TELEGRAMS.

Wellington Independent, Issue 3293, 4 September 1871, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

PiCTON : 3rd— 7-15 p.m., Taranaki, from Wellington. 2 a.m., Taranaki, for Nelson. The steamer Rangalira has been hauled alongside Bethune 'and Hunter's wharf for the purpose of receiving the new boiler which has been specially made for her by Mr Seager. The b.B. Wellington, Captain A. Kennedy, left the Manukau on Tuesday last, 29th Aug., and arrived off Taranaki the following day at 1 p.m. ; left again for Neleon the same evening at 7 p.m. ; arrived at that port the following merning at 10 a.m., just too late for the morning's tide, and was consequently obliged to anchor outside the Boulder bank until the next tide. She got alongside the wharf at 8 p.m. ; left for Picton the following day, Ist inst, at 10.30 a.m. ; arrived there at 7 p.m. ; left again at midnight, and on her way to Wellington called at the whaling station at To Awaite to pick up 46 casko of oil, after which shfi steered direct for this port, and arrived alongside the ■wharf on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Messrs McMeckan, Blackwood, and Co.'s s.s. Alhambra, from Melbourne via Bluff Harbor, left Hobson's Bay railway pier at i> p.m. on the 24th ult; cleared Port Phillip Hends at 6.30 p.m., and passed Swan Island on the following day at 3 p.m. Experienced strong S.W. gales for the first two days, then strong S.E. winds till arrival at Bluff at 6 a.m. on the 30th; discharged cargo and embarked passengerß, and left at 3.30 p.m. same day ; arrived at Port Chalmers on 31st August, at 10 a.m. : left Port Chalmers on Ist September at 430 p.m.; arrived atLyttelton on the 2nd, at 12.30 p.m. ; left same day at 8 p.m., and arrived at Wellington on the 3rd, at 1 p.m. She brings no passengers for this port. The ship Edinburgh Caßtlo, Captain Cape, hauled out into the stream on Saturday afternoon, and on Sunday morning sailed for London direct, with a fresh fair wind. She was in excellent trim forsailing.and, being a clippor ship, -we anticipate she will make a rapid passage home. The despatch used in discharging and loading this vessel is alike creditable to her commander -and to her -agents, Messrs Levin & Co. She arrived in this harbor on the 2nd July, with a full cargo of merchandise, and left the wharf on the 2nd September, •with a full cargo of colonial produce The fiteambr Nevada arrived from the Southern ports yesterday morning, received her mails punctually, and at half- past sis Bailed for Honolulu, via Auckland.

Oil her last passage from Groyrnouth to Wanganui, says the " Chronicle,", the steamer Wallabi experienced extremely rough weather all the way across. The cabin several times had to he bailed out, through the heavy seas washing over the ship. In crossing the bar a sea struck her stern and carried away part of the companion, besides washing tho two men away from the wheel along tho quarter deck. Fortunately they were not much hurt.

The Otago Dock Board have adopted tho following scale of charges for the use of the dock : — All vessels will be liable to a dock rate according to tho following seale — Vessels of 1000 tons and upwards, 6d per ton per day ; 300 and under 1000, 6{& per ton per day j 800 and under 600, 6|d do ; 700 and under 800, 6£d do ; 600 and under 700, 7d do ; 500 and under 600, 7-£ d do ; 400 and under 600, 7£d do ; 300 and under 400, 7£d do ; under 300 tons. 8d do. Double rates will be charged for the day of docking. Tho dock dues will include and cover the cost of pumping, Bhoriug, wedges, and blocking ; and the oosfc of all labour connected with opening and closing, tho dock, and all incidental labor connected with tho docking of the vessel. Messrs Cavgills and M'Lean, of Dunodin, have roceived telegrams via San Francisco stating that the ships City of Dunedin and Christian M'Ausland, from this port, arrived in London on the 30th June and 30th July respectively. Also that tho ship James Nicol Fleming sailed from the Clyde for Otago on the Bth July. The following is an analysis of the voyage made by the ship Merope to Lyttelton : — Crossed tho Equator at midnight o» July 5, 29 days 9 hours out from Gh-avesend ; 24|- days from time of landing the pilot at the Isle of Wight, and 23 days 19 hours from tho Start Point, distance- 3802 miles ; passed tho meridian of the Cape of Good Hope, July 24, at midnight, 19 days after crossing the equator, and distant from it 4030 miles ; thence to Stewart's Island, New Zealand, reached on the 20th July, the distance was 6117 miles. These distances show tho following average: — From Pilot leaving to equntor — distance, 3802 miles, average speed, Gh knots ; from the equator to the Cape — distance, 4020 miles, average speed, 8J kuots ; from tho Capo to Stewart's Island— distance, 6117, average speed, 10 kuots ; thus making the passage from Start Point to Stewart's Island in 68 days 13 hour? ; and from Gravesend to Lyttelton in 75 days 23 hours, which is, wo believe, tho fastest passnge on record.