TELEGRAMS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3308, 21 September 1871, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

Nblsoh', 20th — 9,15 a.m., Luna, from Wellington. The gfceamship Claud Hamilton, Captain Clarke, arrived afc 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon from Melbourne, Hokitika, Greymouth, and Neison. She left Melbourne on tho 9th, passing fche Sister Island the following day, and from thence to Hokitika had fine weather with freßh westerly winds, arriving afc 10 p.m. on the 15th ; left for Greymouth at 3 p.m. on the 16fch, and was tendered the following morning, and left for Nelson at noon, arriving thore the following day ; left for Wellington at midnight, and arrived as above. The s.s. Ahuriri is due here from the South on Sunday, and will leave again for Napier on Monday. The s.s. Claud Hamilton, Captain Clarke, will leavo for Melbourne via the South this day, afc two p.m. The steamer Gothenburg arrived afc the Bluff yesterday, and will probably leave at her advertised date. The intimation of tho loss of tho clipper hip Lucibelle at Starbuck Island, which was eported by telegram from Sydney a few days ago, is now confirmed by the arrival at Melbourne of the chief officer, Mr J. Schwartz, in fche brigantine Mary, which left Starbuck on July 23. The Lucibelle, ifc will be recollected, left Melbourne aboufc the end of March for Starbuck Island, with plant and gear for working the guano deposits on that island. Mr Schwartz states that on her voyage there she called at Curtis and Macaulay Islands, in the Kermody Group, and afterwards at Ducie Island and the Caroline Islands, looking for guano, and finally arrived afc her destination on May 22, where she landed Mr Arundel, fche representative of the firm of Messrs Houlder Brothers of London. The ship was kopt under sail just off fche island all thafc day, there being a strong current running. Through the night, however, the wind died away, and the ship, about six o'clook on tho following morning, drifted ashore, In less than six hours' time she waa a total wreck, and thore was very littlo else of her visible bufc tho nigbtheads and sternpost. Captuin Gearey and Mrs Gearey and the crew were all saved, but the whole of the cargo went with the chip. Captain Geary and a portion of the crew wenfc home in the Glendower, and the remainder in the Empress, Tvhich sailed for England on July 1. We learn from Westport that the steamer Lyttelton met with an aGcidenfc thore, by coming foul of the anchor of the schooner Canterbury in tbe river. The Lyttelton had a hole in her which leaked considerably since the accident, and she would likely have fco be detained in the lagoon there for come days to get the leakage temporarily repaired. j An accident occurred to H.M.S. Basilisk on Saturday evening, which, however serious it might have proved, fortunately resulted in nothing worse than an alarm to the captain, considerable inconvenience to the officers and crew, and a greafc disappointment to the watermen and intending visitors. A little after 8 o'clock the officer on watch was ttaited by tho snapping of the cable, immediately followed by the drifting of the ship with the tide, which was then flowing, towards a neighboring mudbank, on wbich in a few minutes she grounded. Steam was got up with all possible speed, but befoi'e fche engines could be eet to work the tide had commenced to ebb, the result being that the vessel had to repose for fcho night on her unaccustomed bed, fortunately a very soffc one, and at high water yesterday morning sho was without much difficulty once more got afloat. We had an opportunity yesterday of inspecting the treacherous link of the cable, the breaking of which was tho cause of the accident, and the most inexperienced eyo could detect that it musfc for some fcime have been in a defective state, as the cerjtre part only of the iron presented that bright sparkling appearance poasessed by metal which has not been exposed to fcho action of the atmosphere. Ifc is extremely fortunate thafc the cable should have parted in so calm and smooth a port as that of Nelson, as, had the accident occurred in a harbor with a more rocky bottom, and exposed to the boisterous weather which is customary in some of the other New Zealand ports, it might have resulted in the lose of the ship. — " Nelson Mail." Ifc was understood that an inquiry would bo held in London iuio fcbe causes of tho wreck of the Queen of the Thames. The following extract from a letter received from Mr J. E. Stead, formerly stationmaßfcer afc Caßtlemaine, and who waa passenger to England by the

sleamer, shows that tho investigation lias not been proceeded with : — " I received a subpeena to appear before the Board of Trado on the 15th of June, and in compliance with that I went to London to givo evidence in re wreck of the Queen of the Thames. However, when I got thero tho inquiry was closed, the board feeling a difficulty in proceeding to adjudicate on a matter which had already been inquired into." , t . , The followiug, among other alterations and changes in Messra Green's fleet of Blackwell liners, are reported as accomplished or in contemplation. After above 16 years' service in this trnde, and aboufc 19 years in the Blackwall Hoe, tho clipper ship ship Swiftsure has passed by sale to now owners. Captain Staepoole, who commanded tho good ship during her lust five voyages to Melbourne, and is almost as well-known to the travelling public, has been promoted to tho command of the Shannon, said to bo one of tho finest passenger ships afloat. This vessel is placod in tho Melbourne trade, and is expected to enter her firsfc appearance in those waters about the 20th October. Following (he handsome and already favorite frigate ship Newcastle, now at the Sandrige pier, will be another Blackwall representative, called tho Lord Warren, after the late Duke of Wellington. This ship is duo about the 20th insfc, and comes with a high reputation as an East India passenger ship. She is commanded by Captaiu Smith, late of tlio Wellesley. _ T a TUcro is a movement among tno bihuo* holders of tho Wanganui Sfceam Navigation Company, with o view of asking the directors to purchase the Sfc. Kilda, as a supplementary boafc to the Wanganui. The proposal, says tho " Chronicle," appears to bo one that would tend materially to strengthen and improve tho position of the Company, if the Sfc Hilda can bo obtuined upon fair and reasonable terms. ______„__«„_«_«___«-———