Shipping.

Evening Star, Issue 3174, 23 April 1873, Page 2

Shipping.

HIGH WATER. TO MORROW. Heads 1 Port Chalmers I Dunedin 1.9 p.m. 1 L3O p.m. 1 2.24 p.m. PORT CHALMERS. SAILED. April f23—Beautiful Star, 575 tons, Belton, for Lyttelton. CUSTOM HOUSE, DUNEDIN. This Day. inwards. Pretty Jane, 101 tons, Christian, from Molyne .Tane Hannah, 52 tons, Kerns, from Catlin’s river. outwards. East Lothian, 348 tons, Williams, for Auckk'pLgmar, 44 tons, Walker, for Oamaru. Chattanooga, 527 tons, Freeman, for Hong Kon tr . Margaret Galbraith, 841 tons, Cowan, for London. PROJECTED DEPARTURES. City of Bombay, for London, May 5. East Lothian, for Auckland, in a few days Lutterworth, for London, May 15 Claud Hamilton, for Melbourne, via Bluff, May 2 Alhambra, for Melbourne and Northern Ports, May 2 Meteor, for Napier, April 24. Mary Van Every, for Oamaru, April 24 Samson, for Oamaru, April 25 Taranaki, for Northern Ports, April 29 Maori, for Timaru and Lyttelton, April 26 Redcliff, for Moeraki and Kakanui, April 26. Vessels In Port Chalmers” Bay this day Ships: Margaret Galbraith. Lutterworth, At the Railway Pier Ships : City of Bombay, Euterpe. Barques: East Lothian, Adelhcid, Chattanooga.

The ship Beautiful Star was towed to'sea by the Geelong this forenoon. She proceeds to Lyttelton with about 200 tons of grain, and there fills up for London. It is understood that immediate steps are to be taken for enlarging the pier accommodation at Port Chalmers in connection with the railway, by running out another wharf parallel with the present one. The new wharf will run from under the cliff, and project out in the direction of the hulks. The depth of the water, etc., has already been surveyed, so that, in all probability, something definite will be known shortly. SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. Gkf.ymouth, April 23, 12.30 p.m.—Albion, from Nelson. Lyttelton, April 23, 12.30 p.m.—Wellington, from Dunedin. WHOLESALE SMUGGLING AT STEWART’S ISLAND.

A correspondent signing himself “Whale Oil,” writes as follows to the Southland Kcrvs of the 2nd inst. ;

Since the time that the notorious Captain M'Grath landed from the whaling brig Grecian at Stewart’s Island a quantity of spirits and tobacco, with a view to defrauding the Customs, nothing in this particular line has been brought to light until yesterday, when it was discovered that a most gigantic case of smuggling had been perpetrated at Port William, Stewart’s Island. As a well conceived and dexterously carried out scheme, it equals anything in fiction. It will be remembered that the American whaling barque Matilda Sears has, during the past three months, frequently put into Port William—.sometimes to cut in a whale ; at others, stress of weather was alleged as the cause. The bare pie is about 300 tons register, carries an immense spread of sail, has very fine lines, with good hold of the water, and consequently she works to windward like a shot. She is altogether r superior vessel to those generally employed in whaling. On her first visit to Port William she remained about fourteen days. During this time her captain (who, by the way, was first lieutenant of the Confederate cruiser Shenandoah) made himself very agreeable to the residents there, and especially so to those sailing the fishing and oystering cutters. To secure their esteem and future services, he made them presents of fancy tobacco in tin foil, and slop clothing, such as is generally to be found in a whaler’s outfit. His next move was to inquire if there was any Customs officer on the island, and when informed there was not even a policeman, nor in fact a Government official of any description, he did not disguise his astonishment. This smart American secerns to have immediately discerned the facilities such a circumstance opened for doing a stroke with the mainland by the aid of the oyster cutters, and at once set about the idea into operation. After, therefore, supplying the local demand with such articles as his ship contained, he employed the Flying Scud cutter to take some iron-work to the Bluff for repairs and post letters, some of which were, singular to say, addressed to the Bluff, Toi Tois, Riverton, and Orepuki. This would seem to indicate that it was not the first visit of the ex-Confederate officer to this part of New Zealand. However, nothing more was thought about it. When the cutter returned he informed her captain that the barque would sail next morning for the West Gape, where there were several other American vessels cruising. Daylight the following morning brought with it a heavy gale from the west-north-west. The American, however, true to his promise of the previous night, and greatly to the astonishment of the oystermen and others, was observed getting under weigh. Opinions were freely expressed to the effect that he would soon discover that beating through the Straits in the teeth of such a gale, even with a favorable tide, was a feat the barque (although a smart vessel) was not competent to perform. Her anchor now tripped from the bottom, she stood out to westward under single-reefed sails. Two or three tacks brought her to open water, where she feit the full force of the gale, which made her careen over until her lee rail was almost under water. Rising, she shot up in the wind, and down came her topsail yards, and another reef was taken in. Shortly after a thick squall passed over, during which she was lost to the view ; nor was she again seen for fourteen days, when she turned up in Port William with a sperm whale taken near Solander’s Island. After the usual process of cutting in, trying out, and stowing the oil, a little relaxation was necessary. The Jamaica was sent forward, while the captain was doing the honors to the crew of two oyster cutters (the Flying Scud and Lerwick) which happened to be alongside. All on board the barque were merry that night, On the followin# morning *i Ircuch ( anudifiu residing on allure, who hud not yet submitted to American soft sawder •• Jamaica and tobacco observed the cutter Lerwick standing out to sea, apparently bound to the Bluff, ihe Frenchman did not give a second thought to that, but he did feel curious on the subject of the cutter being so deep. What had she got, and how hud she got it ? “ Ncvare mind, I shall vait and vntch,” saul he to himself. Ihe barque sailed the following day. When the cutter returned again with a load of timber for the immigration barracks, the Frenchman asked the nkipper what made the cutter so deep on her last trip to the Bluff. A growl about “minding his own business” was the only response. Ibis was a further confirmation of the F jenchmau s idea, that there was something wrong. He, therefore, determined to keep a good look out if the barque returned again; winch she dm after an absence of sixteen days. 'I he success of the captain's last trip seemed to have oveicome his prudence, and, by the aid of the Frenchman (who had just come over), nearly the whole plant has been discovered. It appears that during the barque’s stay at 1 ort William this time, the cutter Flying heart arrived at the Bluff from thence. According to her manifest she had on board what was supposed to be a tun and a-half of whale oil in casks. Shoitly after, the cutter Nightingale arrived and discharged a number of that appeared to contain whale oil. The Margaret Scollay took a similar lot to Riverton, supposed to have been brought from Paihis. The Lerwick •• -instead of going, as it was when seen that morning by rim Frenchman, to the Bluff—went to the ioi iois, and there discharged her cargo, of which there is not a trace to be found. The contents of these three cargoes, to say nothing of the Lerwick’s, viz., that of the Flying Scud and Nightingale to the Bluff, and the Margaret Jscollay to Riverton, could not be less than 10,Go0 gallons. This, at 12# fid per gallon duty, would give L 832 10s., half of which sum, assuming the above to be correct, is duo to the officer making the seizure. The contents of the whole of the casks landed at the Bluff and Riverton havebeen carefully examined, and found to be pure and unadulterated.

[This account does not state of what the seizure consisted; but we have reason to believe it comprised brandy and whisky.]