TELEGRAMS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3216, 3 June 1871, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

Napier; 2nd; 5.45 p.m.— Loid Ashley, for Wellington. The s.s. Omeo, Captain Calder, arrived in harbor yesterday afternoon at 3.30 p.m. from Melbourne, via Otago, Timaru, and Lyttelton. Tho following is tho report of tho passageShe leffc Hobson's Bay at 2 p.m. on the 20fch instant, cleared the Heads at 5.15 p.m, ; passed the s.s. Alhambra off Swan Island at 5.40 p.m. on the 21sfc ; made the eoasfc afc noon on fche 25th, and arrived off fche Bluff afc midnight, having experienced ■ lighfc variable winds first part of fche passage, and latter part strong S. and S.S.W. gales. Leffc the Bluff afc 3.45 p.m. same day, and had fine weather to arrival afc Dunedin on Saturday afc 7.30 a.m. She sailed for Lyttelton on Monday at 4 p.m., called afc Timaru, and arrived at Lyttelton on v the 31efc May afc 10 a.m. ; leffc Lyttelton letJune afc 10 p.m., arriving as above. The s.s. Wanganui arrived last night shortly after nine, after a pleasant passage from Wanganui, which port sho left yesterday at 8.30. A sealing expedition, bound for tho We3t Coast, is detained afc Riverton by stress of weather! Ifc consists of three boats, manned by about 20 Maoris. A telegram was received by the Harbor Master yetterday, to the effecfc fchafc the schooner Lady Darling had been driven ashore on the beach at Riverton, it is supposed from the Howell's Roads anchorage. — " Otago Daily Times," 20fch ulfc. A report was circulated in town on Monday to the effect that the Lady Darling schooner, bound for Molbourne wifch a cargo of grain, had grounded, and was in a somewhat perilous position on the Riverton bar. The rumor was so far correct, but we are happy fco state that the floated off, and now lies afc anchor in the roadstead under Howell's Point. Her detention there is due to the fact that the pilot and his crew were on board, their boat being an inferior ono and unfit to cross the bar in its present state. This is not creditable to the Government — a pilot station without an efficient boat for all weathei*3 is an anomaly. — " Southland News," May 24th. We may expect a visit shortly from a steam corvette, the Princess Clotild'e, under the command of Commodore Racchia, in fcho service of H.M. the King of Italy. That gentleman has been entrusted with a diplomatic mission to some of the potentates of Asia. At the coast of Siam, on the lsfc of January la3fc, he exchanged ratifications of the treaty of commerce and navigation concluded with fche two kings of thafc country in Ootober, 1868, and received from their Siamese Majesties a distinguished decoration, and a valuable collection of antique coins of the country. Commodore Racchia transacted his business with the Government through the English consul afc Bangkok, who speaks Siamese fluently, and the "Gazetta Officiale" of Italy of the 17th of March Jast contains an interesting account of tho mission and of the barbaric spleudour of the court and its appurtenances, whero all the principal officers are clad in sheet armour of solid gold studded wifch diamonds, while their legs from the kneo downwards, and their feefc, aro perfectly pare. A curious mixture of Oriental pomp and Western Bcience is presented in tho army, for the artillery is mounted on elephantß, while the crude infantry are armed with the Snider rifle. Commodore Racchia 6tates that in Siam, as in China and Japan, a profound impression had been produced by tho Italian occupation of Rome. Tho effect he describes as something " magical," so much so that he was perfectly astounded by ifc. Afc fche latest date tho Commodore had proceeded to Burmah, for the purpose of opening up commercial relations between that country and Italy.—" Argus." We are sorry to have to record the death of an old coasting captain, which took place yesterday afternoon in the harbor. Captain Taylor, of the schooner Bee, left the Railway Wharf in the ketch Volunteer's boat, which was loaded deeply with stores. In tlie boat were fcwo sailors — Henry Harrison and William Laurence — belonging to fche Bee. It was remarked by some persons, and fche seamen, that fche boat was too heavily loaded for such weather, tho wind blowing heavily, and in strong gusts from the nor'-west. All went right until the boat gofc wifchin ten yards of tho vessel, and, whilst going under her stern, a puff caught the boat, she began fco fill, and turned bottom upwards. Harrison informs us thafc he, not being a good swimmer, stuck to tho boat ; Laurence, being able to swim, clung to a paddle. Captain Taylor was swimming, and Laurence took off his hafc, bidding hiu^ do his besfc, but Taylor was exhausted, and told him to look to himself. The men wero drift ed down the harbor, and a boat from the ketch Ann pufc off to tbe rescue, and picked up the

