SHIPPING SUMMARY.

West Coast Times, Issue 331, 15 October 1866, Page 4

SHIPPING SUMMARY.

A fair amount of shipping business has been transacted during 'the, month, as the number of vessels which have arrived and departed from the port' is quite up to the general average. Compared with the preceding month, there is a decided increase — the flourishing condition of the goldfields having given a great impetus to commerce. Our relations . with Melbourne continue in a most satisfactory condition, as no less than fourteen vessels arrived fi;om that port, out of which number seven were hoavy-bofctoniod sailing craft, fully laden with assorted cargos. This merchandise was landed — with one or two exceptions — in excellent condition, thus proving the vessels to be good cargo carriers, and the care which was exercised in stowing. The remainder of the arrivals were large ocean steamers belonging to the Panama, Melbourne and Adelaide, and Otago Steam Shipping Companies. Each brought a considerable accession to the already largo population of Westland, and also landed many hundreds of tons of cargo. The return trade was nofc so heavy, as onl# ten vessels left this port for Melbourne — five of which were sailing craft in ballast trim. The steamers, however, carried away large parcels of gold in return for the heavy shipments of merchandise received here. The intercourse between Westland and Sydney continues much on the same footing, trade with that port not being particularly brisk. Two steamers and two sailing vessels were the only arrivals- thenoe. Tho former were the steamers Rangitdto x and Claud Hamilton, which brought between one and two hundred passengers and. a few tons of cargo ; tho latter were the brigantines Jane Lockhart and Lizzie CoI-jsju, both heavily laden. In return, tho steamer Claud Hamilton and schooners Jane^Lockhaxfc and J. B. Russell were despatched hence. The trade coastwise is increasing, especially with Lyttelton and Dunedin. From the former port' seven vessels arrived here, and eleven from the latter. This return is most satisfactory, as it shows, on the part of our provincial neighbors, a renewal of confidence in the future prospects of Westland, and a sound belief in her present prosperity, which they at last seem determined to participate in by cheeking the monopoly hitherto enjoyed by Mclbrurae. That Dunedin should have despatched such a number is somewhat astonishing, as for many months the intercourse between the two ports has been chiefly kept up by the steamers Keera and William Miskin. *But the old adage, "Better late than never," is / peculiarly applicable in this case, and we trust that the trade will continue to increase. Tho commercial relations between Lyttelton and Hokitika have always kept 'on a favorable footing, still this month's preponderance of trade over many which preceded it is most marked. The Northern Island trade is falling off, as only two vessels arrived from Mauukau, both, however, laden to tho combings with produce. The passenger and mail service of. the port is well attended to by -the magnificent steamers belonging to the different ocean companies. The Panama boats are most regular in their attendance, and receive a large amount of patronage. To meet increasing requirements, tho Melbourne and Adelaide Company placed two more of their fine steamers on the berth, both of which (the Alhambra and Omeo) made very successful trips. We always hail with pleasure the arrival of the Gothenburg, and quite regard her in the light of anold friend, so long and so faithfully has she served the port. She is" again in the roadstead Avith a heavy freight of goods and passengers. Another regular trader he s.s. Albion also put in her periodical appearance during the month. ,The peculiar featiu'es of the port renders an efficient tug service an indispensible necessity, and, until tho commencement of the- month, this want was well supplied by the Lioness, Challenge, Yarra, and Persevere. The first named was sent to Dunedin on the 25th ultimo, to bo thoroughly repaired, and is expected to return again in the course of two months a new boat in every respect. * This course was compulsory owing to her lato mishap,' and tho port is thus deprived of the services of a most useful and powerful boat, peculiary fitted to work its dangerous bar. The disastrous accident to the Persevere is much regretted, as from height draught, she has often been enabled to leave the river when the other harbor steamers were compelled' to keep inside. But the arrival of the p.s. Bruce, from Dunedin, after an absence of three months, has made up the deficiency to a very great extent. This smart steamer, so long and favorably known on the coast has ' just, undergone a thorough overhaul at Duncdiu, and returps in first-rate working order. She will again take up the Okarita trade, and when required to do so will be ready, as of old, to" tender vessels in the roadstead.. The towage of the port is now attended to by tho Challenge and Yai'ra alone, for although the Bruce can*manage a light bottom in moderate weather, and travel quickly besides, she is, not the build, for heavy work. The Yarra tows well for her power, and is in great request by a' certain class of vessels. She is a small boat, and being well handled her efficiency is much

increased. A very large proportion of tho passengers which arrive at this port are landed by her. For towing purposes "alone tho Challenge is tho main stay of the place, and has proved herself an able vessel in that respect. Her career lately has been fortunate in tho extreme, and that it may continuo feo is Avishcd by all, as a mishap to her would provo a real calamity to tho port. , SHIPPING- DISASTERS.

