VESSELS IN PORT.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1977, 31 October 1863, Page 2

VESSELS IN PORT.

ABterope. ship, from London ; Affiance, barque, from London William Carey, barque, from London Ellon Castle, baTque, from Otago Manukau, three-masted-schooner, from Sydney Louiß and Miriam, brig, from Sydney Sea Serpent, brigantine, from Chatham Islaudi Tyne, schooner, from Wanganui Kate, schooner, from Lyttelton. Coral Queen, schooner, from Fiji Islands Mosquito, cutter, from Nelson, Star of the South, s.s., from Lyttelton Storm Bird, s.s., from the South. EXPECTED AMUYALS. Wonga "Wonga, s.s., from Wanganui, Tarannkl, Raglan and Manukau, about the 3rd Nov. Prince Alfred, s.s., from Sydney sth Nov. Eangatira, s.s,, from the South Sturt, p.s., from Nelson, 9th Nov. Phoebe, s.s., from Canterbury, Otago, and tho Blulf, on the 10th. Lord Ashley, s.s., from Napier and Auckland, 10th Nov. Lady Bird, s.s., from Picton, Nelson, Taranaki, and Manukau, on the 11th. Frowning Beauty, bai-quo, from Sydney John Bunyan, from Gravesend, 91 days out Bride, from Gravosend, 82 days out PROJECTED DEPARTURES. Storm Bird, s.s., for Lyttelton and Otago, on th» sth November. N.Z.S.N. Cob s.s. for Wangannl, Taranakl, Ragla», and Manukau, 6th Nov. Sturt, p.s., for Wanganui and Nelson, 10th Nov. Phoebe, s.s., Kennedy, for Picton, Nelson, Tar&nakl, and Manukau on the 11th Nov. Lord Ashley, s.s., for Lyttelton and Otago, 13th Nov. N.Z.S.N. Co's s.s., for Napier and Auckland, on the 14th Nov. Lady Bird, a.a., for Sydney about the 20th Nov. The Gysisotus. — Any one happening to look towards the north shore on Tuesday afternoon might have noticed a vessel of unwonted aspect crossing the harbour in that direction. This ressel.propelled without any visible agency, evidently attained a very fair rate of speed, and, though the harbour was somewhat rough, appeared to make her way, not much troubled by either winds or waves. She turned out to be the Gymnotus, a small vessel, recently put together by Mr Bach, having been brought from England in frame. Her construction is certainly something diverse from that of most of the vessels which traverse our harbour. She is sixty feet in length by a beam of only six feet. She has, however, a sort of gangway all round, which adds nearly two feet to her bsam, and enables her to be traversed from stem to stern without difficulty. She is covered in by a sort of raised roof of iron, and in the walls or combings, which support thia roof, are a succession of jealousies which exclude any moderate sea that might otherwise wash over her, and in fine weather are useful for the admission of air. She is propelled by a liigh-presßuro engine of twenty horsepower, which works a screw, and her builder anticipates a speed of ten knots per hour. At her trial on Tuesday, she must have made between eight and nine kuots, as she accomplished the runs to Stokes' Point and back, and to the Flag-staff and back, in an average time of a quarter of an hour for each run. Her engine is aft, her boiler amidships, and forward she has a cabin six feet high, and capable of holding twenty-flve passengers — minus crinoline. With passengers on board she would only draw two feet three inches of water. She seems tho very beau ideal of a boat for smQotti WfttW S»Yig«tf°a.--\ft r eW tfWfo/Kfer,

Steau Barges for Waikato. — We learn that Mr Stewart, C.E., who was commissioned to proceed to Sydney by the General Government, and superintend the construction of two steam barges for the Waikato, has completed arrangements with Messrs P. N. Kussell and Co, engineers, Sydney, for the work. Each barge will be propelled by an engine of about 30 horse-power, and a stern wheel. Their dimensions are to be 80 feet by 20 feet The largest will have a draught of eighteen inches, with no men on board. They will be taken over to the Waikato in sections, and put together on that river. They are expected at the Waikato in less than three weeks. — Southern Cross, October 21st Our Shipping.— At the close of the year 1862 there belonged to the Ports of the United" Kingdom 28,440 vessels, of 4,934,400 tons, usually navigated by 228,139 men and boys — an increase in the course of the year of 402 vessels, 127,594 tons, and 3,315 men and boys.— London Evening Mail. ■♦> _