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Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 152, 3 January 1867, Page 2

Since Friday, tho weather has been very wild andstoimy, accompanied by heavy rain sqnalls. The sea outside has beon high, a long and heavy break extending from the bar seawards. Our only arrivals were the Bruce and Challenge from Hokitika, the Nelson from Nelson, and the cutter Elizabeth from Manukau. The Highlander and Rambler, both from Melbourne, arrived off the river on Saturday, but having been unable to enter, they have put to sea again. The paddle steamer Nelson, Captain Whitwell, left Nelson on Thursday, the 27th ult, at 10 p.m. Met with strong head winds and heavy sea, and arrived off tho Grey on Saturday, 29th, short of coals, but in consequence of the heavy bar was unable to enter. Put back for shelter to the j/Mer ; on the way ran quite out of coals, ai.d burnt every- • thing available for firing on board, then took the floats off the paddle wheels and made use of canvas for remainder of passage, entering Bulllir Biver on Sunday morning. The weather continuing bad was detained there until Wednesday, 2nd iust. Left at 8 a.m., a supply of noals having been got from the s.s. Keera, arriving off the Grey Bar at 4 p.m., and entered safely at 5 o'clock. She leaves again to-day for Hokitika. Saw nothine of the Kennedy, which left Nelson on Friday last. The damage sustained by the cutter Volunteer which was reported r total wreck, is now being repaired and strong hopes are entertained, should the present weather continue, that she will be once more afloat. This vessel is not so favorably situated, as was the John Mitchell, as she lies to the south of the river almost surrounded by rocks. Her hull reallised, at auction, the sum of L 9. — Brighton Times. There are now 13 steam-packet companies running steamers between Europe and the United States. These steamers make about 420 round trips ever/ year, and the gross annral revenue their yield is about four millions sterling. The Italian Government has just subsidised a line of steamer to run between New Lork and the Mediterranean ports, touching at Madeira, the Azores, Cadiz, and Marseilles, and it is expected that a bill will be passed by the United States Congress.next session, authorising the subsidisation of American mail steamers to and from Europe at the rate of two dollars per mile, A little screw steamer named the Augufta has left Liverpool for Pernambuco. The Augusta is only four and a half tons burthen, and proceeds to Pernambuco under sail (fore and aft rig), the screw being stowed away below deck. There are only two men, a boy, ann a dog in charge of the vessel.. . Messrs T. Wingate and Co., of Whiteinch have launched a small screw steamer of 230 t >ns, builders' measurement, with engines of 40-horse power, nominal. The vessel, which has been named the Ellen Macfiregor, has been built for Mr C. V. Kobinsorf, of Tasmania,' and she is Intended for the coasting trade. on the shores of that colony. The question whether the "wee craft," the Red White and Blue, now being exhibited at the Crystal Palace, did or did not cross the Atlantic, is answered by the following maritime extract from the Quebec Morning Chnmich of the sth of September :— "Spoken by the barque Danish Princess, A ugust 6, the ship Bed White and Blue, two and a half tons measurement, under royals, from New York bound to Dondon. 27 days in latitude, 41 .20, longitude 22, W. ; two men and a dog; all well." The Danish Princess sailed from Dublin on the 26th of July, and reached Quebec on the 20th of September. A twin screw steamer, named Pareora, was lately launched from the building-yard ; :of, Messrs. E, Duncan and Co,, Port Glasgow. The vessel has been built to the order of Messrs. Potter, -Wilson, and Co., Glasgow,, specially for the New Zealan.i coasting passenger trade, where she will proceed under"the command of Captain Thomas Clerk. - Her dimensions are 160 feet by 24 by 94, ' •'■; having a full poop 50 feet long, giving aqcom4datioii tor 30 first-class and a steerage for 30; passengers. After launching; she Svasi towed to Greenock, where she will; be provided with two pair direct-acting, ' screw engines of SO-horee power, l>y Messrs! , R;mkin Wl Blaqkmore, Eagle Foundry^,. Oreeuouk. . ■ -. ' ; "^

The Polarity of Iron Ships.— lf a bar of steel be buried in the earth in the direction of the meridian for a few months, it will, it is said, be found to have acquired polarity, and if flojvted on mercury, will take up the exact with regard to the poles of the earth it occupied when in the ground. If the same bar be reburied in a reversed position, it will gradually lose its acquired polarity, and then proceed to acquire the opposite. This effect is by no means confined to steel bars, but extends to all ferruginous, and probably, in a minor degree, to all crystaline rocks. The mountain of Rogelberg. in Germany, composed of serpentine, is highly magnetic, its north side attracting the south pole, and its south side the north pole of a magnet. These once supposed peculiar and exceptional properties of the loadstone are but the manifestation of a general law ; in fact, all masses of iron which have occupied the same position for a long period of time \\ ill be found to indicate polarity. By the same law, our iron ships acquire the properties of a permanent magnet, according to the position in which they are built, slightly modified by the percussions received in building. The fact of the deviation of the compass in iron vessels had long been known, but the cause was regarded as a mystery till Dr Scoresby, in his ' ' Magnetical Investigations," published in 1852, pointed out that the magnetism was determined by the ship's position during building. The definite magnetic character impressed on every iron ship while on the slip, is never afterwards entirely lost. A considerable reduction in the amonnfc or intensity takes place .after launching consequent upon the first change of position, but further diminution or change of direction is a slow and gradui-1 process. The Keera remains in statu ijua, though the late high tides have done her some little injury, through causing her to part one cable, and thus be slewed more broadside on. There arc several holes in her, but none so serious as to be incapable of repair. Her launch will be commenced on the arrival of the hydraulic apparatus. This is in the Lioness, which vossel, by the way. left Dunedin on Thursday last, ami was expected to arrive in Hokitika on Sunday or Monday. Whether on arrival she will come on here or transfer her freight to the Bruce has yet to be seen. We shall be glad to see operations commenced, for the stranded craft at present cannot but be an ej'esore to all residents. — West-port Times. She clipper schooner Dancing Wave, we hear, is to be placed permanently on the berth between Melbourne and the Buller, and will return direct hore with a full cargo. She left, as will lie seen, yesterday. —Ibid.