SHIPPING.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 863, 31 March 1877, Page 2

SHIPPING.

PORT OF LYTTELTON. Weather Report. March 31 —Calm; weather, clear. Barometer, 29.84; thermometer, 57. High Water. To-morrow (Sunday) Morning, 6.13; evening, 6.24. Monday—Morning, 7.07; evening, 7.32. ARRIVED. March 31—Rotorua, s.s, 576 tons, Macfarlane, from Sydney, via Auckland and Wellington. Passengers Saloon : Mrs Julian and child, Mrs Newman, Mrs Rogley, Kev Mr Forsaith, Messrs Julian, Young, Weir, Hacke, Kennedy, Cox, Smiley, Wright, and the Kennedy Troupe (3). Steerage : Mrs Wakeham, Messrs Ellis, Watson, Ryan; 19 for Dunedin. March 31—Beautiful Star, s.s, 146 tons, Griffiths, from Amuri Bluff. March 31—Flying Squirrel, ketch. 19 tons, Munro, from Cough's Bay. cleared. March 31—Sarah and Mary, brigantine, 154 ton, Stevens, for O.nnaru. March 31 —Colonist, schooner, 43 tons, Baily, for Char! estown. March 31—Rotorua, s.s, 576 tons, Macfarl»ne, for Port Chalmers. March 31 —Beautiful Star, s.s, 146 tons, Griffiths, for Port Chalmers. March 31—Tui, s.s, 64 tons, Bonner, for Kaikoura and Wellington. The s.s. Rotorua, from Sydney, Auckland, and Wellington, reached port this morning. She proceeds on to Port Chalmers this afternoon. The s.s. Beautiful Star arrived from the Amuri Bluff this morning. She sails for Port Chalmers this afternoon. The Tui sails for Wellington, via Kaikoura, this evening. AEEIVAL OF THE SHIP CANTERBURY I This vessel, the first which has arrived in Lyttelton under the arrangement which has taken place between Shaw, Saville and the Albion Company, dropped anchor at 9 45 p.m. on Thursday off the breakwater. Her advent is not only an event for this reason, but also from the fact that she is the first ship ever towed by a tug boat trom Port Chalmers here. The enterprise of the Union Company in procuring- a steamer of sufficient power to accomplish such a task easily is worthy of all commendation, showing that they are keeping pace with the times, and are determined as our commerce increases to provide greater facilities. In our sister colonies on the other side it has long been the custom to tow considerable distances, but hitherto such a thing has been impossible in New Zealand, as there were no tugs of sufficient power. Ships, therefore, which had to proceed along the coast had to take in as much ballast as if they were going home, and even then were frequently several weeks at sea before reaching their destination. By employing a tug this iB of course remedied; instead ot having to discharge ballast, the Canterbury oomes here ready to load at once, and the time occupied in coming from Port Chalmers. Heads to an an anchorage off the Breakwater, was twenty-nine hours. The experiment has, without doubt, proved a complete success, resulting in profit both for the ship and the tug. The Koputai Is not * coal devourer ; it was impossible to ascertain the exact consumption during the trip, but we understand it was between 14 and 16 tons. She is a perfect mass ot machinery, as may be guessed by the fact of her registered tonnage b<ing only 41 tons. Her shaft is as large as that of the Hawea or Taupo, and her nominal h.p. 120, but it can be worked up to 380. Lying low in the water a casual view fails to impress a spectator with her immense power, but when one goes aboard and sees the strength of the machinery her great capabilities become apparent, The Koputai made a &h©rt stay, and at 1 a.m. yesterday waß again on the road home, Captain Sinclair haviDg received instructions to proceed back to Dunedin at once unless short of coal, which we need hardly state was not the case. We thank Captain Logan, marine superintendent of the Amalgamated Coin puny, and Captain Leslie, of the Canterbury, for the following report :—The Canterbury, in tow of the Koputai, left Port Chalmers wharf at 1.45 p.m on Wednesday, there being a light head wind; cleared the heads at 3 p.m, the water being smooth, but the wind inceasiDg slightly. The wind headed the ship right round ,the Peninsula. Were abreast of Pompey's Pillar at 3.30 p.m on Thursday; entered theheadß at 9 p.m, and came to an anchorage off the breakwater at 9.45, about half-an-hour having been consumed at the heads in getting in 15 fathoms ot the ship's chain which had been used in the towing. The average speed maintained throughout was about seven knots, the tug going at about three-quarters speed, more steam being used when the wind freshened. A Manilla hawser, 120 fathoms long, was used as a tow rope with fifteen fathoms of the ship's chain bent on, so that the line was 185 fathoms in all. The rate of speed was most easily maintained, the tug never stopping once. The Koputai is hardly yet finished, as the gear for winding up the hawser has yet to be fitted, and this necessitates the employment of more men than Will be required by and bye. The Canterbury, it will be remembered, was here in 1874 under poor Capt Strachan's command, and is a very handsome vessel, with good saloon accommodation. She will be berthed at the Gladstone pier on Monday, and at oßce commence taking in her cargo of wheat for London. We hear tnat she will have quick despatch, £OO tons being in port ready to put aboard.