VESSELS IN PORT.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2051, 21 April 1864, Page 2

VESSELS IN PORT.

Eose, barque, from London Valiant, brig, from Lyttelton Success, schooner, from Napier Alert, cutter, from Manawatu Mosquito, cutter, from Picton EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Phoebe, s.s., Ferguson, from Picton, Nelson, Taranaki and Manukau, 28th. • Wonga Wonga, s.s., from Wanganui, Taranaki Wanganui, s.s., from Wanganui Lady Bird, s.s., from Sydney and Nelson Wellington, s.s., from Glasgow Nimroud, from Cardiff PROJECTED DEPARTURES. Lord Ashley, s.s., for Napier and Auckland, 22nd Bangatira, s.b., for Picton, Nelson, Taranaki, and Manukau, 29th Phoebe, b.s., for Canterbury, Otago, and the Bluff, on the 29th.

C&The N.Z.S.N. Company's Queen, is expected here on the 27th inst We understand that Mr Justice Johnston will be a passenger by her. The s.B. Wonga Wonga is due here from Taranaki and Wanganui on Friday next.

The Bangatira will be here from tho Bouth on tho 28th inst, and will leave on the 29th for Picton and northern ports. This steamer will afford a good opportunity to persons desirous of visiting tho new diggings at the Pelorus, as tho Waikamarina can bo reached from Picton in a short time.

The Aldinga, with the homeward mails from Now Zealand, arrived in Hobson's Bay on the evening of the 2fith, having left Dunedin on the ISth, calling at Bluff Harbour the following day to receive the Southland mails. After leaving the Bluff a heavy westerly gale was encountered, which lasted four days. Captain Stewart reports that on no former voyage has he had to contend against such severe weather. Tho Aldinga has again proved herself thoroughly able to carry out the mail service which is entrusted to her. The Aldinga was taken up on Saturday last on the Government patent slip, for an annual overhaul and Government inspection. On examination her hull, which was coated with Borthwick's antifouling preparation, proved to be perfectly free from marine deposits. Having been repainted, and having had her hull to tha waterline coated with Borthwick's patent anti-fouling preparation, was yesterday launched from the Government Patent slip, Williamstown, she was then towed to the swinging buoys, and had her compasses adjusted. Tho Aldinga has also had a new screw iltted.— -Argus.

During the City of Hobart'a passage to Melbourne, Eaßter Monday was observed in a special manner. There being between two and three hundred diggers on board, Captain Darby intimated that prizes would be given for such games as jumping, chalking in stirrups, ducking for half-crowns, laughing in the ring, &c. There was a largo number of competitors, whose ludicrous endeavours to obtain the prizes (endeavours often baffled by the rolling of the vessel) contributed greatly to the amusement of all on board. In the evening a concert took place, and the day's festivities concluded with a hearty vote of thanks to Captain Darby for his courtesy and exertions to enable the passengers to pass a very pleasant day. — Argus. On arriving alongside tho Sandridge Bailway Pier, at midnight, the passengers disturbed tho stillness of tho night by giving three hearty cheers for Captain Darby, and three more for the way in which theßhip was provisioned. We may here mention that Mr Mason's tender, as provider of the vessel, has again been accepted for the current year.— Age.

The barque Panama which recently left Otago with a number of passengers, and was chartered to return to this port with coals for Captain M'Kinnon, has been wracked on her passage from Bockhampton to Newcastle. The following are the particulars as given in the Biisbane telegrams of the Melbourne papers:— "Tho steamer Eagle reports the wreck of the American barque Panama', off Frazer's Island. This vessel loft Geelong some time ago, with sheep for Otago ; thence she took some diggers to Rockhampton for the Peak Down diggings. On her way from Eockhampton to Newcastle she was caught in a cyclone on the 19th instant, and was driven on to Frazer'fl Island, whore she became a total wreck. The cabin boy was drowned, but the rest of the crew and passengers got safe on the island. Subsequently six of the crew, three passengers, the steward and tho mate, left the island in a leaky boat, and have not since been heard of." "The Hero, b.s., from Otago and Canterbury, had a very tempestuous passage. Tho Hero's trip round, via Bluff Harbour, Otago, and Canterbury, and back to Melbourne via Otago, may be ranked as ono of the quickest passages ever recorded. The entire trip throughout has occupied only eighteen days thirteen hours. On leaving Otago heads, on the homeward passage, the Horo was mot by a very violent gale from the south-west. The wind blew with great fury for four days, and on the second day the Hero had only reached the Solanders, under which Captain Logan decided to take shelter. After lying there twelve hours, the gale increasing in violence, ho hovo the anchor and faced tho storm. The gals moderated on the fourth day, towards midnight, when the Hero began to make rapid yr&y.— Argus.