Tho month has not been free from casualties, and wo much fear it will neycr bo our good fortunp to publish a clean sheet in the summary. In our last we chronicled tho sfcrandiug of the p.s. Lioness, which vessel, when the mail left, was-lying high and dry on the north spit, but within reach of the surf at high water. Strenuous efforts Avero made to ro^aunch h6r, but it was not until the 16th that this was" effected. Time after ' time she was screwed up and placed on ways, and as often washed off them again by the Jioavy surf. On the Bth she was fearfully knocked about, as the flood of the preceding day broke through tho spit, and cut a channel right under her, and for some time she hung by her head and stern only, the whole of the ■ midship section being unsupported. She afterwards settled down in the gap, nearly on a level with low water mark, and canted with her decks to tho sea, a high perpendicular bank of sand being iiiside of her. There she lay for nearly twenty hours at the mercy of a pitiless surf, and when the agents and crew left her on the preceding evening, they fully expected to find her a total , wreck the next day. But strange to relate she, instead of breaking up, lifted with the sea, and the following morning lay high and dry at her original level, but much further removed from the action of the waves. No vessel could pass through such an ordeal without receiving serious damage, and the Lioness accordingly was much shaken, as her port broadside was started, and two of her bottom' plate's stove in. She was, however, patched up on the spit, and on the 16th re-launched into* the river, her departure for Dunedin taking place on the 25th. Two mishaps attended the career of the Yarra during the month. Tho first happened on tho 22nd, and was caused solely by her taking the bar somewhat late on tide. Fortunately, she floated at high water, none the worse for her close acquaintance with j the sand. Her second mishap was attended by more serious results and may be attributed to the needless detention sho experienced whilst attending upon the Claud Hamilton outside. This delayed her in the roadstead until the tide was far gone, and on attempting to enter the river she took the ground nearly in the place she formerly occupied, from which all attempts to move her proved vain. Three days were spent in fruitless .efforts to heave J her into the channel, and at last the expeiasive i alternative — an overland passage was determined upon. This work commenced on the , Ist October, and on the 10th the Yarra was 1 cleverly launched into the river. She.re1 ceived a few trifling damages, which were made I good whilst she lay upon the spit. : The | stranding of the Wm. Miskin in August last is doubtless fresh in the recollection of our readers, as wo gave due notice of the occurrence in our last summary. She was released by a broadside launch into the channel from her awkward position on tho North spit, on r the 4th ultimo*, not having suffered the slightest damage. The most serious disaster of the month is the stranding of the p.s. Persevere. On the Bth instant' she returned from the Grey, and in attempting to enter the river very late on tide, grounded on the South spit. Her position was very dangerous, and as the attempts made to heave her "off, failed, it was at once decided to -move her. overland. But the weather was against her, as on tho night of the 12th instant she Avas swept out to sea by a heavy flood, and for three hours was tossed about in the surf, and then throAvn upon Xhe beach again to all 'appearances a total wreck. The whole of her deck fittings having been carried aAvay. The damage, hoAvevcr, Avas not so serious as at first supposed, for at the survey afterwards held her hull was declared sound, and a vetdicfc of condemnation refusod. As in another ' column will be found full details of this catastrophe, Aye v shall abstain from further 'comments here. Two serious shipping casualties happened at the port of Greyniouth during the month, which resulted in the total loss of one vessel, and every probability that the second will share the same fate. On the 17th ult., the p.s. Persevere, having the schooner Excelsior in tow, attempted to cross tho bar inwards. A heavy sea Avas running at the time, AA-hich swept both vessels to the southAvards of tho entrance, and before the lost ground could be regained, both were deposited on the South Beach. The steamer was afterwards released, but the Excelsior went to pieces, and nothing now remains of her but. a few timbers. On the 21st, that well-knoAvn West Coast trader, the Thane, also came to grief whilst attempting to leave the Grey Avith a heavy cargo of coal on board. She stranded on the North Spit, and has not yet been released. We hcivr the damage sustained is very serious, and that very little hope of her floating again is entertained.

TUB WEATHER AND' BAB. The weather during the mouth has been magnificent, and the rainfall much below the average : bright sunny clays and clear bracing nights have predominated, although the coast was -visited by passing showers, and twice heavy rain flooded the river, and rendered fche bar" impassable. The first freshet came down on the 7th ult., and nearly settled tho Lioness; the second, which was the heaviest flood of the year, happened on the 11th and 12th inst., and laid a great portion of the town under water, and carried the Persevere out to sea. On'the 6ljh and 7th 'ultimo a heavy sea" silted up the bar to 'such an extent that neither of the harbor steamers could cross it, and in consequence the s.s. Gothenburg was detained for forty -eight hours. From the Bth to the '11th ultimo tho channel kept in excellent condition, and then was closed up by a westerly sea until the 13th, in the meantime causing serious detention to the s.s. Egmonfc. The entrance then kept open for six days, but was again -blocked up "by a westerly gale and sea on the i9th. On the previous day the s.s. Rangitoto arrived from Melbourne with 125 passengers on board. She was unable to land them, and as there was no appearance of a change in the weather, she pushed on to Nelson and transhipped into the Lord Ashley, which vessel arrived here on the 21st, and after a day's detention, succeeded in effecting a transhipment. From the 22nd ultimo to the 2nd instant the port kept open, when it was again blocked by the sea, and kept the brigantines Mary, Lizzie Coleson, Lady Darling, and Isabella, waiting outside until the end of that week. The 'heavy flood on the 11th and 12fch, which was followed by the heavy sea which prevailed on Saturday and yesterday, once more shut in the harbor steamers, just at "a time when then* services were much required to tow the Alma and' Clarendon inside,* and- attend upon the Gothenburg and Egmont, both of which have already suffered forty-eight hours 1 detention.