TELEGRAMS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3271, 7 August 1871, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

Waegahtji, sth— Noon, Watiganui, from Wellington. Pictok, 5th— 7.40 p.m., Taranaki, from Wellington. 6th— Early, Taranaki, for Nelson. The s.B, Kangatira, Captain Banner, left Dunedin wharf at six a.m. on the 4tb, cloariug Otago Heads at 8 a.m., and arrived at Lyltplton at 6 a.m. on the sth ; sailed again at 7.30 p.m. Bame day, arriving at Kaikoura at 7 a.m. on. the 6th ; left at 8 30 yesterday, and arrived in Wellington harbor at 8 p.m. Experienced fine weather thoughout the passage. The s.B. Wellington, Captain Kennedy, left Onehunga wharf at 10.45 a.m. on Wednesday, the 2nd instant, arriving at Taranaki at 7 a.m. on Thursday; landed about eighty tons of cargo, and sailed at 7 p.m. same day, arriving at Nelson at noon on Friday ; left Nelson at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and arrived at Picton at 7 p.m. ; left Pieton at 1 a.m. on Sunday, and called at the whaling station, where she shipped upwards of eighty casks oil, and arrived alongside tho Wellington wharf at 11.30 a.m. yesterday. During tho whole of her trip to the North she has experienced Tery squally and unsettled weather. The Nebraska arrived in harbor yesterday morning about eight o'clock, making the passage from Lyttelton in about eighteen hours. She took her departure again at 6 o'clock in the evening, for Napier, Auckland, and Honolulu. During her short stay here she took on board 250 tons coals. At 6 p.m., a gun was fired as an intimation to passengers to get on board ; and, at 7.30 p.m., another gun was fired as she was lea ring the harbor. Just aa she was getting uuderweigb, an accident occurred, which might have ended fatally. The inner pilot was on board the steamer, and his boat, with the crew, was towing astern j when a splash was heard in the water. Tho pilot's crew pulled up to see what it was, and found it to be a man who had fallen overboard from the Nebraska. His head was under •water at tho time, and he was quite helpless. With some difficulty they succeeded in getting him into the boat, and from tbence on board the vessel. He proved to be one of the ship's stewaras, who, in the darfcness and bustle consequent upon getting underweigh, had fallen overboard unobserved. Had not the pilot's boat fortunatelj been towing astern of the Nebraska, the man would have been drowned, and she would have gone away without anybody on board being aware of the accident. As we published no description of this ship on her first visit to this port, we append the following particulars : — Tiie Nebraska was originally built for the Aspinwall lino, by Hy. Steers, of New York, after which she was bought by Mr Webb, who replanked and double-strapped her throughout, She is commanded by Captain J. Harding, of the Pacific Mail and Webb Lines. The Nebraska is 270 feet long, has a breadth of forty feefc, and twenty-six feeb depth. She is schooner rigged, and is classed Al (Asterisk) at Lloyd's, being an extra mark. The engines are of 2000 horse-power, vertical beam with cylinder eighty-one inches in diameter, twelve feet Btroke, fitted with patent surface-condensers. The vessel will make twelve knots easily, at a consumption of thirty-one tons of coal per diem. The coal bunkers have a capacity of 750 tons, allowing ample margin for all contingencies. The engines were built by John Roach and Son, Etna Works s New York, in 1867. The vessel draws sixteen feet of water, ■with all her coal, &c , on board. She has three decks, including her hurricane deck. The beam on deck takes away from the trim appearance of English steamers, but it is tho fashion prevalent in American steamers, and after the novelty has worn off does not really detract from the outward dress of the vessel. The difference between the old system of ocean travelling in tardy cumbrous vessels with bad provisions and worse- water, smali and ill -ventilated cabins, and the present floating palaces of vast eizo nnd elegant appointments, with ice preserved provisions, abundance of pure water, and cabins large and well ventilated, now make travelling a delight. The loss of the Premier, at Oamaru, is thus commented on by tho Oamaru correspondent of the "Otogo Daily Times ": -On this occasion, as on all others, the Bluff, which h an apparent protection to the port, an 1 is really so when tho wind is from tho south, •was tho cause of the vessel's loss, and, with a N.E. breeze, she simply drifted on to the Cupo rocka after slipping her anchor, there not being room fov her to work out. Whether it id prudent for vessels to remain until placed in this jeopardy is a question for nautical men. On this occasion it was not deemed that there was anything very threatening in the weather, until the wind had nearly died away and the sea rose. Otherwise the Beautiful Star, which was in port on Sunday morning, might have been employed