SHIPPING NEWS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2961, 27 December 1916, Page 8

SHIPPING NEWS

PHASES OP TUB MOON. DECEMBEK. Day. Hr. m. First quarter 2 1 25 p.m. Full moon 10 011 a.m. Last quarter 18 5 36 a.m. New moon 25 B _1 .a.m. First quarter 31 11 37 p.m. MOON. Moon rises to-day, 8.6 a.m.; sets, 10.10 p.m. TIDE, • To-day, 7.8 a.m.; 7.38 p.m. To-morrow, 8.7 a.m.; 8.36 p.m. SUN. Suu rises to-day, 4.17 a.m.; sets, 7.27 p.m. ARRIVALS. TUESDAY, DEOEMBEB 26. MARA2IOA, s.s. (9.25 a.m.), 2598 tone, Mawson, from Lyttelton. DEPARTURES. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26. TAKAI'UNA, s.s. (1 p.m.), 1036 tons, Thomson, for Nelson and Picton. MAPOUBIKA, 6.5. (7.30 p.m.), 1203 tons, Scwell, for Nelson. MAItABOA, s.s."' (8 p.m.), 2598 tons, Mawson, for Lyttelton. EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Takapuna, Nelson, December 27. Maori, Lyttelton, December 27. Kaitoa, Nelson, December 27. Mararoa, Lyttelton, December 28. Nikau, Nelson, December 28. Te Anan, Auckland, Gisborno, Napier, December 29. Meuowal, Lyttelton, Dunedin, Dec. 30. •Painui, London, December 30, Kia Ora, London. January 2. Port Hackinc. New York, January 3.. Akita Maru, Yokohama, January 3. Gogovale, New York, January 6. Dongarra, Montreal, January 7. . Port Yictor, London, January 26.

PROJECTED DEPARTURES. Maori, Lyttelton, December 27. Kaitoa, Nelson, December 27. - Patcena, Nelson, Picton, Dee. 27. TVakatu, Kaikoura, Lytteltoij, Dee. 27. Putlki, Wanganui, December 27. Ripple, Napier, Gisborne. Akitio, December 27.

■Blenheim, Havelock, Pelorus Sound, December 27. Oorinna, New Plymouth, December 27. Kaitoa. Uelßon, December 27. Defender. Hokitika, December 27. Kapiti, December v 27, Kapuni, December 27. Opawa, Blenheim, December 27. Nikau, Kelson, December 28. Mararoa, Lyttelton, December 28. Takapuna, Pieton, Nelson, Dec. 28. Manuka, Sydney, December £8. Tc Anau, 'Lyttelton, Dunedin, Dec. 29. Monowai, Lyttelton, December 30.

MOVEMENTS OF STEAMERS. INTERCOLONIAL SERVICE. WESTRALIA, left Auckland December 19 for Sydney direct. Arrived Sydney December 24. Leaves Sydney on the return trip on Decembor 28, for Auckland only. She turns round at Auckland and leaves the northern port on. January 3, for Sydney direct. Leaves Sydney on January 10 for Auckland, and thence to Dunedin. via tho, usual coastal ports. WIMIIERA, leaves Melbourne January 6 for Wellington direct, and due Wellington January 11. Leaves ■Wellington January 13 for- Melbourne, via southern ports Due Melbourne January 22. PALOONA, leaves Wellington January 8 for Melbourne direct. Duo, Melbourne Japuary 11. • ■

MOERAKI, leaves Sydney after coin? to Hobart on December 28 for: Wellington direct. Due here January and leaves January 2 for Lyttelton. Due back January 4, and leaves same day for Sydney dircct. Due Sydney January.B. MANUKA, arrived at Wellington from Sydney direct on December 25. Leaves Wellington for Sydney December 28, and due Sydney January 1. Lcave3 Sydney January 2 for Hobart, and duo Hobart January 4. RIVERJNA, arrived Sydney from Wellington direct on December 25. Leaves Sydney for Wellington direct, after coins to Hobart on January 4, and due hero January 8. Goes to Lyttelton on January 9, and returns, leaving Wellington for Sydney direct on January 11. Duo Sydney January 15. : • , ~ • > 1 ■ , BY TELEGRAPH! . j COASTAL. ' TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26. ' , NAPIER, Arrived.—Tarawera (10.30 a.m.), from Wellington. NEILS ON. Sailed.—Kaitoa (7.5 p.m.), for Wellington; Pateena' (7.10 p.m.), for Picton and Wellington. / LYTTELTON. - Sailed.—Maori (8.20 p.m.), for Wellington. ! THE WAITOMO'S CARGO. Tho Union Company's steamer Waitomo, which is at present en route from Calcutta to Wellington, Lyttelton, Timaru, Dunedin, and Bluff, is bringing a iuli cargo of corn sacks for the New Zealand harvest. The vessel is due at Bunbury (West Australia) to-day, where she,will load a quantity of.. hardwood and; ' also' take in bunker coal. She will then proceed to Wellington direct, and she should arrive hero about January 12. The Waitomo is expected to reach Dunedin about January 20,

