SHIPPING.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 829, 19 February 1877, Page 2

SHIPPING.

FORT OF LYTTELTON.

Weather Report. February 19 —Wind,' calm ; weather, clear. Barometer, 29.91); thermometer, €O. High Water. To-morrow —Morning, 5.55; night, 9.20. • • '•arrived. February 19—Tui, s.s, 64 tons, Bonner, from Wellington via Kaikouras. Passengers: Messrs Kennedy, Summer, Hayes, and Thomas Henry. February 19—XXX, ketch, 21 tons, Clark, from Island Bay. ,CLEARED. February 19—Tui," sis, 67 tons, Bonner, for Wellington via Kaikouras. The s.s Tui from Wellington arrived this morning at 2 a.'m. She sails on return trip to-night. , • ,• ARRIVAL OF 'THE SHIP WILTSHIRE, FROM LONDON.

The signal of a ship .from the South was made early on Saturday morning, and the Kingarooma, 6.5, reporting that they had sighted her, and she was an immigrant vessel, made it nearly a certainty that it would prove to be the Wiltshire, that ship beiDgthe only one due with Government immigrants aboard. The number was soon hoisted at the signal staff and dispelled all doubt, and as a fresh N.E breeze was blowing it was barely noon when the vessel dropped anchor oil' the quarantine ground at Ripa 1 Island. The health officer, Dr Donald, and Immigration Commissioners, Dr Rouse and. Mr March, went down to the ship in the customs' steam launch. The agents and others interested followed in the p-.s Titan, and after a short delay the flag was hauled down and we proceeded aboard. Tne Commissioners reported most favorably on the. general cleanliness of the ship, and order and goodwill amongst the passengers, and we can fully bear them out from pergonal examination. Outside tho Wiltshire looked well, though Bhe had a slight list; she has a good shear and her yards are very square. Her main deck is a grand promenade, being very spacious and unencumbered, even for a ship of her dimensions. She has painted ports, and her paint looks as fresh as if she had only had a short run down the coast Since being docked. Captain Ellis, her commander, is commodore of Messrs Geo Marshall and Co's fleet, This magnificent clipper ship is seven years old, was built on the Clyde by Messrs Barclay and Curie, and is owned by Messrs George Marsh-ill and Son the well-known Loudon shipowners. She ■was in Dunedin last year, where, she was much admired. The passage has occupied 95 days from the Downs to anchorage and 85 from the Lizard to tiie Snares, 9 days having been occupied in crawling up the coast, there being little or no wind and what there was ahead. The passage has been a fine weather one throughout, no storm of any consequence having been encountered. To show the ship's fine sailing qualities we may mention that in running down the Easting she averaged over 300 statute miles per diem for seven consecutive days, ~ scarcely taking a drop of water on board during the whole of this magnificent run. She is chartered by the New Zealand. Shipping Company, and brings a large and valuable cargo, as will be seen by referring to our import list. Whilst waiting to go aboard the pleasant remarks that fell from the immigrants showed that they were pleased with their trip, and many merry quips and jests that passed told the prevailing nationality. We found that the passage had been a jolly one on the whole, and that thete had been little or no illness. Two deaths occurred, one that:of a Mrs Beck an immigrant, and the other that of a sailor whose name was Louis Hayat. This unfortunate man fell from the niaintopsail yard on the night ot the 19th oi January, and was drowned. Dr George S. Eadson, the surgeon sutierintendent is an old Mend, having- had the saine position in the Star of China which was here some time ago. He, as well as the captain and and officers, seem to have done all they could to promote the comfort of the travellers, and judging from the glowing testimonials presented, as well as from what we heard privately, they succeeded iu making themselves not only respected but liked. The'food was really good and that there was sufficient Is apparent from the following circumstance. As the commissioners were going round the ship one of the immigrants came and said he had a complaint to make. As things had hitherto gone very smoothly the commissioners were rather surprised And pricked up their ears. " What have you to complain of" said the doctor gravely. " Begorra." answered