SHIPPING.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1488, 22 November 1878, Page 2

SHIPPING.

PORT OF LYTTELTON. Weather Report—November 22. 9 n.m.—Weather, clear, blue sky; wind, W., light. Barometer, 29.50; thermometer, 01. High Water—To-morrow. Morning, 2.11'; evening, 2,11. Arrived —November 22, Sea Gall, brigantine, 122 tons, Marks, from the Bl Star of the South, s.s., 175 tons, Hughes, from Timaru. J. M. Heywood and Co., agents. Tui, s.s., (it tons, Wills, from Wellington and Kaikoura. Cuff and Graham, agents. Passengers —Messrs Symeth, Elmsmy, King, and two immigrants. „ , Cleared —November 21. Prince Alfred, barquentiue, 161 tons, Schcnkol, for Kaipara. Master, agent. Adelphoi, barque, 3-19 tons, Gregory, for Newcastle. , . _. , Spray, schooner, 50 tons, Euxton, for Picton. Cuff and Graham, agents. . „ „ Clifton, barque, 370 tons, Shaw, for Dunedin. P. Cunningham and Co, agents. Passengers Mrs Shaw and two children. Cleared —November 22. Tui, s.s., 64 tons. Wills, for Kaikoura and Wellington. Cuff and Graham, agents. Star of the South, s.s., 175 tons, Hughes, for Nelson and West Coast. J. M. Heywood and Co,, ag Stag, barque, 335 tons, Ross, for Kaipara, Cuff and Graham, agents. Sailed—November 21. Wakatipu, s.s., 1158 tons, Wheeler, for Sydney via Wellington. D. Mills, agent. Passengers— Mrs Cuff, Miss Wheatly, Mr F. Lyon, Mr MacAlexander, Mr Teschemaker. Eing'irooma, s.s., 623 tons, Clarke, for Wellington and Nelson. Dalgety, Nichols, and Co, agents. Sailed—November 22, Fairlie, barquentine, 176 tons, Norris, lor Oamaru. Master, agent. The Sea Gull, brigantine, was signalled this m Star of the South arrived at 1.30 a.m. to-day. She sails for Wellington, Nelson, and West toast this afternoon. . , The Tui, s.s., arrived from Wellington and Kaikoura at 4.30 a.m. to-day. She sails on return trip to-night.

THE NEW STEAM. TUG LYTTELTON. The Lyttelton Harbor Board are to be congratnlated on the safe arrival of their new steam tug Lyitelton from Birkenhead. They now have safely in harbor the finest tug ;in New Zealand, and all the old trouble of delay and vexation when a fresh breeze detained a vessel from proceeding to her destination, will be a thing of the past, for the new arrival is a giant in strength, and heavy must be the breeze which would prevent her taking the largest vessel that visits this port to sea. She has been fully tried on the long passage out, and has proved herself a vessel of no ordinary power, and the construction of her engines must be indeed good, for her chief engineer, Mr Wood, reports that in a long experience he has never seen finer engines, and the way they have worked has been beyond praise, not even a bearing having been heated. Though we possess one of the safest harbors in the world, it will bo a great comfort for those interested to know that in the case of a vessel by any accident breaking away and drifting towards the Shag Bocks, or. any other dangerous place, there will be a steamer always ready, with sufficient power, to rescue her from danger. Captain Eox is to be congratulated on the successful termination of a voyage by no means devoid of hazard, for in the narrow seas he has traversed navigation is difficult, and it is no light undertaking to bring a small vessel, principally dependent on coal to propel her long distances, with no intermediate port, where, should the supply of fuel fail, more could be procured, His splendid passage of 80 days reflects the greatest credit, not only on the boat but also on himself. The Lyttelton is a handsome vessel, with a roomy deck, and, unlike many tugs, has a good side, and looks like a good boat in rough weather, and the character given of her by those aboard fully confirms this impression. As before stated, she is commanded by Captain Fox, the chief officer being Mr Wm. Bansley, and the second Mr Owles. Mr Thos. B. Wood is chief engineer, and Mr Edward Buckley second. The greatest kindness and good feeling has prevailed during the long voyage. The Lyttelton was sixty days under steam from leaving Liverpool to arrival at Brisbane, this includes going in and out of all ports. There are 461 tons 10 cwt of coals used during the voyage, 100 tons were taken in at Liverpool, 40 at Gibraltar, 90 at Port Said, 40 at Aden, 49 at Gallo, 115 at Singapore, and 27 tons 10 cwt. at Thursday Island. Her entire consumption is therefore about 7 tons 12 cwt, per day, but this includes that used for cooking purposes, and for banking fires, so that for steam alone she does not consume more than 7J tons per 24 hours. She is a very nice looking boat on deck, her bridge being a very roomy and comfortable one. Her steering apparatus is excellent, but in fact everything aboard is fitted according to the latest improvements. The wheel is, of course, on the bridge. Her towing bitts appear to be unusually strong, the giant hooks looking as if they could hold almost anything. Her paddles are 14ft, in diameter, and being according to the newest principle, have only nine floats. Mr Thomas E. Wood, the chief engineer, showed us the machinery, and gave every possible information, and we desire to take this opportunity of thanking both Captain Fox and himself for the great alacrity they showed in affording us every help. Mr Wood superintended the putting together of the machinery, andjhe states thathe has never seen finer engines—and his opinion is worth something—he having spent years in doing nothing else but taking new steamers from Great Britain to their destinations in various parts of the world. All the deck fittings seem very substantial, and there is a capital galley. The Lyttelton Harbor Board paddle steam tug Lyt. telton is of 39 tons register, and was built by Messrs Laird Brothers, of Birkenhead. She is 130 feet long, with a beam of 22 feet; depth of hold, 11 feet. She is comfortably fitted, having a nice little saloon considering her small tonnage, and is a very pretty model, has a good side, and is a capital sea boat, able to do her work in any weather. She came out schooner rigged, but, of course, her main mast will be taken out of her when she gets to work. Her engines are compound diagonal, disconnecting, snrface condensing engines, of 80 nominal h.p., but are 400 indicated on actual h.p. There are four cylinders—2 of 36in. and 2of 18in. diameter with 4ft. stroke. Her average speed is 10 knots, her wheels being feathering floats. Altogether ithere are seven engines aboard. First, there are the two main engines already described; then two circulating engines for forcing the water through the condensers ; then one of Shand and Mason’s fire engines of tremendous power, which could be used either for extinguishing fire or pumping out sunken vessels ; and besides these there are the steam Winch and donkey engine; so that it will be seen She is not merely a tug but could be used for other purposes should occasion serve. She has two cylindrical tubular boilers, loaded to Gslbs. pressure