PAN AHA OANAL TRAFFIC. Major-General George W. G-oethals, Governor of the Panama' Canal Zone, in replying In Ms annual report to published criticises of the waterway, declares that the earth movements which have, frequently interrupted traffic through the' Canal finally will be overcome. He gave a review of the geological problems which have been encountered, of the steps taken to overcomo such obstacles, and tile measure ol success attained. - So far as the Oulebra Cut is concerned, he said, "the worst is over, the intervals between movements are becoming greater, and tho quantities of material less."

it is shown in the report that during a, part of the fiscal year 1916, during which tho Canal was opened, 411 vessels passed from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and 376 in the other direction. Of all these only 91 were engaged in the American coastwise trade. The total carco tonnage handled was 3,140,046, as against 4,969,792 the preceding- year, although the waterway was in operation for, only five months -last year. Commenting' upon the reduction in coastwise traffic shown, however, the roport says it was due principally to tho scarcity of ships for foreign trade, which drew American coast-ing-vessels into that service.

Difficulties of the present 'system of levying tolls are mentioned, and General Goethals again recommends that legislation be sought making the earning, capacity of a ship the basis, upon , which charges should be computed. He points out that 2,399,830d01. wero collected in. tolls during 1916. Had the so-called Panama Canal rules applied in measuring the ships, he adds, this sum would have been increased by approximately 400,0C0d01.

SALVAGE OP LUSITAJTIA TREASTJTE. According to tho "New York World," an attempt may bo made next spring to salve tho treasure of the Lusitania. Negotiations are proceeding with the, English underwriters by a New York firm. Thero is a belief that with a reasonable amount of luck tho treasure in the strongroom a.rid in passengers' baggage can be retrieved. The possibility ■of actually Ealving the vessel and .beaching her on tho Irish coast has, it is asserted, been considered, but tho main deterrent is the condition o£ the vessel.

The Lusitania lies 270 feet below the surface, off the Old Head of KinsaJe. Such a depth a few years ago -would, havo rendered salvago practically unthinkablo, but modern improvements in diving apparatus has mado it possible for divers to work at that and even greater depths. If the liner is lying fairly upright there appears to be reasonable hopo of retrieving. the contents of .the strong-room, which is near the purser's offico on one of tha upper decks. The belongings of the wealthy passengers would present even Jess difficulty, as they would be higher up on the promenade decks.

Captain James Thompson, a well-known master who visited Australian and New Zealand ports many times as an officer of the White Star Lino,' has heen made a Lieutenant, 11. N.R.

The 0. and D. liner Port Chalmers left Wellington yesterday morning for Napier. She-will afterwards go on to Gisiborne, subsequently returning to Wellington. The Union Company adviso that the steamers Kamo, Kowhai, Komata, and Kamona -will remain in Wellington -until the Now Year.

The old steamer Mullogh. after lying in the boat harbour at Ly ttqlton ■ for a number of years, was on Wednesday last removed to Governor's Bay, where it is understood she will be used as a store ship. Tho JMlogli is claimed to bo the oldest iron vessel in New . Zealand, having been launched by Messrs. Harland and Wolff about 1855. She mado tho voyage successfully to New Zealand, where she arrived in 1860, and for many years was a familiar vessel on tho coast. 'At a Inter stage she saw service as a trawler. but within recent years she was withdrawn from tlio industry owing to boiler defects.'

Tho TJnion Company adviso that the steamer h'aiapoi left Bunbury lato last week for Lyttolton end Wellington. Sho is bringing a full cargo of Hardwood for the ports named, and is duo at Lyttclton about January 5.