Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IV, Issue 281, 31 October 1867, Page 2

part of p»<isagfi, gradually freshening 1 ill arPF*l at Wellington at 1 o'clock on the, S»rd ids*. She left, there on the 24th, and got nfoo Nelson latjD.on the aftempon of the 25th inst. She sailed agaiu on the tallowing day for this port, but called off the Eflller, where she lay for several hours, but, as no steamer I came out to tender her, she proceedgd on and fired her gun in this anchorage about 9 p.m. on Monday last. On Tuesday morning she was tendered by the, Dispatch, and a large number; of passengers and much cargo was landed, including the cargo intended for Westport. She at once sailed/for Melbourne. The Cutter Sea Flower, bound from Kafapoi to the Grey River, put into Nplson Harbor on Tuesday last, being shprt of provisions, and having been fourteen days trying to get around Cape Farewell. She reports being iv company with the Pioneer, Mary Thompson, the Spray, Emerald, and Diana, all being wind-bound near the Cape. — Colonist. ,; We understand that the General Government have given notice to the N.Z.S.N. Company tq terminate their posta.l contract in February next^- Independent. No agreenient has been pome to between Captaiu Benson and the Wellington Provin- j eial Government respecting the damage done j to the outer T by the steamer Otago, and an action in the Supreme Court seems inevitable. —Independent. ■■ I The Blanche and the Beacon were successfully launched from the slips in the Chatham. Dockyard oa August 18, when the tide was nearly at its highest. The Blanche is a 6rgun vessel, 1268 tons, 250 horse-power. The Beacon is of 2 guns, a twin-screw composite gunboats, 464 tons, 120 horse-power. The Blanche, one of anew glass pf Warden vessels, was commenced with on 26th February, 1866. She is on the Alabama principle. She is built from the designs of Mr E. J. Reed, the Chief Constructor 01 $h« Na.vy. She has powerful engines, .and is expected to shqw a high rate of speed. The dimensions of the Blanche are as follows :— length between perpendiculars, 212 ft} length of \ee\ from fore tonnage, 185 ft Bin; extreme fc^'ltb, 36ft ; breadth moulded, 35, ft 2in j for tonnage, 35ft 10in; depth of hold, 19ft 4jn; tons burthen (builder's measurement), 1268 8 94. The Beacon, commenced an January 1 in this year, was designed by Mr E. J; Reed. She is the first of a new class of vessels,, several of which are now building by Government or by private contract. They are intended for use in the shallow rivers of China, in order to free these rivers frqnx the pirates . which infest them and prey upon commerce. These gunboats will draw very little water, and will thus be able to penetrate where pur present vessels cannot. The Beacon is composed of iron and wood . The Beacon is the first pf her class launched, but ere long several will probably be afloat. The dimensions of th,e B.eaepn ape as. follows :— Lebgth between perpendiculars, 15,5ftn length of keel for tp.nn.age, j;jOft 64in ; extreme breadth, §sf t ; breadth mcul'ded, 24ft 2in ; breadth f«r tonnage, 25ft : depth of hold to top of fjoonplate. 10ft 9in ; tons burthen (8.M.),'463 98 94. The Beacon is to be taken to Sheerness to be fin^hed, there not being dock ace qnmodasion here. The arrangements for the launches, made by the iaade by the master shipwright, were excellent. Large stands were erected for the accommodation of visitors. Among those present were — Charles Dickens, Esq ; MajorGeneral Freeman Murray; at Chatham j Major P*isley, director of the Government works for the dockyard extension ; and many military officers, ladies, &c. The spectators altogether were some thousands in number. Captaiu W. H. Stewart, C.8., the captain superintendent, with the various officers pf the yard, vyere present. The band of the Royal Marines was stationed between the vessels, and played various pieces.— Scotsman.} - • - - ■•'■- . - •

