ARRIVAL OF THE PHOEBE

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1966, 6 October 1863, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE PHOEBE

270 TROOPS DISPATCHED FROM SYDNEY. DEPARTURE OF THE ECLIPSE AND THE NEW GUNBOAT ON THE 22nd. By the arrival of the Phcebe we are in possession of papers from Sydney to the 25th ult , and from Nelson to the 3rd inst. The S.M. Herald of the 23rd inst says :— Departure of Troops for New Zealand. — Five companies ofthe 12th Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton, left Sydney yesterday in H.M.S. Curaeoa, for New Zealand. The general interest which tbe departure of tbe troops excited was shown in the crowds of persons who followed tbem as they marched through the city, or who assembled at tbe Circular Quay, at Fort Macquarie, and at the other points to witness tbeir embarkation. The troops wbich left yesterday for Auckland consists of companies Nos. 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9, ofthe Ist battalion 12th Regiment, numbering altogether about 270 men, uuder the command of the following officers :—Lieu-tenant-Colonel Hamilton; Captains Veniter, Dowling, and O'Shaugbnessy ; Paymaster Olivey ; Lieutenants Crawhall, Morris, aud De Lacy (Adjutant); Quartermaster Layer ; Ensigns Taylor, Thomas, Cutbill, Gibb, and Britten ; and Surgeon Bartley. The band which accompanied the troops on the removal of the bead-quarters of the battalion, was only tbe field band, consisting of twenty men and a sergeant. Tbe order was for the men to fall in at the Victoria Barracks, at a quarter past one o'clock ; but at that time the clouds were very portentous, and shortly afterwards a violent hailstorm came down, followed by heavy rain, which lasted for nearly two hours, the consequence of which was a delay in the starting. At twenty minutes to three o'clock, the troops, headed by the bands of tbe Volunteer Artillery and of tbe Sydney Battalion Volunteer Rifle Companies, marched from the barracks, and proceeded along the South Head Road, Collegestreet, Macquarie-street, and Bridge-street, to the Circular Quay, where the steamer Breadalbane was in readiness to convey them to the frigate. Throughout the march the bands played various inspiriting tunes, the soldiers joining in with their voices. Assembled on the wharf to watch their departure was a dense throng of people, conspicuous amongst whom were the wives and other relatives of tbe soldiers ; the partings between whom was a very affecting scene. As the Breadalbane left the wharf, the troops were greeted with hearty cheers, waving of hats aud handkerchiefs, and other demonstrations of enthusiasm from the people on the wharf, the band playing " Auld langsyne-" Colonel Kempt, Captain Lovell, and the other officers who remain in Sydney, and several other gentlemen accompanied the troops to the frigate. The Breadalbane was soon alongside tbe Curaeoa. aud the troops re-embarked in companies. At about five o'clock the frigate tripped her anchor and steamed down the harbor iv company with H.M.S.S. Eclipse, with the gunboat in tow, tbe troops being loudly cheered from the vessels lying near, and from the shore. Much sympathy was felt for the soldiers, a large number of whom have left wives and families in Sydney, and many hopes were expressed that the speedy termination of the war would enable them to return to their homes. The same jurnal says: — "The following quantities of ammunition were shipped on board the New Zealand gunboat yesterday, viz : — 6O cases shot and shell, 600 cartridges for the 24-pounders, 1000 tubes, 10,000 Terry's rifle cartridges, 12,000 caps, 18,003 revolver cartridges, and about 100 loose shot. The Sydney papers bave intelligence from the Cape of Good Hope that the Alabama, Captain Semmes, visited that port on tbe 10th of August, aud within sight of Cape Town, 1 captured a Federal ship, the Sea Biide. Capt Semrnes and his officers were quite lionised by the Cape Town people. It is reported that a nugget weighing 4 lbs. has been discovered at the Buller Diggings. Mr Stafford addressed the Nelson electors on the 28th ult. He went over the New Provinces Act, defeuding the principle of popular government in which he declared that Act was based, affirming tbat so long as tbe principle wbs uuaffected, he should have no objection to an amendment and even the abrogation of this act. He also went into the war question at great length ; spoke of the danger of running into debt too deeply, and expressed a decidedly adverse opinion as to the projected £300,000 railway loan for Nelson, and gave good reasons for doing so, and answered several questions I touching on the Waitara purchase, the Special J Juries Act, aud various other subjects. The audience was very large and attentive. Oc J the motion of : Dr Vickerman, seconded by Mi Issac Hill, a vote of thanks to Mr Stafford foi > 1 his attendance and the address he had delivered I was unanimously passed.

An office has been opened at Nelson for the enrollment of Volunteers for the Waikato. The Lord Ashley left Sydney on the 25th September for Auckland with volunteers and horses for the Auckland Province. She has just undergone a thorough overhaul, and re< ceived her new boilers. On her trial trip in Sydney harbour she averaged 12 knots. She has been fitted with a steam winch.