Nine seamen, of the Liverpool barque Castloton, which arrived. at Melbourne from New York a few days ago, were brought before the Bench at Williametown on Thursday week, charged with mutiny. It seems that after leaving New York one of the men refused to do duty, and as the case was a somewhat aggravated ono he was put in irons. Eight of the crew then went aft and demanded the release of their comrade, and, this being refused, they also declined to do their work This state of matters lasted for two or three days, when the original offender succeeded in breaking from his place of confinement, and the attitude of the others was such that the master of the barque was unable to enforce the discipline of the ship by the re-arrest of the prisoner. The men, in fact seemed to think themselves entitled to exhibit on board ship the reckless independence which is supposed to be the characteristic of American rowdies. The men were remanded for a week.— Argus.

Captain Keen, of the ship Flying Cloud, has been committted for trial at Brisbane for giving untrue inforwfttion respecting- the sanitary condition of big ship,

Damage to Shipping at Hob.vut Tovrs. — Throughout Monday night and yesterday morning a galo prevailed, : which, for severity, has been unequalled by any of tha ; season. Tho gale commenced at half-past ten o'clock on I Jfonuay night aud gradually increased to a hurricane. Tho damage occasioned among tho shipping has been considerable. Tho ship Harrowuy, which lay at anchor off the cattle jetty, drugged her anchor at about half-past ten o'clock, and commenced drifting down tho river. Tho ■watch was immediately called, and commenced paying out cable, but the vessel still dragged, and drifted broadside before the fury of the gale. Eventually, after paying out sevonty-flve fathoms of cable, the second anchor was let go, and she was brought up safely off Cox's Beach. The Hairowby was towed back to harbour by tho Twins steamer. In the Constitution Dock tho gale was not so much felt, and we are not aware if any of tho small craft lying there sustained damage. Tho Mocquario schooner, however, sustained a serious loss, her foretopmast snapping short off by the cap. Along the line of the Franklin Wharf there was little damage sustained, beyond tho blowing about of the lighter timber stowed there. At tho New Wharf the damago sustained wasrather more serious; nearly all tho vossels lying there rolled considerably, but at the end of {the wharf, where the Aladdin and the Lombard were lying, the swell was very considerable, and the force of tho wind was greatly felt. At about 1 o'clock one of the after oak timber heads by which tho Aladdin was moored gave way, and shortly afterwards her second chain parted, and she swung round on to the Lombard's bows; her bowsprit caught in the rigging of this vessel, and soon brought down her foretopgallantmast, at tho same time carrying itself away. Captain M'Arthur was immediately sent for, and the wreck having been cleared, the veßsel was soon again brought safely to her moorings At tho Boat Wharf there was a good deal of damage done, several of the boats getting adrift Mobbm Dillon, Dear, and Ware had each whaleboats stove, and there were others slightly injured.— liobart Town Mercury, March IG. Wreck and Loss op Life at Newcastle.— On Saturday morning, shortly after five o'clock, it commenced to rain, the wind being light from south-west Towards ten o'clock the wind increased in violence, and by twelve o'clock it was blowing a heavy galo with high sea. The , brig Drover, which had sailed early in the morning, returned to port, and was with much difficulty towed safely inside. Ono or two schooners got iv all right At about four o'clock three schooners were observed off the the poi% viz., the Moselle, the Catherine Agnes, and tho Zone. The two former vessels managed to anchor to leeward of Nobbys, though not in a very safe position. The last vessel, the Zone, in endeavouring to get in, was compelled to clear the Catherine Agnes, the consequence waa the Zone wont so far to leeward that the anchors would not hold, the sea running high, and in a very short time both cables broke, drifting the vessel over the Oyster bank. It became quite evident the vessel would not weather the shore, and Captain Allen, harbor-master, at