The p.e. Bruce crossed the bar shortly be- 1 fore mid-night, from the Buller, bringing 70. • passengers. \ The channel was examined yesterday by ' Captain Allardyce, the Harbor Master, who ' reports having found over 15 feet of water, 1 and nowhere less than 14 feet, with a straight ' clear channel. The late fresh in the river ! has improved the mooring-ground alongside ' the wharf, as it has scoured away a quantity ' of shingle, thereby deepening the water con- ] ■iderably. ..''-. A sail wm seen in the offing at sundown j lart evening, supposed to be the ketch Isa- i bella, from, the. Mantyka.ii, now twenty days ' eufc, ' Tne weather has settled down quietly ' pince our last, and the aea has gone down ; with it. o%Tuesday the bar was worked by the Dispatch," which tawed ouj the ' ■chopper Wild Wave, and then tendered the c.c. Bangitoto, taking out to her 20 passen- , gera, and brjngjng back from her 26 passen- . gers and cargo. Yesterday mprnijng .the har was as smotb as a mill^orid, wiih scarcely 1 the smallest ripple to disturb, its placid surface, with a good channel," aud plenty of water. The Dispatch towed out the. brig Clarendon, for Melbourne, and the schooner Enterprise, foi Hokitika, and'tben proceeded on to Hokitika roadstead, there to await orders from her agent, whOwent by coach in the afternoon. It is most probable the Dis- < Batch's services will be thankfully received, not only by the stranded steamers on the spits, hut Also, by the numerous flees now ( lying in the Hokitika roadstead. The Bchooner Mary Ann, from Melbourne, which put to sea during the gale on Sunday night, ru np.t ye^ turned up. This is to be regretted, as she lost a splendid opportunity of being towed \n yesterday morning. She will bow have to wait until the Dispatch returns from Hokitika, unless she should get j a favorable slant of wind and sail in. The g.s.. Omeo roa.y be expected off the port on Friday from Melbourne via Nel- ' •on ; but, i\nless some of the coasting ' k- /Steamers arrive in the interim, she cannot 1 '.' V tendered here, there bejng no. steamer in { !' port at the $me we write. , ' * The s.s. Airedale is announced to leave ] this port on Saturday, conveying passengers ' for all the New Zealand ports, and i pining ' the Panama steamer at Wellington. ( We learned % telegraph on Tuesday that ( three steamers and two sailing craft had that ( i _ daybten "piled up' 1 on the spits at Hokitika, * i^-^^a^'last night further details of the catas- l I &<«> he game to hand, by pur Hokitika con- ' ' j^wporarjes. It appears that the p. s. Charles ] .- fidw^d, piloted by the Harbor Master, first '- : , _ . ftame to grief whilst struggling to get her ' ' bows round the North Spit against the sharp ' freshet, she sheered across the river, and ' took the ground with her heel upon the South ' Spit. An effort was made by means of a line ! to get hey. off, but.- ; ajter moving ' a-heaa, the war-p parted, and a few ' heavy rollers sent her upon the South Spit, ! with her starboard wheel out flf water. The . \ • Yarra, while bringing in the ketch Florance J did not make sufficient allowance for the ] current, and would have been ashore, but ■$hat the anchor was let go. - Whi]|*. this '?')' caved the tug, it was fatal to the ketcb (i : - which was washed broadside on theNprth : Spit, and in five minutes was high and dry. : The Persevere had been following the Yarra, ■ and being compelled to ease steam, was ] hove up under the bows of the Charles J Edward. ■ Next'came the Challenge with the ■ «chooner Ocean Wave in tow. Like the * others, she also passed the bar safety, but, * failing to make sufficient allowance for the ztorth set, she touched fatal North Spit — ahead and happily well clear of the Florence, ■ and in five minutes was piled up with her i paidles out of water. The fate of the Ocean; ; t Wave was. not long in doubt. She paid | round ttpon her beel, hows out, and pnee i^ thought would regain, the roadstead, but - pf heavy seas settled, the question by ' her ashore uj.on the North Spit, a north, pf t^e Florence. The n not get off, as was expected on W the night's tide, and early yesterday morning k the p. «. Dispatch was sent from this port to. |v render, assistance tp her sisters ip. distress at » The'':B.s. Captain Taverner, ! m Tort Phillip Heaja? at; 5.30 p.m. on . .W iVeffiltTfc^. experienced^w'ester^y gales with : HI ea W.tim 30 hours' sail of the $ accompanied with L - v^Ealls and thick weather, necessitated the ship to for 18 hours, ,^the Bluff at 3 .50 p.m. on the 19th. mails, and 85 tons of at, 5*45 a.m. OA the 2Qth ; gjopjny wealher r % .-;;; ttjper6 at 6,40 p. m. the , ~ ; ' ■ >;/p9, 35 passengers, and :^3Sfe^::^;tltpn at 12.15 p.m. p»i ■■ PP^^^^-^^-^^^ns^ -cargo and 20.