to tow the burquo out beyond the Cape. The vessel lies xight inside the piles of the haplc?s jetty, and had the sea wall, now being commenced, been run out 300 or <JOO feet, it is more than probable that the vessel niijiht have been secured inside it, by means of mooriugg, until a Bteamor could have been got to tow her into a eafer position. The loss of co fine a vessel is only one more argument for hastening the completion of works that will not only afford protection for vessels of moderate &ize, but grealty facilitate the rapid dischurgo and loading of larger ones, and thus limit the period of their stay in the open roadstead. In the meantime, should not tho rule be, that directly the wind blows from the N.E. vessels should be instructed at once to put to sea, or to tho outer anchorage, except small fore and affc eoaeters, which can be more readily worked out? The question of the power of Jarrnh, or Western Australian red gum to resist, after it has been by age, immersion in water, or otherwise divested of its sap, the attacks of tho sea ■worm appears to bo set at rest by tho examination of tho false keel of the barque Ifnirfield, of Port Adelaide, This was put on about

five years ago, since which time the vessel has been engaged in the intercolonial trade, and the keel was removed within the last month on the patent slip. The wood, of which a piece has been sent to us, appears to have been entirely riddled by the sea worm, which is popularly supposed not to attack this kind of timber. The captain, as we understand, states that the wood was sound -when first put under the ship, and it is worthy of note that it is not the snp wood, but the heart, which the worms had eaten. This exactly bears out the opinion of Mr Mais, publicly expressed some time ago, with regard to the capability of Jarrah timber to resist the at tacks of marino or other insects.— South Australian Register. The ship Crusader, Captain Robert Kcrr, suili d from Lyttelton for London on the 3rd insl.ant. She weighed anchor at ten a.m., and got cloar of the Heads with a fine 3.W. breeze shortly after. After the barque City of Newcastle had been taken into the Dunediu floating dock on Wednesday, and beforo being put up on tho blocks, a strong breeze sprang up, and she was hauled out again, and brought up close to, but will be docked tho first favorable oppor- ! tunity. A private telegram received at Dunodin states that tho schooner Pioneer, of Dunedin, from Polorus Sound with a cargo of timber, lias been wrecked on the Kaiapoi bar. All hands wore saved. She was insurod for £300 in the New Zealand office, her value being £450. , • „ , Some excitement, has been caused in Melbourne by tho picking up the head board, supposed to belong to the MneDuff, as showing she was lost when going homo. The Lincolnshire nurrowly escaped being wrecked inside Port Phillip Heads in a heavy gale. She parted one oi her anchors, and dragged six miles. The iloatiug dock at Dunedin still receives a fair share from vessels requiring its accommodation. The barque City of Newcastle is now in, undergoing a (borough overhaul and repair. The vexed question of tho leak in the stone graving dock at Port Chalmers has not yet been settled between tho contractors and tho dock trust ; but should a case of emergency occur requiring the docking of a large vessel, there is no doubt that terms could bo come to for such purpose. The ship Jean Sands — an unexpected arrival—put in her appearance at tho Heads on Tuesday, tho 25th, from Hong Kong, and sailed up to the discharging anchorage on tho flood tide. She brought 316 Chineso passengers for this port only, and a general cargo for Melbourne. She left Hong Kong on the 30th April, camo through the SoolooSea, Molucca, and Pitt's passages, with variable winds ; and passed through Ombay passage on the fortieth dny out. Had fair trades to 25 S., long. 110 E. Bafllinj winds followed to tho 7th instant, when westerly breezes prevailed ; rounded Capo Leuwin on the 10th, and passed the south end of Tasmania on the morning of the 20th ; sighted the Snares on tho evening of the 23rd, and bowled along wilh a strong sou' -wester until nearing tho Heade, when the wind died away, and camo in from N.E., enabling her to sail up the harbor. Although bringing so many passengers, the ship looks clean and tidy reflecting credit on her commander and officers. Her master, Lefavour, informed us that the ship Golden Sea was to leave Hong Kong for this port on the 2nd of May, with about 460 Chinese ; the Noord Brabant was to follow, and other vessels were laid on for Otago, in all to take about 1700 Chinese passengers for this port. — " Otago Times." Those vessels now due and expected to arrive daily at; Dunediu are the Carrick Castle and Shun Lee, from London ; tho Agra, Gamecock, Belle, and Sunny Region, from New York ; tho Golden Sea, Noord Brabant, and three others, from Hong Kong ; and tho William Davie, from Glasgow.