EXPORTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IV, Issue 264, 21 September 1867, Page 2

EXPORTS.

Per Jane Elkin, for Hokitika : 40 tons coal. It is a pity that tlie vessels now overaue from Melbourne have not arrived to take advantage of the very excellent channel that is now open on the bar. Vessels of heavy tonnage could now enter with ease, the depth of water being from ten to fifteen feet, and the fairway straight. During the last few days the sea has been unusually calm, and very little break on the bar! A telegram was received by the Agent yesterday stating that the p. s. Nelson left Nelson for this port via the Buller on Thursday noon. She may therefore be expected to arrive here to-day . The p. s. Digpatcli left this pprt pn Thursday at 1 p.m. for Fox's and the Bullerj with about twenty passengers. On her way she towed oat the schponer John and Jane ? coal laden, also for the Buller, and gave her a lift along . the coast until she could pick up a favorable fo'eeze. Thep.s. Huntress left Hokitika at 2.20 p.m. on Wednesday, and arrived "at the Buller at 3 a.m. on Thursday. Discharged cargo and a few passengers at daylight, and after shipping 25 imsr engers, left again at 1 p.m., arriving at (Fox-s at 4.30, where she landed a few tons of cargo, and left again for the Grey at 6p. m. Arrived off the Grey bar at 10 p.m. and anchored for the night, and crossed the bar at noon yesterday. After (tolling at the Cobden wharf, the Huntress sailed for Hokitika. Captain Murphy reports that no fresh news had been received from Mokihinui when be left Westport. The stranded brig Mountain Maid, which tvas sold on Monday last for L 23, has been stripped and dismantled, the lower masts only beipg left standing. The heavy sea of yesterday played strange pranks with her, and it is scarcely possible that she will ever Bail across salt water again.' Indeed, it is very probable that before these lines reach our readers' eyes, she will have fallen over, when the sea will make short work of her. In case of her keepjng anything like an equilibrium, her lower masts will be taken out this day, but what will be done with the huli we cannot say.' When the latter was purchased there were fifteen tpns of coal in the hold, which were given up as almost hopeless, but a hole was yesterday cut in her gide, and this was saved, thereby clearing the nuhase-money. About 100 tons of coal been got out prjor to the stranding, so that, as far as the cargo is concerned, little has been ]»st. The coal, about }50 tons, fetched L 2 JOg per Urn.— Westport Times, Sept. 17. " ' The SpraY. — This fine tppsail schooner, unfortunately ran aground a few days since in attempting to cross the bar at the Waimakariri, has at last, by dint of severe exertion on the part of Captain Ruxton and his crew, with a number of other assistants, been removed to a place of safety in a somewhat leaky condition, but not so seriously damaged as was anticipated. From her position near the bar she will be removed to the shingle bed in the river at Kaiapoi, and there temporarily repaired previously to being taken to Lytteltori' to be put on the clip. Of the cargo, which had all to be discharged, the timber has nearly all disappeared, haying either sunk' or floated away ; ■jvbile the wire almost remains intact, most of ii having been secured.— Press. A Novel "Invention. — The latest invention that it is our province to chronicle is of the nature of a piece of marine machinery, but which will obviate the necessity of steam, and will at the same time dp away with the masts, thus discarding the sails proper, and yet receiving the motive po^ye^ from fpur fans or sails of canvas ; in short, the invention is nothing more or less than a windmill ship, the machinery (if which is very simple and easily kept in repain. An upright tower, seven feet in height from the deck, composed of wood, and hollow in the midle, after the fashion of a pump, contains an iron rod whijh is attached to a revolving head on the top of the tower, and, running through this pump ■pr. tower, a cross : bar resting across the keelson, where, by the meaus of two mitre wheels, working at right angles, a direct acting shaft is made to turn an ordinary propelling wheel. The rod is confined to its proper plaCp in tlje centre of the tower by means of journals! Capping the tower are two mitre wheels working on the revolving head, ; and through this head passes the counter shaft, to which ,J;he windmill is attached. These fsins furnieh the motive power, and are composed of four oak frames, in the form of a common window frame, the ■pace in the centre being occupied with ■'canvas working an, iron rod,, which, -by means of halyards . leading to the decks, can be reefpd at will. A reversing motion is obtained from a double wheel on thepropclling Bhaft and worked by a clutch leading aft to the cock pit, 'An iron rod lead : 'ing from the revolving head \o the deck, and

held thereby a set screw and working a segment of a circle on the deck enables, the navigator to lay her. as close to the wind as any ordinary sailing vessel. The credit of this invention belongs to Captain John Powell, a natiye of Brooklyn, who is now engaged £n building a small vessel, about the size of the famous Eedj White aud Blue, to be worked on this novel principle, in which he proposes takjrng passage for Europe about the middle of June next. The dimensions of his vessel will be as follows :— Length, 26 feet ; breadth of beam, 7 feet ; and depth pf hold, 3 feet. In the case of storms he can easily reef or take in his sails, and heave his vessel to with a drag.- Captain Powell feels : confident that he can make between six and 1 seven knots per hour in an ordinary breeze.