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Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 7, 20 August 1874, Page 3

To the Editor of the Clutha Leader, Sib,—While I do not altogether agree with your remarks as to the management of steamer Lady of the Lake, in so far as the Clutha is concerned, I still am quite of your opinion, viz., tbat. those interested should take steps to secure a proper steam service between Dunedin and Kaitangata, with river boat connection. Messrs. Barling and Co., of Dunedin, in their letter whieu appeared in jour issue of last Thursday, would allow us to suppose that a Company with ri capital of LSOOO, and with the aid of debentures, might put a small fleet ot suitable steamers in the trade. They also, as agents for Messrs. Yarrow «od Hedley, offer to give every information in their power to any meeting which might be held to discuss the matter. Having taken some interest in this very important subject, I venture to request your assistance in publishing the conclusions I have arrived at, at the same time asking yon to believe that I only commit bo great a shock to my modesty because I am personally concerned. When the Southern Trunk Railway is finished and open to public traffic,' we shall get our products carried to town at what rates P The hon. Mr. Richardson puts the price on carriage of minerals at 2d. per mile, and 'should he follow recognised railway cviewe, the coat .of carriage on grain and farm produce generally will be somewhere about 3£d 'per mile. Call the .distance forty-eight miles to the Clutha, then the charge per ton would be—ior minerals, Be.; for farm products, £4s. Sphere will also be terminal.charges of, say, Iβ. 6d. per ton. 'Farmers on the Island., and generally on the river lands, will Jhayeio pay 15s. •6d. per ton for their products if sent by rail, besides.cartage to Depot, and in the case.of the ielandera, puntage. Can a steamer carry .wheat, oats, potatqes, etc,, al

these rates, besides saving cartage and piintage to the settlers ?. As to c0a1,;... the. railway is being constructed in- .such a manner that I doubt its capabilities to do niore than a very ordinary traffic. The present engines can never haul minerals up stich long inclines of one in fifty in sufficient quantity to pay. Heavier engines Can hardly be used so long as 40lb. rails are: kept on these grades. Perhaps, some day, {'t may occur to our. engineers that it might >c profitable to lay stronger rails between the Taieri and Dunedin, so that a heavy pilot locomotive could be employed to haul a fair load over these eight or nine but until then our coal cannot he carried at even such rates as 2d. per ton per mile. To return to the question of a steamer. An iron boat, capable of carrying 100 tons dead weight of .cargo, would cost, built in Dunedin—the hull, with deck, lining, etc., L 2400; masts, sails, anchors, cabin fittings, etc., say L 600; compound engine and boiler, screw, etc., L2.PQ): total, L 5,500. Such a steamer would be very strongly built, be capable of steaming over nine knots per hour, and loaded, draw six feet Bix inches of water. The monthly expense of such a steamer would.be under L3OOO, including insurance.. Say she can make six trips per month, carrying 10Q tons per trip, or 600 tons in all, then 10s per ton would pay expenses, supposing there were no freights ; from the city; of course, there would be incidental expenses and occasional overhauls to "be paid, for: Would not the extra per ton leave margin enough for everything, and a large profit besides P My letter is quite too long already, and perhaps you will let mc add to it on some future occasion, so I shall only remark just now, in conclusion, that a steamer can be built in Dunedin for about the figure I have given, and be of a good model, and strong in construction. Six months would suffice to see her at work from time of oder being given.—-I am, &c, Kaitangata, 17th August, 1364. Jamps Davipsok. J [We shall be most happy to open our columns to Mr. Davidson, or any other correspondent upon this important subject,