SHIPPING.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 404, 28 September 1875, Page 2

SHIPPING.

PORT OF LYTTELTON. ARRIVED. Sept. 2S—Hawea, s.s., 461 tons, Wheeler, from Northern Ports. Passengers—Mr and Misses Brennan (2), Misses Fibble and Harrison, Messrs Dawson, Pettit, Graves, Cocli, Burnes, Atkinson, Cooke, Bell, Anderson, Coombes, Bushe, Stanbridge, Nesbit, Mullens, Williams, Monah, Wright, Lightband, Terbes, Thomson, Buchanan. Sept. 28—Phcebe, s.s., 416 tons, Worsp, from Northern Ports. Passengers Mrs Graham and family (4), Mrs Williams and family (3), Messrs Budd, Prible; and ten for South. CLEARED. Sept. 28-Phoebe, 416 tons, Worsp, for Dunedin. , Sept. 28—Hawea, 461 tons, Wheeler, for Dunedin. SAILED. Sept. 28—Hawea, s.s., 461 tons, Wheeler, for Dunedin. The U.S.S. Co.'s s.s. Hawea and N.Z.S.S. Co.'s s.s. Phcebe arrived this morning from Northern ports. Both steamers sail for Dunedin this afternoon. ARRIVAL OF THE LACTURA. This fine vessel arrived yesterday. She was signalled early, but it was doubtful for a long time whether the vessel was the Waikato or the longexpected Lactura. The s.s Mullough steamed down to the ship in the afternoon, and on proceeding alongside it proved to be the Lactura from London. She is a fine clipper ship, commanded by Captain Luckes, well known as a skilful commander in the India aud China trade, and a member of the Royal Astronomical Society. The ship is an iron clipper, built in Glasgow by J. G. Laurie, and is a fine specimen of marine architecture. Her length is 237 ft over all: lencth of keel, 225 ft, beam, 4Gft 4in; and depth of hold, 21ft Oin. The saloon is a very handsome one, and fitted up capitally for the accommodation of passengers. It is large, high, and well ventilated, fitted with oak and maple panels, inlaid with rosewood, well set off by a handsome gilt cornice. Hie BKylitrht is large and handsome, though now somewhatdamaged by the sea. The state rooms are large and well found, Amongjother improvements the passengers are provided with beds and bedding and all table linen, The mattrasses are fitted so as to make life buoys in case of necessity. Services were held every Sunday morning and evening, the Rev J. Shearman officiating. Lectures, concerts, &c, helped to enliven the long passage. The following is the report of the voyage:— Left Gravesend on June 2nd with fine weather; on the 3rd the wind veered right ahead, and the weather became thick and foggy, and consequently were tacking about in the channel for more than a week. Once in the Bay of Biscay, we hoped for more favorable weather, but were again disappointed, as the wind continued unfavorable, and the ship had to stand away to the northward and westward, a long way out of her course. We now found also that the ship was so deep as to do away with all hopes of a quick passage, and also that, owing to the way the cargo of iron was stowed she rolled most fearfully, and being a new ship and the rig gin"- not at all set up, the captain had grave fears of losing some of her spars. On Juno 9th the weather cleared a little, and this was taken advantage of to get the anchors inboard aud reset the rigging and stays. We now got slowly on our way till the 15th, when we had a fearful gale and heavy sea, and as the ship took large quantities of water on board, were obliged to stand away to the northward again, doing only five miles on our journey in 24 hours. This weather lasted till the 18th, when wc had a slight change in our favor. On Iriday, June 25th, caught the N.E. trades; but here, again, the ship's bad luck followed her, as she only kept the trades four days, and thence had light variable winds and rainy weather till the equator was crossed on the 12th July. Had S.E. trades from equator, but lost them on the 14th, and then had a series of light variable winds, principally from the south and south-east, driving us so far to the westward, that on the 18th we had to tack to the N.E. to avoid the Brazilian coast. On the 19th it blew a gale, and the sea ran very high with heavy rain. The wind was favorable and held, so that for several days the ship made belter progress. Durir.g this part of the passage several outward bound ships and two large French steamers were sighted. The meridian of Greenwich was crossed on August 9th, and now the worst part of the passage commenced. From the oth to the 10th the e was a heavy gale from the southward, when at 5 r.m. a very heavy sea struck the ship, filling the decks fore and aft and smashing the sheep pens on the main deck, and washing the sheep about the deck, some being badly hurt and dying soon after. The ship was hove to till the next morning, when sail was again made, a strong !-outhwe»ter still blowing, and a very heavy sea still running. To add to our troubles, we found the compasses were very unsteady and could not be depended on. On the 25th there was another severe gale, and the ship had again to be hove to. A tremendous sea struck the vessel the afternoon of that day, coming over the forecastle right aft and smashing the forward pane of the saloon skylight, and filling the saloon with water, the ship straining, laboring, and rolling very heavily, and carrying away her starboard bulwark. On the 31st August sighted Amsterdam Islands, and found that luckily the chronometers were correct. From thence to the Snares had heavy weather, and had to heave-to twice. On the 25th September sighted the Snares at 2.30 p.m., and were delighted to think that our long voyage was at last drawing to a satisfactory conclusion; ran up the coast with a fresh S.W, wind, and anchored off Macintosh Bay in the evening of the 26th. Got under weigh yesterday morning, and a N.E. breeze springing up, ran into port.

