DEPARTURE OF THE E.M.S.S. RIMUTAKA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6315, 13 August 1888, Page 2

DEPARTURE OF THE E.M.S.S. RIMUTAKA.

The above royal mail steamer cast off from No. 4 Wharf about 6.30 a.m on Saturday, and proceeded down tne harbour to au anoborago, to avail her Customs clearance and to give her officers on hour or two to square up matters preparatory to-commencing the long voyage to Bio de Janeiro and IJondon. As the Kimataka was not taking the usual monthly direot mail, bnt only letters Bpeoially adddresaed, her mail budget was not large, only consisting of two bags, which contained two hundred nnd sixty-two letters, two j hundred and sixteen books, seventy-ei«ht nowapipurs, and three registered letters. The San Francisco mail leaves New Zealand only a day or two after the Bimutafcn, so, doubtless, eomo. interest will centre in watohin, the arrival of tha two mails in London, ln the matter of cargo, tho Bimutaka is a full ship. From this port Bhe takes a very larga cargo, consisting chiefly of wheat, wool, seed, beans, and other produce*. On acoount of the rise iv the price of wheat at Home. aU available Bpace was readily applied for, and a large quantity is said to have been shut ont. Only 12,912 carcases of mutton are stored away in her refrigerator, 3043 of whioh wore taken on board at this port, and the balanoe at Port Chalmers. In her strong room is to be found fifteen boxes of gold, twelve of which are bars and the balanoe sovereigns. The total valae of the precious metal is _359,«52. Shs tikes fifty-oue pasaengers. all told, nine in the saloon, twenty in the second oabin. and twenty-two in the Bteerage. The Bimutaka ha 9 not loat a great deal of time since she left Plymouth on Juue 2, and if she arrives haok in England by her appointed date, Sept. 22, she will only have been away about threemonths and twenty days, nearly one month ot whioh was sptot in New Zealand.