two men. The pilot bonfc aud staff were quickly off to the scene of the accident, bufc nothing could bo done, as the wind and tide prevented any search. A singular fatality has attended Captain Taylor. This was to have been his last voyage in the schooner, and his two sons also losb their lives by drowning some timo since.—" Lyttelton Times," May 30. We (" Argus") learn thafc we may soon bo ' visited by another Dutch man-of-war. Mr I Ploos Van Amstcl, tho consul-general of the Netherlands, has been directed by his Government to visit the harbors and settlements on the west, east, and north coast of Australia, and also to visit New Guinea, wifch a view to promote tho.now increasing commercial relations between theso colonies and the Netherlands' India possessions, and also to report or. tho commercial resources of the latter island. His Excellency the Governor-General of Netherlands India, who has taken greafc interest in this scheme, and used his best exertions to promote the project, has now been instructed by the homo government to fit oufc an expedition from Java, which will leave Batavia about tho end of this month for Melbourne, to lako tho consul-general on board, who has been entrusted with the direction of the expedition. According to the accounts recoived by last mail from Java, H.N.M.S. corvette Curagoa is being fitted oufc and made ready for sea. She is said to be a fino vessel, ancl is commanded by Capt. Bowler, a gentleman much esteemed and well-known in the Dutch navy for the services ho has rendered to the Dutch Govornment. It is not yet decidod which route, whether the eastern or western, will be taken, but ifc is assorted that the firsfc ports of call will be either Brisbane or Fremantle. We are in a position to state that Mr Van Amstel, who is well-known for tbo interest he takes in the progross of these colonies, having been a resident amongst us for 18 years, will be happy fco render any services to the colonies whilst in his visit to the various settlements, and we havo no doubt fchat fche various colonial Governments will afford this important expedition the assistance they may require. Ifc i 3 said that Mr Scheffer, the director of the Botanical Gardens at Buifcenzorg, will accompany the expedition. We likewise may state that great alterations have taken and are about to tako place in the commercial policy of the Netherlands-India Government, which are of greafc interest and importance to these colonies. We are informed fchafc a new sugar law will come into oporation at tho beginning of nexfc year, by which the planters and manufacturers will be aVowed the entiro free disposal of their produce, instead of, as formerly, when tho planters and manufacturers wero compelled to deliver two-thirds of their crops to the Government afc a certain prico, and had only tho free disposal of one-third of their produce. As is known, the Dutch Government consigned those two-thirds to Holland, to be sold thero, and it is fully expected that by this new law the greatest part of the sugar will bo henceforth be sold in Java, and that the sugars manufactured will be more in accordance with the requirements of the various markets to which they are shipped. As the crops last year in Java amounted to 180,000 tons, and are increasing rapidly, this change is worth the attention of our merchants. Wo also hear that ifc i 3 contemplated to abolish the differential duties on exportation of sugar to other countries than tho Netherlands. These changes havo for some time been ably advocated by tho Chamber of Commerce in Batavia, under the presidency of Mr Van Delden, and must, tend materially to increase the prosperity and commerce of the Netherlands India possessions. Under theso circumstances, the establishment of a lino of steamers between tho Australian colonies and Java would lead to mutual benefits j and wo learn that fcho Netherlands India Government is willing to encourage such an undertaking by a liberal assistance in the way of subsidy.