the. sufferer, "They gave me so much food I couldn't ate it all." Concerts and other amusements were encouraged aboard, and considerably lightened the monotony of the passage. When aboard the ship we first visited the saloon, a considerable portion of which had been boarded off fora hospital for the married people and single girls; though happily not needed, the light aud airy "cabins walled off for this purpose were admirably adapted for the reception of the sick. The surgery, the Btoreroom for medical comforts, and a large bath room and Water closet for" the single girls, which was gained by steps from their compartment below, were also in this part of the ship. The saloon is not large for a vessel of the Wiltshire's size, but has splendid stern cabins and is nicely ■fitted. We next proceeded to visit the single girls department, which, as usual, was the after part of the between decks. The matron.Jlrs Eliza Bushe, is an old Canterbury resident, having lived formerly at Sumner, She has kept the girls in good order and at the same time preserved her popularity. There were sixty-five girls, nearly all domestic servants; twelve of them have friends to whom they will go on landing, and the remainder will, no - doubt be quickly engaged, as they seem strong, healthy and willing. Here, and. in fact alt overthc ship, the great majority were Irish, though there was a sprinkling of English and Scotch. The usual needleworkhad been distributed. The place looked tidy and respectable, and the labor of keep--ing it in order appears to have been done willingly. The married couples, thirty-four in number, with fifty-four children, were as usual berthed in the next division. They seemed a very contented lot, the great majority being Irish agricultural laborers. The order and cleanliness here were very good, and all joined-in praising the doctor, captain, and officers. School has been regularly kept during the passage, thirty-one children attending. Mr Wright was the schoolmaster, and seems to have been most assiduous. The single men's division was occupied by ninety-five strapping young fellows, and, as in the married people's compartment, they are nearly all Irish agricultural laborers. One regrets looking at them that they were not here earlier; but, j udging from appearance, they are a clasß of men likely to find plenty of employment. They have kept . their part of the ship iu a most creditable state, aud speak well of the treatment they have received. The captain, surgeon-superintendent, and officers have received testimonials signed by the immigrants, speaking in the most glowing terms of their great kindness to them throughout the voyage. .We regret that they are too loug for publication. The following is the surgeon-superintendent's report: —"We sailed from Gravesend at 6 a.m, on November 12 th, 1876, our numbers being 34 married couples/i with 54 children, 95 single men, and 65 single women; iu all 282 souls, equal to 251$ adults, " the great majority' of whom are from Ireland. Shortly after leaving, the passengers were readily constituted into a law abiding and orderly community. During the passage we experienced no very great climatic changes, i lie temperature being in no instance extreme; the highest thermoinetrical reading in the shade was 84deg on December 14th, : IS7G, and the lowest 4tideg on January 28th, 1877. On the whole, and more especially iu a medical point of view, the voyage has been a very favorable one, only one death occuring, that of Mrs Elizabeth Beck, aged thirty, from blood poisoning, on January ! 13th, 1877, and there were no births. Chicken pox became epidemic at the commencement, and again at thp end of our journey, fourteen children having suffered from it; but, as usual, they all did well. In concluding, my thanks are due to the captain, officers, and ship's company generally for the prompt and willing assistance that 1 always received from them at all times, which materially : conduced to the comfort and well-being of the pastengers." me lollowiug is the captain's report:—"The Miip Wiltshire, 1460 tons, B. I*. Ellis, commander, and George Kudson, surgeou-superintendent, with 250 Government immigrant*, and a large general cugo left Gravcsend on the 12th November, discharged the pilot oil the Isle of Wight on (he 14th, anti passed the wizard on the following day. She then encountered S.W. winds and fcqualJy weather to the