The Lactura brings a large and valuable cargo and fifty-seven passengers; the accommodation for second and third class passengers was superior to tliatoi most ships, and there is little doubt that had she been lighter, she would have sailed much faster, and even as it was, on several occasions a speed of twelve or thirteen knots was attained. The Lactura is consigned to the New Zealand Shipping Company. THE KING A ROOM A. This|finc steamer arrived at 6.55 a.m. yesterday, from Melbourne, via Port Chalmers. She left the latter port at 4.45 p.m. on Sunday, and had fine weather and S.W. wind to arrival The distance from head to head was accomplished in 13 hours 15 minuteß, aud from wharf to wharf in 14 hours 10 minutes. She was moored" at the Gladstone Pier, nud discharged 128 tons ;of cargo, took on board 50 tons, and sailed for North at 6.15. We append the following further notice from the " Otngo Daily Times" of Saturday last. The anticipations formed upon report of the general character and appearance of this fine steamer were fully realised when she arrived yesterday morning. Kin- is, without exception, the most perfect steamer of her size aud class that has ever visited these waters, and is a credit to her owners and to the steam fleet of Australia and New Zealand. In a late issue, wc published the descriptive report given hy the Melbourne "Argus" of the Itingarooma. and we can only heartily evidence all that our contemporary said of her. At the same time, we have a few additional remarks to make .by way of expressing our opinion of this latest addition to the Colonial steam fleet. The Kingaroomais a grand steamer of 1006 tons gross, built of iron, in three decks, the upper, or spar deck, flush fore and aft. Bint is in four compartments, separated by watertight bulkheads ot great strength. Her model is dimply exquisite. A long beautifully curved bow, with sweet entrance, and yet good bearings, the lines extending right 16 amidships, and there insensibly blenning with those of the run, which are equally fine, and constitute the cleanest of deliveries. She has a slight tumble home in her topsides, lending grace to her model, than which we have never viewed a prettier. The saloon accommodation is •• ile rigiieur " at all points. There is a noble "salle a manger," with cushioned transom and a scmiri.'Ciiliir settee in front of it, with a couple of handy jceki'is, one on each side, immediately abaft the iificmiost cabins. The sides of the saloon are of highly polished cedar pillars, with Venetian pannelling between, painted light green and white, picked out with gilt mouldings. The cornices and entablature above are of blue and gold, very handsome. The upper parts of the pillars are formed in recesses, containing lamps, which alike illuminate the sleeping cabins and saloon. The usual swing tray, depending from electro-plated ware supports, extends through the saloon, with three handsome fluted swing lamps of plated ware material. The sleeping cabins are roomy aud well titled up and ventilated. Ou the starboard side

