PORT OF HOKITIKA.

West Coast Times, Issue 338, 23 October 1866, Page 2

PORT OF HOKITIKA.

HI&H WiTER T.HIS Day.— 9.ls a.m. ; 9. 40 p.m. Full Moon to-morrow. — 11.45 a.m.

AURIVED.

October 22. — Sarah Pile, brigantine, Yull,

from Sydney. W. Fisher, agent.

BAILED. Sarah Pile, brigantine, Yull, for Dunedin. Lord Ashley, s.s., Kennedy, for Bluff and Dunedin.

ENTEUKD IN.

Oymraes, 28 tons, R. M'Lennon, from Greymouth. Glengi r y, 50 toi s, Venazim, from Greymouth: Challenge, 77 tons, G. Wilson, from Gveymouth. Iv ballast.

Tambo, 42 tons, John Woon, from Greymouth. In ballast.

CLEARED OUT.

Lord Ashley, 296 tons, A. Kennedy, for Bluff Harbor. In ballast. Poesengers - Cabin: Mr Pike.

Isabella, 82 tons, 'C. Osborne, for Guam, Iv ballast.

J. B. Russell, 50 tons, G. W. Clarke, for Picton. In ballast. Nelson, 88 tops, T." Whit well, for Nelson via Grey.^ Passengers — 3 steerage.

EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Omeo, s.s., from Melbourne, 27th inst. Francis, schooner, from Heathcote, early. Mary Van Every, schooner, from Dunedin early. Win. Miskin, s.s., from Dunedin, dnily. Alhambra, from Melbourne, 25th inst. . Frederic, barque, from Melbourne early, i 1 Mary Grant, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Dancing Wave, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Florence, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Alexandra, schooner, from Melbourne, earl}'. Moyne, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Sarah and Mary, brigantine, from MclRmrne, early. Beautiful Star, s.s., from Sydney, to-day. Claud Hamilton, s.s., from Sydney, October 25. Susannah Booth, frJm Sydney, early. PROJECTED DEP Ali'l'U H KS . Behon, p.s., for Grey and Nelson, dayMary Jane, for Jack&on's Bay, to-day. Toranaki, for Melbourne, 26th inst Alhambra, s.s., for Melbourne, 261h inst. Albion, for Melbourne. 26th inst. Omeo. s.s., for Melbourne, 29th inst. Gothenburg, s.s., for Melbourne, Nov. Blh. VESSELS IN rOKT.

Barque — Alma. Brig — Clarendon. Brigantiue — Isabella, Hector. Schooners — lona. Tiger, John -Mitchell. Mary Anne, Cyinraeb, Emma Jane, Tambo. Glengairy, J. B. Russel. Cutters — Elizabeth, Volunteer. Steamers — Yarra, Challenge, Persevere Nelson.

"11l POUTS. Per Cymraes, from Grreyinoutli — 6 bales, 1 case drapery, Sl'Landre.-s & Co ; 15 tons coal, , 10 bales hay, 64C0 bricks, 50 bags bran, Carey & Grilles ; 3500 feet timber, W. Dunlop &Co.

Per Glengarry, from Greymouth- -70 tons coal, 22 boxes herrings, order. Per Tambo, from Greymouth — 70 tons coal, Spence Brothers ; 8 cases billiard table, 5 cases, SilmeV & Co.

EXPORTS.

Per Nelson, for Nelson and Grey. For Grey — J tierce tobacco, Luhning ; 1 box Carey und Gilles ; 2 bundles iron, 1 parcel, Mithall, 2 bales paper, 1 bag Houghton ; 8 kegs bui ter, Anderson and Co ;' 2 hhds eggs, J. Duff; 10 kegs butter, Cassius and Comiskey. For Nelson — 1 keg butter, A Boyle ; 6 kegs butter, Morison, Law, und Co. For Buller I—l1 — 1 qr-cask brandy, 5 sacks flour, 1 chest tea, 6 bags sugar, 2 cases geneva, 1 box tobacco, 1 keg butter, 2 boxes candles, 1 bag salt, 1 case, 1 keg apples, 11 sides bacon,/ 1 *bng potatoes, 3 kegs wine, I .case coffee, 1 keg, 1 case brandy, 1 case jams, 1 box candles, 2 jars soda, 1 case, 1 bag blanket*, 1 roll spiced beef, 1 keg ginger wine, 1 axe, 1 nick, 1 shovel, M. Green.

We are glad to see the p.s. Persevere — albeit she look* somewhat dilapidated — once more moored in the " tier" at Gibson's Quuy. Her removal from the south ' spit was effected at high water on Sunday night, when — the ways being laid and other preparations .for launching her effected, . she was dragged into the lagoon by the p.s. Yarra and towed up the river. Messrs Royse, Mudie, and Co., her agents, are determined to get her ready for sea as soon as possible, and to that end have called for tenders for the work of replacing the deck fittings, notice of which will be found iv another column.

