H9, the Hydrographer of the Admiralty, has just reported aa follows : — " With a full moon a handy ship, by entering the canal in the evening, and entering and arriving at Is mail a in the morning early enough to join the train of vessels, might peform the voyage in frono 16 to _ 0 hours. With a train of only two or three ships, and no delay at nights the transit would occupy about eighteen hours. There is no doubt that every vessel will cause more or less damage to the banks on passing, but screw ships only going five or six knots will hurt the canal very slightly, except in the lagoons, were the banks are formed of very fine sand. Except for about ten miles, there are 24 feet of water throughout the canal. Vessels drawing 17 feet can pass through with ease. When the barrier at Serapeum is removed, the canal will be open to ships drawing 2)fe.t. The largest ship that passed through the canal at the opening was the Peluse, Egyptian yacht, drawing 16 feet, about 250 feet long. Several ships grounded on the passage, but all got off again with a little delay. The grounding was caused more by the desire of the forty or fifty ships to get quickly through than through any fault in the canal. In the total 86£ miles, 65 may be considered as quite complete. Throughout the remaining 21 J there is either dredging or embanking work still going on. For five miles in the worst parts of Lake Ballah and the lagoons south of Lake Timsah, constant dredging will be required, until means are found to keep the banks solid enough to prevent the waters CDmmunicating. In the Serapeum cutting there is a rocky ridge of a few yards with only 18 feet water upon it, which will soon be removed."