TELEGRAMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 684, 2 August 1870, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

Bluff.— Aug. 2, 7.30 a.m., Gothenburg, from Melbourne. Wellington. — Aug. 2, 8.50 a.m., Wellington, from Lyttelton. The non-arrival of the iron clipper ship Harlech Castle, which sailed from this port for Newcastle, N.S.W., on the 26th ult., and of the barque Dunkcld, which left Newcastle, N.S.W., for Melbourne on the Gth ult, continues to be the subject of much anxious concern in both ports. The following particulars contain almost all which has been gleaned as yet relative to the missing vessels. The Harlech Castle, of Liverpool, an iron clipper, of 1112 tons, Captain Hugh Davies, left this port on the 26th ult., but has not since been heard of. Captain Chirk, however, of the schooner, Alcandre, which left here on the same date, states that on the evening of the 28th ult., he saw a large iron ship, which had kept company with him from Port Phillip Heads, lying to under, mizenstaysail and maintrysail, about 60 miles to the southward of Cape Howe, and she appeared to be lying very much on her broad- j side. The Harlech Castle is said to have left < here in light trim, and the weather on the! 26th and 29th ult. was unusually heavy,] strong westerly galea prevailing. K number of vessels employed in the Newcastle trade had their ballast shifted owing to the severity of the weather then, and one was driven some 70 or 80 milc3 to the eastward of the coast line, and was several days in working up to Newcastle. It may be mentioned that the iron clipper ship British Navy sailed on the same date as the Harlech Castle, but arrived in due course at Newcastle. The probability is that the ship seen by Captain Clark was the Harlech Castle, 'lhe Dunkeld, a staunch vessel of 390 tons, commanded by Captain C. Hook, an experienced master in the coasting trade, left Newcastle, N.S.W., on the 6th inst., coal-laden, and was supposed to have been last seen by Captain Bell, of the schooner Ceres, about forty miles to the eastward of Wilson's Promontory early on the afternoon of the 27th ult. Captain Bell states tbat he kept company with her until about midnight, when the wind hauled to the N.W. and blew a strong gale. The last he saw of the barque was that she was running back to the north-eastward, apparently with sails split or lost. This was about midnight, or early on the morning of the 28th ult., and he is almost sure that the vessel he saw was the Dunkeld, as she was painted a light colour. The Claud Hamilton steamer arrived here on the 3rd inst., and reported that whilst at anchor under Rabbit Island, on the 29th ult., a barque was seen dodging about under Wilson's Promontory, ; under very low canvas. It was also stated that this barque had lost her soils in some of the heavy squalls, and had run back to the north eastward. Captain Worledge, a passenger by the Claud Hamilton, says that he thinks it was the Dunkeld, from her shear, and from having a fore and main royal-yard across (few barques sailing out of this port for Newcastle having fore and main royal yards across. The second mate of the Claud Hamilton gave it as his opinion that it was the barque Catherine Jane. The Vbarque, however, made no signal for assistance. On the .2Bth and 29th ult. the barque Autipodes was dodging about Wilson's Promontory, and had fore and main topsails blown away, and saw a steamer at anchor under Rabbit Island. After loss of her sails the barque bore away for the Hummocks, where she remained at anchor for three days. The Antipodes has since arrived in Melbourne. There can be little doubt, therefore, that the barque seen by the Claud Hamilton was the Antipodes. It has been suggested, and a rumour is current to the effect, that the Dunkeld has been driven across, and is now under Stewart's Island, New Zealand, but the report h? _ not been traced to any authentic source. — Argus, July 21.