Due notice of the arrival of the schooner Spray at Lyttelton yesterday morning, was telegraphed to Messrs Royse, Mudie and Co.. her agents at this port. She left the river on the afternoon of the 17th inst., and bus thus made the passage in something less than four days. The brigantiue Sarah Pile arrived in the roadstead on Sunday night from Sydney, having made a remarkably quick passage from land to land. She left on the 15th inst., and sighted the coast pbont G-reymouth on the 21st, thus making the run in' six days. The Sarah Pile is consigned to Dunedin, but called off this port with passengers — 70 in number — which were landed by the p.s. Challenge yesterday morning. A very grave uncertainty still hangs over the fate of the missing steamer Win. Miskin, as no tidings have been heard of her at either the Bluff or Dunediu. Tho damage sustained by the telegraph wires during th ? late floods prevented any communication with Duncdiii until Sunday last, when Messrs Royse, Mudie and Go. communicated with her agents at Dunedin, informing them of her non-arrival. This message must have miscarried, as the former gentlemen received a telegram from Dunedin yesterday morning asking if she hud arrived, with the addition that no tidings con■cerning her had reached Dunedin sineo her departure from Bluff Harbor. And so the matter rests at present. Speculation touching tho probable cause of her detention is of course rife, and numerous are the theories advanced with a view of solving the enigma Some persons believe that she has come to grief in tho straits, and that the signals seen on the small Island, eight miles east of the Solander, by the crew of tho Elfin, on the 10th instant, were made by the shipwrecked crew. This, however, could hardly be, as the Miskin left the Bluff that day a short time after the Keera, and in the evening the latter, when well to the westward of the Solander, distinctly sighted her smoke far astern. The most feasible idea, and the one most generally entertained, ie, that the Miskin's machinery has broken down, compelling her to seek shelter from the heavy westerly gales which the Keera fell in with oil' the West Cape — in some of the inlets abounding mi that part of the coast ; and that once iu«iue she is unable, owing to her crippled condition, to put to sea again. And yet this hypothesis is somewhat doubtful, for with a fair westerly gale blowing through tbe Straits, it is hardly probable that Captain Hepburn. would run his vessel into a trap when Bluff Harbor was under his lee, and within a few hours siiil only. Tho Miskin is a manageable vessel under sail, and for one of her class spreads a fair amount of canvas, We therefore are inclined to think tfeftt bw attowpt. toreaoh tUs> Rluff would have Wli msifot' h |Sj W't>VoP, Jjfwibjt* »lii« u)ity

Inlets we have referred to above, and that the evew, unable to make their way overland to any of the settlements in Southland, are waiting for the arrival of some vessel, which they have every rijrhf to expect will be dispatched to their assistance by either Government or the ■'hipping public. ■ The little schooner rigged steamer Despatch, which was announced to have left London for this port in June last', arrived at the heads on Wednesday afternoon, under canvas, having ppformed the distance from Plymouth to Melbourne in 105 days. She is a snuey-lcfoking witch of a thing, and Captain James Dean, who has brought her out here in capital order, stales that during the whole of the passage she proved herself a most efficient sea-bont. The Despatch is intended for steam-towing either here or at Hokitika, most probably the laiter port, her extremely"- light draught of waler and great steam power excellently adapting her for the .exigencies of that somewhat capricious harbor. She is a new steamer of ninety-eight tons gross measurement, or thirty-eight tons steamer's measurement. She is ninety feet over all, with a breadth of beam of seventeen feet, and a depth of hold of nine feet, and was constructed under special survey at Northfleet Dockyard. She- is a nice little model, built of the best material, and in compartments, and is a creditable specimen of her class of craft. Her engines are of the sidelever disconnecting kind, proved up to 244-horse power, and have wrought-iron beams. She is also fitted up with patent float Sj return tabular boilers, double heat expansion valves, and the latest improvements for economising' fuel and also giving increased power and speed. With regard to the passage, Captain Dean informs us that he left Gravesend on June 23, and sighted the Island of Madeira on July 5, lost the N.E. Trades in 17deg. N., and from thence to the equator had slight baffling southerly winds and calms. Crossed the Equator on 30th July, in lon. 28deg. W. ; from thence to the Cape of Good Hope had very unsettled weather -with heavy gales ,and confused high sea, the barometer ranging one inch in twentyfour hours ; passed the meridian of the Cape in 37deg.. 27min . on September 1, and fr*in thence to Cape Leuwin had strong westerly gales, when the Despatch accomplished the distance of 4138 knots, or 4765 stutute miles, in twenty-three days, an average of 207 miles per day ; this, for a vessel of her tonnage, being extraordinary good speed. Passed Cape Leuwin on September 28, in lat. 37de«. 16 mm.; since then experienced very unsettled weather, with low barometer. — Melbourne " Argus," Oct. 12. The launch of the new scho6ner Ocean Wave, which waß built to the order of Captain Buxton, of Christchurch, took place at the building yards of Mr Bcddoes, North Shore. Auckland, on September 29th. She was constructed for the llokitika trade, and, if report be true,, will eqjipse in point of speed aDd carrying capacity combined any vessel of her class in tlie colonies. We extract the following description of this vessel from the " Daily Southern Cross " :—": — " Her rig is that of a three-masted schooner, and dimensions as . follow ; — Length of keel, 91 feet ; breadth "f beam, 23 feet ; depth of hold, 8 feet 6. inches ; length over-all, 103 feet ; tonnage (builders' measurement), 225 ; registered, 125 tons. Having been built specially for the West Coast trade, shq is on a very light draft. The vessel, besides possessing large carrying capacity, is fitted up with every convenience for passengers.-, The after cabin, which is elegantly furnished, is supplied with four double berths, and the forward cabin has betfn fitted for the convenience of twelve passengers. The vessel was completely finished when launched, and only required sails bending to fit her for her maiden trip, which will be to Christchurch, with a full cargo of sawn timber from the Thames Saw Mill Company's wharf, Cus-tom-house street. She proceeds from the South to Melbourne, where she will be laid on for the Hokitika and Grey River trade. The launch was most successfully accomplished at high tide, shortly before 11 o'clock on Saturday morning, the vessel gliding gracefully into deep water as the shores were knocked away by the tfprkmeu. She' was christened the Ocean Wave as she left the stocks by Mrs, Beddoes, the builder's wife." The Moy-ae met with very rough weather on her passage from Hokitika. She had moderate easterly wind for the first few days after leaving, but on the 29th ult., she was caught in a hea^y S.W. gale, which lasted for two days, during which time the vessel was hove to. On the sth inst. she experienced another strong galo from the ST.E., during the raging of which she was ag.iin compelled to heave to for several hours. After that, fine weather was experienced for the "remainder of the passage. — Melbourne "Age," Oct. 10.