Canary Islauds, which were passed on December ■-. 7tu. Caught the N.E, trades on December Bth, in 27 N. and ia.W., and lost them again on the 16th in 40 30 N. and 22 W ; met the S.E. trades in 1.30 N. 23 YV. on December 17th, crossed the Equator on the 18th in 25 YV, and finally lost trades on the 24th in 19 S. 29 W.; thence to the meridian of the Cape, which was reached on January 10th, in lat44S., had principally N.W. and W. winds; Trinidad being sighted on Christmas Eve; had light breezes to 40 y., and ran down tasting between the 45th and

47th parallels, moderate westerlies prevailing. Made the Snares on February Bth (85 days from the Lizard); had light and baffling head winds up the coast; at 0 p.m. on Friday was in company with baique Hopeful, from London, and on Saturday morning made the Heads, ran up before N,E. breeze and anchored off the quarantine ground at noon. A seaman was lost overboard during the passage; his name was Louis Hayat, lie fell from the main topsail yard on the night of tho loth January, aud was drowned. The following ships were spoken on the voyage :—On the Bth December, iu 27 N. 19 \V., the Alfred Ilawley, bound to Hobart Town; on December 9th, the Cumeria, bound for Melbourne; on December 20th, in 7 S. 28 W., Adamant, ship, from London to alelbourno; on the 29th January, in 45 S 70 E, signalled barque Hopeful, from London for this port. She wished to be reported alPwell. Were aga»n in company with this vessel off the Peninsula on Friday night." The single girls were landed on Saturday afternoon by the p. s. Titan, and sent up to Addington by tho -1 25 p.m. train. Before concluding, we may mention that a fire drill took place before the Commissioners; though the alarm was quite unpremeditated, there were two nozzles out on the port side in lmin 20 sec, and one on the starboard side in 2 min 20 sec. The order and expedition shown greatly pleased the Commissioners.

ARRIVAL OF THE HOPEFUL FROM LONDON.

The Wiltshire, on arrival on Saturday, reported being in company with the Hopeful on Friday night, but the north-easter which brought in the ship did not reach the baique, and she lay becalmed off the Long Look Out till 4p.m„when the breeze sprang up, and she reached her anchorage at ten o'clock. Our old friend looks none the worse for her trip home, and Captain Luly seems the same as ever. The passage has been a fair weather one, and the time occupied (105 days from the Downs to anchorage here), very good work for such a small vessel. She comes consigned to tho N.Z.S. Co, and brings part cargo for here and part for the Bluff, the latter consisting of railway carriages principally. The following is the report of the passage. Left the S.W.lndia Dock on November Ist, proceeded down to Gravcsend and left there same night. Towed down as far as the Chapman, and anchored in the Downs next day. Sailed on November 4th, and had light northerly winds down channel, taking final departure from Portland on November sth at 10 p.m. Had variable weather across the Bay, principally northerly, but on the 13th encountered a strong W.S.W. gale, which, however, moderated next day. Westerly weather prevailed thence till the N.E trades were met with in 19 N. on Dec 2nd. These trades were very light, andwere lost on Dec. Bth, in 7N. The S.E. trades were met with in 3.39 N. on December 12th, and the Equator crossed on the 14th, in 24.30 W, The S.E. trades were moderately good, and were carried to December 21st, when they left the ship in 23.41 S. The Island of Trinidad was sighted on December 20th, thirty miles to t l ie westward. Westerly weather prevailed thence till the meridian of the Cape was passed on January Bth, iu 14.15 S. The meridian of Greenwich had been previously passed, on January 3rd in 42.30 S. The easting was run down in about 45 S. till the ship reached the 100th degree of E. long, when she went as far south as 45.30. The westerlies were fresh to the longitude of Tasmania (152 E ), when they became light, and the variables set in. The Snares were made at noon oa Sunday. November llth, when the vessel laid becalmed till the next day. Thence up the coast had variable and N.W. weather to Friday morning. Lay becalmed off the Long Look Out on Saturday till about 4 p.in, when the wind freshened, the vessel arrived at anchorage at 10 p.m. Spoke the ship Wiltshire on January 19th in 44.55 S, long. 70.18 E.