H.M.S. DIDO.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1688, 16 July 1875, Page 2

H.M.S. DIDO.

The Queen of the South while in distress off the East Cape on the 15th inst., spoke H.M.s. Dido which was going South under easy sail. The Dido as soon as the condition of the Queen of the South was made out, clapped on sail and bore down to her asking the captain if any assistance was required. The captain replied in the negative. When last seen the Dido had a fair wind and was running under all sail. Captain Chapman desired to be reported.

TheN.Z.S.S. Company's s.s. Wellington, M. Carey, commander, arrived at Onehunga at 830 a.m. to-day. She left Port Chalmers at 3 p.m. on the 9th instant; arrived at Lyttelton 9 a.m. lOsh, left at 4 p.m.; arrived at Wellington 9 a.m. llth. She was there chartered by the Government to convey immigrants ex Lammerthagen, from Hamburg, for Hokitika and Taranaki, and left at noon on 13th ; arrived at 4.45 p.m. same day, left again at 6 p.m. ; arrived at -Nelson at 4 a.m. Transhipped 75 immigrants to A.S.P. Charles Edward for Hokitika, and after discharging a large cargo lefb at 5 p.m.; arrived at Ta-ranaki at 8 am. on 15fch, landed 78 immigrants for that port, and left at 6 p.m.; arriving as above. Experienced variable winds and fine weather during the passage. Passengers :—Saloon : Mr and Miss King, Mrs Cooley and child, Messrs Murphy, Hedley, Fernandez, Herrick, Gore, Chudleigh, andWetto. Steerage: Mr and Mrs Manning, Mr Andrews, Mr Deßourges, Mr Bell,

The barque Queen of the South, 376 tons, Captain Adair, arrived this morniDg from Lyttelton, after a long and bad weather passage. She left on the first inst. with a fresh S.W. breeze, which hauled to the N.E. on Sunday morning, blowing up into a heavy gale accompanied by high seas in which the Bhip laboured heavily, taking over large volumes of water. While hove to under mizen and fore-top mast staysail in the afternoon the cargo suddenly shifted, causing the ship to wheel over at a dangerous ?ngle, the lee-aide being completely under water for 16 hours. On Monday the gale veered to S.W. The heavy seas breaking over the vessel carried away the starboard side of the deck-house. Xioat fore-top-mast staysail, main-top-mast staysail and jib. Thi3 state of things lasted till midnight on Tuesday, the 6th inst., when the wind moderated. On the 7th the gale came on again from the westward with tremendous sea, and the vessel was again under water. Oa Thursday, the Bth, it became finer, and an opportunity was afforded of pa'tially righting the cargo and of sending down the royal yards. All the chain was shifted to the port side with a view to place the ship upright. On Sunday night another gale from the S.W. veering to W. was experienced, The ship, though rolling very heavilly, made much better weather of if. This gale lasted till Tuesday, when it subsided for a time but freshened up again on Wednesday. It blew heavily till 8 o'clock yesterday morning, when tbe weather settled down fine with gentle breeze and smooth water. Made the Great Barrier at noon yesterday Southerly winds till arrival.

The three-masted schooner Farlie arrived this morniug from Lytteltob, which port she left on the 28th ult. Had W B.W. winds at starting, followed by a N.E. gale on the next day. Passed the schooner Ethel on the sth, lying off the Gape. Same evening passed the Cape. On the Bth instant, being at that time to the North of the East Cape, it came on-to blow strong from the S. W. Having lost a lot of the canvass, Captain Morris was unable to fight through it, and to this circumstance the long passage is to be attributed. Made the Barrier on the 11th instant. The Fairlie anchored from the 12th to 15th in the Waikaware Bay, it blowing a strong S.W. gale all the time. Fine weather thence to arrival.

Messrs Sims and Brown are constructing a slip at their yaid at the North Shore for the purpose of hauling up the ps Lady Bowen, which is to be shoitlv laid up *o be lengt-ened ac-d otherwise renovated. It was in digging the holt-s in which the supports of the windlass ar« to be secured, tbM the skeleton was found, to which re'ereuce ha* already been made in our columns. We learn that it is intended to supply the Lady Bowen with new and more poweif ol engines, while an additional length of from 12 to. 15 feet will afford room for the formation of a lady'a cabin. Both alterations are very necessary.

The launch of Captain Casey's new steamer, of which we gave a description in our last isiue, came off at four o'clock yesterday afternoon vvhen the dogshores were knocked away, the vessel glided imoothly and rapidly down the ways into the sea, when she was immediately tab en in charge by tbe llctle steamer JSclipse, and towed over to the Mechanics' Bay intake. When the vessel bzgan to move, a daughter cf C*pt:tiD C-isey dashed the baptismal bottle of champagne against her bows, and named her the "Minnie Casny." The arrangements of the launch were very efficiently superintended by Mr BrowH. We understand that the new engines will be on the compound surface condensing principle. After the launch, which was as successful as could well be, and ■n&s witnessed by a great number of persons, "Success to the Vessel," and to the "Owner and Builders" was drunk in the workshops on the yard.