there are six of them, the two after ones of two berths each, the others of four. Then tor-. wares again is the ladies' saloon, comprising a most commodious sitting room, in which ten beds can be made up by a simple transformation of seats. There are also two cabins of four berths each. A capital bath room and offices are attached. Her cabins are 7ft by 6ft 6ia. On the port side of the saloon there are also six cabins; but then the saloon accommodation extends forwards, and flanks the engine room for some distance. In this supplementary space first stands the steward's pantry, and forwards of that six cabiuc uf two berths each, aiid forward of those again, the steward's room and offices. The engine department of the Ringarooma is under the charge of Mr M'Grcgor, an engineer of talent and experience. It is perfect at all points, and its main feature—the engine—is a compound surface condenser of 300 h.p. nominal, and capable of indicating 1500 h.p. The cylinders-low and high pressure—are 80 inches and 40 inches diameter respectively, with 3 feet 9 inches stroke. It is an admirable piece of mechanism, fitted with steam compound starting gear, as governor, and steam turning gear. The latter is worked by a donkey engine, and serves to move the engines when the vessel is in port, and no steam in the main boilers. Of the latter there are two, fired at both ends in 8 furnaces. The stoke holes are roimy places, and well ventilated. The workship and storeroom is a feature of this department, and are convenietly furnished with every kind of requisite appliance for engineering work. They open into the engine room aft, and to starboard into the officers' quarters ; the cabins nearer to them being those occupied by the engineers, who are close to and handy, should emergencies call them forth. The travelling capabilities of the Ringarooma have been well tested, and she has proved herself a clipper. At her trial trip at Melbourne on the 15th inst, she ran 21 knots in 1 hour 31miu 52secs, the engine making 66 revolutions on a pressure of 75lbs of steam. She thus did her 14 knots per hour, or nearly so, the consumption of coal being about 18 cwt per hour. Captain John M'Lean, senior Messrs M'Meckan and Blackwood's fleet, is in command of the Ringarooma, and Mr Whitburn, late of the Ofago, is chief officer, and Mr M'Gregor, chief engineer. At the head of the steward staff is Mr Thomas, and Miss Kemp is the stewardess. Our old friend, Mr Miller, is the purser.

The Ringarooma has made her first intercolonial trip as carrier of the New Zealand portion of the European mail via Suez. She left Melbourne on the 18th inst, cleared the Heads at 5.30 p.m, and had fine light north andN.E. weather until passing Swan Island at noon on the 19th. Then the breeze, still holding northerly, freshened, and by the evening of the 21st was blowing a terrific gale, with a high cross sea. An hour after midnight the engines had to be slowed, and as both gale and sea increased, and one curler broke on board, carrying away part of the starboard rail, they were stopped altogether at 3 a.m, and the steamer was hove to under the main trysail. At 7 a.m. the weather moderated a little, and the steamer was kept away on her course, and at noon the same day made the high land about Preservation Inlet, and at 0 p.m. arrived at Bluff Harbor, the run from Melbourne having been made in four days absolute, but allowing for difference of time and the time lost whilst she was hove-to, it was accomplished in three days eighteen hours from Tort Phillip Heads. The Rlnga'ooma landed a considerable cargo at the BlufT, and left at 5.20 p,m. on the 23rd, and arrived off the Heads at 2.30 am. yesterday, thus doing the distance in nine hours ten minutes, being at the rate of about fourteen knots per hour. Prom Melbourne to the Bluff she averaged thirteen knots. She brought seventy-seven passengers for this port, and 160 tons of cargo, and will leave on her return to Melbourne via Cook Strait to-morrow afternoon.