ARRIVAL OF THE ST. OSYTH.

West Coast Times, Issue 3216, 15 January 1876, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE ST. OSYTH.

This splendid screw steamer, which as yet ranks foremost in making rapid voyages to Australia, has conclusively demonstrated on her present trip that the " 45-days 1 " passages via .the.Cape of Good Hope is not only easy of accomplishment but that this limit, although lon» regarded as afinality, is capable of being still further reduced. * Since his first venture here with the St. Osysb, ,C aptain Macnabb has on each visit abbreviated the duration of the trip, until he appear to be not very far now from realising the possibility of the voyage being performed in 40 days or even a less period. Those whom the St. Osyth concerns are deserving all credit for' their pluck and enterprise Tn running her in the Australian trade, and this perseverance in a proper cau i e ought to bring a legitimate and befitting recompense. Full-powered ocean steamers, however, are costly in construction, and expensive in maintenance and as passengers and cargo are not forthcoming on every trip to the extent of a profitable margin, it is scarcely to be wondered at if owners and shareholders of such steamers should have a yearning towards a subsidy to recoup tbem for their outlay in fnrnishing the colony with later mails and despatches from home. One swallow does not make a summer, Jone St. Osyth could not of ,cours,e constitute a mail service, but .she has done a very great deal to show what i might be accomplished in this respect by the establishment of .a line of such steamers. The present passage, besides being t the quickest ever known, has been performed under not altogether favorable circumstances, head winds having been encountered for 16 days after crossing the line, and a slight dissarrangement to the low-pressure engine, causing her to travel at only two-thirds speed for the last 10 days. The necessaryfrepair might have been effected by stoppage for a couple of days, but Captain M'Nabb considered it the most advisable course to keep the steamer travelling at the reduced rate mootioned. But lor the accident there is good reason for Relieving that St Osyth might have been here two dsys earlier. Along with the shortening passage there has also been an economising of fuel, and the consumption on this trip has been three, tons less per day than on any former occasion. The co^l supplied to her bunkers, previous to leaving was best Welsh, and ot the quantity put on board there were 1450 tons us.cd, le.aving her with sufficient for 10 days more steaming. ' rhe)engine-room is still under the control of Mr J. B. Barber, who has been in the steamei since she commenced her Australian career. The St. Osyth is evidently acquiring a good name among pussengers, no fewer than 268 of all classes having come out by her. Of these there were 19 sajoqn apd 92 in the second cabin andsteeruje for M«-lfiourrn;,'and 28 -aloon auu .U9 \a the 'tyvjjui&cka tor Sydney.'

Amongst the Sydney passe, omm . officers and 50 seamep of th> ffcoyal Nar» who have come oue to relieve othfra lfaose time in ,th§. Fiji prujsing cotnpanV hjjd expired Tfc.c passengers, from fi\\ acwfcnts, have had a. good i>me on board, and there was no lack of amusement iri the *fcV of musical and amateur theatrigil entertainments. Captain'" M 'Nabb has also gained the good opinion of jhe people on board, and an address with an accompanvine presentation were given to him as the ahip was neanng to Port Phillip. The address, which makes mention of Mr Ba'rbeT/cßieF engineer, and Dr Barkas, the medical officer on board, and also the ship's officers. Mr A. Williams is still chief officer, Mr H. T. Bovcy second, and Mr J. B Fryer and Mr T. Davies, third and fourth respectively. The health of'theftas'sengera ,has been good throughput ths passage, and ithe 'tween deck accommodation, especially where the naval seamen were Wined, was in good order. One of the ship's crew; named Boyle, died from natural causes (wo days after leaving Plymouth. In addition to her complement ot passengers, the St. Osyth has a tolerably large cargo, upwar .s of 1000 tens of which is fbi 1 this port, and comprises bulk ale, soft goods, oilmen's stores, hardware, &c. The St. Osyth left Plymouth at 3 p.m. on November 18, and passed Madeira when four days and eight hours out. Teneriffe was sighted on November 24, and the steamer crossed the equator on November 3Q, in lon. lldeg. W., her run of 11 days to' the line being one of the fastest porforr mances known. Contrary winds were afterwards met with for 16 days, and the meridian of the Caps of Good Hope was crossed on December 13 in lat. 42deg. #. (24 days out). Heavy weather was fallen" in with in crossing the great Southern Ocean, and the St. Osyih had Jo steam against a ha r d E.N.E, gale on December 16- She was also amongst ice a goad deal, and on the day previous to the gale in lat. 42deg. one very large and several smaller, icebergs were passed, the weather all the while being intensely cold. -Cape Otway was sighted at 2 p.m. on Saturday, and the pilot taken on board 1 at 8 p.m., and at 1 o'clock next morning the St. Osyth had reached Hobson's Bay. Dr D. P. M'Ciea.n, health officer, and Mr A. R. Rose, senior iminigratipn office?, with the shipping reporters, went dpwn the bay in the steamer Hercules to meet her, and the examination of the passenger apr coinmodation was satisfactory. There being no berth vacant at the Sandrige railway pier, the St. Osyth will lighter cargo in the bay, and when the Melbourne portion is all out, most probably on Thursday next, the steamer will resume he voyage to Sydney. ' „ '