INTER-PROVINCIAL SHIPPING.

West Coast Times, Issue 1658, 23 January 1871, Page 2

INTER-PROVINCIAL SHIPPING.

[PER ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]

ARRIVED.

Port Chalmers. — 21, 7 a.m., Gothenburg, from Bluff Harbor. Lyttelton.— 2l, 10.20 a.m., Omeo, from Wellington.

SAILED. Nelson. — 21, 7 a.m., Alhambra, for Greymouth.

The s.s. Alhambra, T. Underwood, commander, cleared Port Philip Heads at 7.30 p.m. on 31st December, and arrived off Milford Sound at 10 p.m. on 7th January; left at 12.30 p.m. on the Bth, and arrived at Bluff Harbor at 4 p.m. on the 9th: left at 5 p.m. on 10th, and arrived off Port Chalmers at 7 a.m. on the 11th; left at 3 p.m. on the 13th, and arrievd at Lyttelton at 11 a.m. on the 14th; left a£ 9 p.m. on the 16th, and arrived at Wellington at 4 p.m. on the 17th; left at 4 a.m. on %he 19th, and arrived at Nelson at 5 p.m. the same day. Sailed at 7 a.m. on tbe 21st, arrived off Greymouth at 6 a.m. on the 22nd, and off Hokitika at noon.

The Anchor Line's favorite steamer, Charles Edward, arrived on Sunday morning's tide, from Northern ports. She reports leaving Nelson on Wednesday last, at 7 p.m., with one of the largest cargoes she has ever had, consisting of eighty tons of general merchandise, and twenty tons of fruit on deck, besides a quantity of sheep, &c, twenty-two sacks of mails, and thirty passengers. Called at Motueka at S p.m., laying there all night, and left at 9 a.m. on Thursday. Experienced light winds and fine weather. Passed the threemasted schooner Rifleman, and spoke the topsail schooner Canterbury off the Cape, both bound South. Arrived at Westport at daybreak on Friday, after a rapid passage of eighteen hours, and crossed the bar at 7 a.m. Discharged forty tons of cargo, leaving at 9 p.m. Crossed Greymouth bar at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Landed thirty tons cargo, and twenty-five passengers. Sailed on Sunday morning for Hokitika at 9.30, arriving here at 11.30. She brings thirty -three passengers, of whom seventeen are for this port; and forty tons cargo.

The ketch Brothers and Sister was towed to sea yesterday morning by the Lioness. The ketch has a full general cargo for Hunt's Beach.

The schooner Rifleman was spoken by the Charles Edward off Cape Farewell on Thursday last. The schooner started from Lyttelton at 8 o'clock on Tuesday morning for here, and should soon show up.

A new style of propulsion, as exhibited in an iron boat, built on the plans of Mr William Akersten, of Nelson, was recently tried there. The method »f propulsion is an endless baud, passing over twe drums, one placed amidships, and the other at tbe stern of the boat, which is about forty feet long. Attached to the band are a series of floats, which pass into the water, and move along the vessel between twokeels, which start from midships. The motive power for trial was two cranks, and four men working them, got up a speed for the "experiment" of about 8| knots an hour against flood tide. She ran about threequarters of a mile, when one of the pinion wheels broke, and then she was tried with sails, when, we are informed, very good results as to her sailing qualities were obtained.

The "Iron Pot" at Napier apparently promises to become a " kettle of fish." The Herald of the loth says: — Day by day the harbor, commonly known in these parts by the title quoted above, is getting more and more inaccessible, and if it goes on filling up at the same prodigious rate during the next twelve months that it has done during the last, the probability is that before next Christmas the " Iron Pot" will be a harbor of the past. The brig Magnet, Captain Clinskill, from Melbourne, arrived in tbe Grey roadstead, oa Thursday, and was brought to the wharf by the p.s. Dispatch yesterday morning. We are unable to publish the usual report of her trip, because her master refused to give "it, alleging as a reason that " the trips of his vessel had never beeu done jajftgo to," We

were under the impression we had done ample justice to the vessel in question, but as it seems we were mistaken, we have only to add that it is a matter of utter indifference to us whether these reports are given or not. They have always been published as a matter of public information, and not with the object of " puffing" any particular vessel. — Argus.