to the square inch. Messrs Laird Brothers, who constructed the hull, also constructed the boilers and machinery. The engines have worked admirably all the way out, not a bearing even having heated in spite of the heavy and constant work. The following is a report of the trip : Loft Birkenhead dock August 27th at 10 a.m., discharged x>ilot at noon, passed N.W. lightship at 1 p.m. and Skerries at 5 pm., with strong B.W. wind and rain. On the 30th the centrifugal piston crank on the starboard engine broke It was repaired by Mr Buckley, the second engineer, who deserves great praise for the energy he displayed. Entered Gibraltar Buy on the 4th September, coaled, executed necessary repairs, and sailed at noon on sth. Hud fine easterly weather and passed Malta on 10th, and came to anchor at Port Said at 8 a.m. on September 14th, eight days sixteen hours from Gibraltar, an average speed of nine and two-tenth knots per hour. Started to go through Suez Canal at 2.50 p.m. on September 16th, and brought np at 24-mile post at 7.30 p.m. Started again at 6 a.m. 17th, landing Port Silid pilot at Ismaila.and taking Suez pilot aboard. Passed through Straits of Jnbal and entered Bed Sea at 1 p.m. on 18th September, Passed through Straits of Babel Mandeb on September 23rd at 3 a.m., and at 5.30 p.m. anchored at Aden. Coaled and sailed again at 10 a.m., September 24th. Experienced variable winds and occasional strong weather to Galle, which was reached at 4 p.m. on October 4th. Coaled, and sailed at 5.10 p.m. on October sth. Had flue weather, with the exception of one southerly gale, to reaching Singapore at 2.30 p.m. on October 13th. Took aboard coal, and sailed at daylight on the 17th. On October 20th passed barque Clifton, of Liverpool, from Macassar to New York, f nr and a half days out. On the 22nd went over a part of a reef at the West Pater Nosters; eased engines, sounded, and found live fathoms, the coral rocks showing distinctly. The West Pater Noster is a low fiat island, surrounded by a coral reef on the N.W. side. The weather was fine and sea smooth. Had |tiue weather amongst the islands. Anchored at Thursday Island, October 30th, at 11.30 a.m., coaled, and started for Somerset at 5 a.m., arriving at 9.30 a.m. Watered, and started at daybreak November Ist, That same afternoon went ashore on M. reef at ebb tide; got oil without injury after forty-eight hours’ detention. Mr English, a Beche do Mer fisher on Heggorstouo Island, was very kind, rendering every possible assistance with men and boats. A South Sea Islander dived under the steamer after she got oil, and reported her as sound. Sailed at noon November 4th, and at 7 p.m. anchored between Cape Wymonth and Capo Direction. Started at daybreak, and camo to anchor hi Cook Town Bay on November 6th, at 7.30 p.m. provisioned and left at SJ'.m.a on 7th; experienced heavy weather first twenty-four hours, after which flue weather to Brisbane, which was reached at noon on the 12th; coaled and left at 7.15 p.m. on November 13th for New Zealand, and had disagreeable weather across, making Cape Farewell on Wednesday morning ; had northerly wind and thick cloudy weather through Stra ts; passed Capo Campbell 2 p.m., and arrived otf Kaikouras at 7 pm., a northerly gale blowing; made Heads yesterday morning, and arrived at anchorage at Little Port Cooper at 10 a.m.; took coal aboard from hopper barge, and steamed up harbor, arriving in Dampior’s Bay at 2.45 p.m. SHIPPING TELEGEAMS - Auckland, November 21. Sailed—Wanaka, for the South. Passengers Messrs Napier, McLean, Palothorpe, Mr and Mrs Sutton. Pout Chalmers, November 21. Sailed—Arawata, for the Bluff. Nelson, November 21. Sailed—l.3o p.m., Taiaroa, lor Wellington, with (San Francisco mail, , Wellington, November 21. Arrived—lo.3oa.m., Taupo, from Lyttelton. Auckland, November 22. Arrived—Loch Fleet, with twenty-four passengers and 1100 tons cargo, valued at £26,600. Her passage occupied ninety-four days from London. On the Bth experienced a strung gale from the W.S. W. A heavy sea was shipped and the two taon' at ' the wheel washed forward, but they escaped without injury. McDougall, an slightly Injured. The iron rails of fclm pjop and wheel were broken. Sailed-—Wanaka, for tiiv couth,