Akeival of the Boat Red, White, and Blfe, in the Thames. — The ship-rigged boat Red, White, and Bfue, of two and a half tons, Captain Hudson, which has made such an extraordinary passage across the Atlantic from New York, and put into Margate a few days since, has arrived in the rivei' off Greenhithe. There were only* two persons in the boat, Captain Hudson and his mate, F. E, Fitch. There was also a dog on board, which, however, died shortly after leaving Margate on her wny round to the Thames. On the 18th, in lat. 40deg. 31sec. N.,long. 56deg. W, about midnight, the boat struck something very solid, and glancing on the port bow, all sail set, stopped ship's headway, but found she did not, leak. After the 15th did not see auy sail until August 7, when they, spoke and went alongside the barque Princess Royal, of Yarmouth, N.S., long. 2ldeg. W., seven days from Dublin for Quebec. On the 6th a blind sea came upon port quarter, whicli thicw the ship on her beamends ; she righted in half a minute. Bth, the boat was again thrown on her beamends. 14th, twenty-seven miles north of Ushaiit, shipped a heavy sea, which threw the ship for the fourth time on hej" beamends, and had to bale the water out.

14th, noon, mad* 1 the Bill of Portland. 16th, blowing heavy, and got towed into Margate. There was no chronometer in the boat, and the ship was worked by dead reckoning. Captain Hudson and his companion were only enabled to have their provisions warm on very few. occasibns, owing to the sea making over them. They kept watch and watch ; and when they landed at Margate tliey were, as may be imagined, in a somewhat distressed condition. The boat is of iron, 27ft. long, and 6ft. lin beam. She carried 120 gallons of water for the voyage. — " Mitchell's Maritime Register," Aug. 25.

The P. aud O.Co.'s RM.SS. Bombay, o mimander G. C. Burne, from Po ; ut de Galle, anchored in tlift bay yesterday, a few minutes after midday," having accomplished another smart pnssage from Galle to King George's Sound, and from the Sound to this port, and delivered her European and Indian mails three days within contract time. The Bombay left Galle at half -past one p.m. on the 20th ult., arriving at King George's Sound on the 4th inst., at six p.m., and after coaling left again on the following day at noon. Fine weather was experienced on "he passage from Galle, but the winds in the latitudes of the S. E. trades were adverse, the Bombay having had to steam against strong head wind* for four d:iys more. On leaving the Sound, light variable winds and calms were experienced for twenty-four hours, followed on the next day by a strong south westerly breeze ; the wind on the three remaining days still blowing frfish from S.W. to W., accompanied with threatening weather on Tuesday evening. The Bombay left her anchorage at four p.m.. en route for Sydney^— Melbourne " Argus," Oct. 11.