ARRIVAL OF THE AUSTRALIA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume IX, Issue 549, 22 March 1876, Page 4

ARRIVAL OF THE AUSTRALIA.

(From the Age of the 6th.)

On Saturday morning, at an early hour, the steamship Australia was observed steaming up towards the Bay, she having passed Cape Otway on the previous nig* t without being seen, and entered Fort Philip Heads aud anchored also without having been observed by the pilots outside, although her engines were stopped at 3 a.m. on the pilot station, when, after waiting for some time, Captain Cargill, the commander, brought her in himself, and anchored off Queensctiif at ten minutes past 5 a.m., after a passage of forty-three days nine hours from anchorage at Plymouth to anchorage at Port Philip Heads. This includes all detentions, but allows for difference of time between -he two places. The stoppages are given as follows :— One day eight hours at St^ Vincent, coaling, and ten hours for screwing up and fixing hydraulic gear, which, deducted from the other, gives the time as forty-one days fifteen hours ; the distance run was 12,009 miles, which is oDly 484 miles deviation from straight lines from Plymouth, to Port Philip, thereby showing that the ship's course was particularly accurately kept. This gives her an average rate of a fracaoif oveiPtwelve tnots an hour, and to show to what speed. she can attain the following days' 'runs may: he. quoted: — 22nd February, 30C knots; 3rd, .292 j 24th, 304; 25th, 313; 26th, 322; 27th, 354; 28th, 310; 29th, 317. The following are tiie names of the officers:— Commander*, William Cargill; chief officer, Mr Chevalier ; second, Mr O'Brien; third, Mr Bannerman ; and fourth, Mr Rennie. Dr. C. Sharp is the surgeon, Mr Martin the chief engineer, and Mr John Lloyd, purser. She left Plymouth at 9.40 a.m. on 20th January, passed the Bam Head at 10.15 a.m., and the Lizards at 3 p.m., bearing north four miles; at Bp.m. on the 24th Madeira bore S.E. eight miles. At 0.20 a.m. on the 28th anchored at St. Vincent's, and left there at 4.30 p.m. on the 29th. Crossed the Equator on the 3rd ult., in 13.33 west, and had strong head winds and sea, from the day previous until the- 9th in 20 ss' south and 458 cast ; the Cape of Good Hope was rounded, Table Mountain being sighted at 10 a.m. on the 13th, Cape Leuwin on the night of the 28th (civil time), In 45.35 south : and Cape Otway' made at 9.35 p.m. on the 3rd, it then bearing north three miles. During thirteen days sh«r had no sails set *trall, and more than two-thirds of the way only fore-and-aft canvas.

The decline of the ballet has been attracting attention recently ; and in connection with the subject .t his been discovered that just as there is writers' and telegraphists' paralysis, so there is "dancers' cramp." Dr >chubz, an eminent Austrian physician, has traced the nialady from the soles of both feet, where it uSually begins, and whence it spreads till the whole body is implicated in the contraction, producing palpitation of the heart, and ending in insensibility. It is most common, if not almost confined, to the best dancers — those usually eutrusted with the pas seul, that graceful step to produce which" the unhappy danseuse has to poise herself on the extreme point of the great toe. This step, the learned physician informs us, cannot be produced without the help of shoes expressly made for the pur- 1 pose, strengthened at the tip, aud furnished j with a support running up the inner side of the toe on which the whole weight of the body rests. If we add to this new form of j torture the" screwing up and compression to which the unfortunate ballet girl is subjected before she is considered tit to appear j on tjie stage, we may well feel surprised that she should exhibit the good nature and sprjghtliness-whjch are the prevailing char»o>: ter&jcf tf ihfLiadi&oiJbQ.Cuya ck Ballet..