once got the life-boat manned. The tug Bungaree, taking the lifeboat in tow, went to the assistance of the unfortunate i schooner, although blowing and raining a terrific storm; j the tug with life-boat in tow, came, up with the schooner j about ono mile from the beach, near the Sand Hills, about ten miles from Newcastle, and succeeded, after several attempts, in taking off the crew from the vessel ; and while returning in tow of the steamer, about eight o'clock, the lifo boat upset, throwing the whole of hor crew into the water. Eight succeeded in getting on tho bottom of the life-boat, which immediately righted; tho other eight were still lnisUng. The steamer returned and retraced her course, and succeeded in picking up four of the unfortunate crew, who were floating about by the aid of their cork jackets. The other four are missinpr, viz., Mr Lovett, pilot, leaving a wife and seven young children; John Houghton, assistant pilotjleavingja wife ; Stockton Allison, ono of the boat's crew, leaving a wife and one child ; the mate of the schooner (unmarried) also perished. This sad occurrence has thrown quite a gloom over the town.— S. M. Herald. LOSS OF THE Sllll> USK BY FIRR— THE VISION OFF CAPE Horn. — A despatch from the British Consul at Coquimbo was received by the Secretary of the Board of Trade, announcing the destruction by flre of tho English barque Usk, while on her voyage from Swansea to Huasco. Before giving the details of the despatch, it may be stated that this was the unfortunate ship which put back early last year "from Cape Horn to England, in consequence of the captain seeing, as he alleged, a vision on the ocean which warned him not to proceed any further on the voyage, and that in the event of his persisting, both him and his ship would be sent to perdition. The vessel's return to Cardiff, after a lapse of nearly six months, in a good seaworthy condition, naturally astonished the owners, more especially when they heard the curious stoiy which' had operated on the captain's mind in putting the ship back when sho had so nearly reached her destination. _ A Board of Trade inquiry was instituted into tho captain's conduct. Tho crew were examined, and they spoke of him as a very careful aud sober master, although, somewhat eccentric in his manner ; and that when they found that ho had put tho ship back without any reason for so doing, the chief mate remonstrated with him, and endeavoured to take charge, which the captain resisted by placing him in irons. The captain was examined, and he solemnly declared that, after what had appeared to him, he could not go on. It was the vision of the Lord, and he was bid not to go on. The result of the inquiiy was that his certificate was cancelled. Anew master was appointed to the ship, and she sailed a second time on the voyage. What happened to her will be gathered from the subjoined document:— "British Consulate Coquimbo, Dec 3, 18U3. Sir,— l havo to inform you that the barquo Usk, from Swansea to Husaco took flro on the 10th of November last, and was abandoned the following day, in lat33°,S. and lon 74° 10. The vessel sailed from Swansea on the 16th of July, and nothing of importance occurred on the voyage up to 5 a.m. on the IGth of November, when smoke was seen coming out of tho hatches, and four tons of blasting powder were taken from the hold and thrown overboard. At 3 p.m. rin explosion took place. The boats were then put out, and at 7 p.m. the ship, being full of smoko fore and aft, was put under oasy sail, with her head towards tho main land. At 8 pjn. the crew left the ship and the boats were towed all night At 5 a.m. of tho 17th flame was seen issuing out of the after hatchway, but in consequence of a heavy sea and the vessel being full of smoko sho could not bo boarded. Both boats were then cut adrift and steered for tho mainland. The master, six seamen, and a passenger arrived at this port on the 21st ult, having been picked up in the long boat by the Chilian schooner Guayacan the previous day. The master and remainder of the crew reached Caldera on the 24th ult. The solo cause of the flro appears to have been the spontaneous combustion of the coal composing the cargo.— l am, &c, G. A. P, Tait, H.B.M. Acting Consul. J To the Secretary, Marino Department, Board of Trade, Whitehall." |