SHIPPING SUMMARY,

West Coast Times, Issue 276, 11 August 1866, Page 4

SHIPPING SUMMARY,

Shipping business during the past month has been unusually slack, the arrivals and departures to and from the port having been far below the average. From foreign ports, only nine vessels have called here, including sti-.i.n-ers; whilst departures under the sanio head are still more meagre, as live vessels only, of all classes, have been despatched. The coastwise trade has also fallen off considerably. In fact, the month lias befii a dull one tliroughout, and but little has occurred in connection with shipping worthy of being especially noted. Those V3Bsels which did discharge cargos on the wharf turned them out in excellent condition, not a single case of damage having come under our notice. We have, however, good reason in believing that the next month will be far more busy, as may be inferred from a glance at the " expected arrivals" in our shipping column. Amongst them is included some well-known traders to the port, which for some time paSfc have been strangers here. During the early part of the month we were favored with' very fine woathcr, considering the season. Frosty nights and bright sunny days prevailed for nearly a fortnight, which, although cheering in the extreme, reduced the river to such a degree chat the fresh was not sufficient to keep the bar clear, and there was i in consequence a very bad entrance for some days. It was, in fact, blocked up with sandbanks, between which the river ran in three channels, one only being at all navigable. Succeeding rains, however, cleared away the silt, and now there is a wide deep channel straight out to sea, navigable for vessels drawing ten and twelve feet water. The month's casualties have not been heavy, although wo have to record a few mishaps, which in two instances only resulted seriously. On the 16th ult., the Lioness, p.s., when returning from the roadstead, took the ground on the extreme point of the (then) middle bank, and at low water was high and dry. She retained her position for a few houi-s only, as prompt measures being adopted to release her, she was hove olf into deep water on the next tide, without having sustained the slightest damage. A mishap also occurred to the s.s. Star of the Evening, which left the wharf, bound to Nelson, on the 6th inst. In the "narrows" between the spits, she unfortunately met the Challenge, p.s., with a tow behind her, coming in from the roadstead, and in endeavoring to avoid a foul, she sheered too much to starboard and took the ground on the extreme point of the North Spit, and at low water was high and dry. fortunately, there was little sea running, and she laid end on to it, and wharps having- been run out and the services of the Lioness engaged, she was hove off and dragged into the river on the morning's tide of the Bth. She thus remained in her awkward position thirty-six hours only, and sustained not the slightest damage. Another and more serious disaster occurred, we are sorry to say, no later than yesterday, to the Bonnie Lass, a smart little schooner inward bound from Lyttelton witlfa cargo of produce She was in tow of tho Challenge at the time, and coming in against a heavy fresh,/ which was running between tho spits with the velocity of a tide rip." In another place will be found the details of this mishap, so we shall merely say that the Bonnie L»sf, having her canvas set, overran the tow line, was caught on her port bow by the current, hove on tho South Spit, and at low-water was high and dry. Her cargo was discharged during the day, and it is to be hoped that she will be rescued on this day's tide ; but we much fear that sho will have to be transported overland into the lagoon. Her fate, however, depends in a great degree upon the weather ; I as a very heavy fresh would bo liable to sweep her ihto the surf, whilst a westerly gale, by sending home a heavy sea, might possibly break her up. We trust, however, that better fortune is in store for her, and that we shall see her safe moored at the wharf in a tide or two. I i our last Summary we mentioned tho str..;iding of the Bruce, p.s., at Okarita, and that her position was somewhat dangerous. Sho has since then made an overland passage, and should have been comfortably re-launched into the river ; but through some bunglin" on the part of the overseer of the work, the ways [ were mislaid, and (he Bruce hitched just at the time sho should have glided smoothly off them, and all attempts to leave her further ahead proved abortive. There she remained half in and half out of the -water, and preparations were ma.de to lift her again. But in the meantime a heavy sea rolled in, washed her off thp waysancl deposited her higher up the bank i;i the required po.-ition. Sho was subsequently removed after a fashion and notv lies on a patch of sand opposite the township

whero sho is undergoing uccctSiiry repairs, several rivets imd plates having started. We hope soon to hear of her departure for Dunedin. Like that of Hokitika, tho Okarita and Grey bar 3 have both been next to impassable during tho month, and advices which we received from tho latter place yesterday inform us that even now the port is nenrly closed through the state of its entrance. This, howover, will not continue long, and if the present /rains last for another twenty-four hours it' will have tho effect of again clearing the channel and giving the river Grey that excellent entrance for which it is tisually noted. Great improvements aro being effected in the port of ilokitiksi, tho Government having, at last bestired itself in the matter. To complete tho xinfinialied portion of the trharf tenders havo been called for and accepted, and tho work of planking it over is being vigorously proccoded with, and will in a short, time be llnishod. A protective work is also being constructed from the end of the wharf to a point opposito Beach street, which will .preserve the bank from further encroachments by the river and thus save some valuable buildings which . are already partially undermined. A transit shed has also been erected on the wharf, and a space enclosed in front of it where the harbor steamers arc for the future to land their passengers and cargos. Such a provision was much needed, as tho crowd of idlers which line the wharf when either of these boats run in from the roadstead proved a great hindrance, and much interfered with tho work necessary to be done. It is also purposed to construct a tramway along the wharf, which will connect the shipping with the transit shed. Wo, however, hope soon to see another shed erected lower down, aa the one already provided is much too small for the purpose, aud promises to delay rathor than facilitate the landing of cargos. In co.nnectnn with shipping casualties, wo omitted to mention that no tidings whatever have been heard of the missing ketch Caroline, and she is, thereforo, given up for lost. Anpther vessel is also missing, viz., the Maria, a smart schooner, which left Oamaru laden with produce, raauy wecki ngo, for this povt. No tidings have, however, been received of her, and there is too much reacon to suppose sho has foundered at Bca. Tho vacancy caused by tlio withdrawal of the Bruce from tho 'Okarita trado, has been filled by the Lyttolton — a stout little paddlewliccl steamer of some thirty-horse power. She arrived from Nelson in the middle of the month, and has already made two prosperous trips southwards, and ia now absent on her third.