THE CLIPPER SHIP WILD DUCK.-TESTIMONIAL TO CAPTAIN BISHOP.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1770, 23 September 1862, Page 2

THE CLIPPER SHIP WILD DUCK.-TESTI-MONIAL TO CAPTAIN BISHOP.

TO CAPTAIN THOMAS BISHOP. We, the undersigned, Passengers by the Wild Duck, from Wellington to London, desire to express our thanks to you for your uniform kindness and courtesy towards us during the voyage now nearly completed. We have all felt the greatest confidence in your professional' ability, and can bear testimony to the constant, unremitting. attention you have paid to all that could help the progress or ensurej'the safety of your fine ship, in the hope that you may in the future occasionally hays some friendly remembrance of the passengers you have safely conducted half round the world, we beg your acceptance of a tankard that we have deputed some of our number to procure in London, and on which we wish the following inscription to be engraved : — " Presented to Thomas Bishop, Esq., Master of the ship Wild Duck, with the best wishes of the passengers on her voyage from Wellington to London in 1862." (Signed). James May, Maggie Watt, Hannah May, Marion Nicholson, George Heppel, Jessie Harding, Kate Heppel, Agnes Harding, Jessy Levin, Mary Rowlands, Margaret Watt, C, A. Marshall, D. Conacher, C. H. Love, Elizabeth O'Halleron, Emily Tagg, Isabella Rees. W. Rowlands, Minnie Avent, Alex. Clutterbuck. M. Gonacher,

- .*. LONDON WOOL REPORT.— JuIy 23, 1£62. Since our last report but few transactions have occurred, the contracts made being entirely for hand to mouth .operations. The announcement for the sales to commence on the 3 1st July, when the largest quantity ever yet submitted will be offered, likewise had its influence ; opinions being very various as to the probable range of prices caused buyers to prefer waiting, hence the extreme quiet tone of our market. Arrivals to date are — Sydney, 29,517 bales; Port Philip, 25,696;. Van Diemen's Land, 9792; Adelaide, 9767; New Zealand, 14,526; Cape, 13,249; total, 102,547 bales; and which may be cairied up to fully 115,000 bales, should ships now due arrive. With so enormous a quantity it can scarcely be expected that higher prices will be established, but the easy state of the money market and a moderately fair trade in the districts will materially assist prices, particularly if the prospects of the harvest should be satisfactory ; and we doubt not that generally the average prices of May sales will be realised, except for faulty Sydney and Port Philip ; the former will at theses salea exhibit a larger quantity of burry, bad breed, and ill-condi-tioned flocks than probably was ever submitted before, and on these a decline — perhaps a serious one — may have to be submitted to ; for with above 30,000 Sydney in the market, and so great a proportion of this trashy, much difficulty will be experienced in soiling all'; the low price is no inducement to the general body of manufacturers, for many, very many will not buy these descriptions at any price. We touch thus fully on this matter to caution, as we have constantly done, the indifference of buyers to growth and condition. A feeling seems to exist at Sydney and Port Philip, the former more particularly, that so long as wool can be bought at a " quotation," it is quite safe in our market ; hence, growers aro to a certain extent somewhat indifferent, or, if not, it leads to carelessness, and wo feel convinced that when the prices reach Sydney of the result of these sales, our opinions will receive such confirmation as to cause more judgement in the intrinsic value of wool to be exercised, although the heavy losses that will be made on these sorts will perhaps be the best lesson, —Home News.

Judging from the scarcity of all well grown and good conditioned flocks form all parts, we looli for very firm rates, and, perhaps as the sales progress and the scarcety of these descriptions berame more apparent, rather higher rates will bo paid.