Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 473, 26 January 1869, Page 2

The 8.8. Kennedy ia now on the gridiron at Nelson for repairs. The hwt vessel which will leave this port nnder the auspices of the Panama Company, fch'e b.s. Egmnnt, is announced to sail for Sydney direct on Thursday. Conjecture is rife as to the detention of the p. 8 Aihambra, which is now ten days overdue from Melbourne. We have information . by the 8.8. Tararua, which arrived at the ,y Bluff on Friday, that the s.s. Aihambra ['" sailed on -the 9th for the West Coast direct, with over '2(RJ 'passengers, including many wqU-knpwn 'residents here, and a strong . detachment for the Armed Constabulary. -The most probable contingency is tbat the Aihambra' s machinery has broken down, and

that she has returned to Melbpurne under canvas. We may expect to have positive news as tq her whereabouts on the arrival of the Rangitoto The Aihambra is still anI nounced to leave here this day for Nelson, j Southern Ports, and Melbourne. The s.B. Rangitoto, now expected from Melbourne direct, is announced to leave this port for Melbourne via Nelßon and Southern Ports on Thursday. — The same company's a.s. Tararua, now making a sharp run round the ports, is expected here on Thursday, when she will be dispatched for Melbourne direct. The brigantine Sarah Ann, which^rounded :n the river while being brought into the I river on Friday, was brought to the wharf | by the p.s. Dispatoh on Saturday evening, where she commenced discharging yesterday . The s.f. Murray, Captain Holmes, ai rived in the river early on Saturday morning, after another smart run from Nelson and Westport. She left Nelson on Thursday, and after some detention at Separation Point owing to, the heavy weather, reached Westport on Friday, left the same evening, and arrived here as aboye. On Sat u .day sifternoon she" sailed again, and was in Nelson yesterday morning early. The p s. Charles Edward, Captain Palmer, arrived late last night from Nelson, via West- J port and Hokitika. She left Nelson on Tuesday last at 1 p.m., but the same evening had to seek shelter in Totaranui. Next morning she started again, but had to put in at Bush End, where she lay until Thursday at 4 p.m., arriving at the Buller- at 1.30 p.m. on Friday. Crossing the bar early on the tide she grounded, and received some slight damage, which detained her until ib was repaired, and she left again on Saturday night, arrived at Hokitika en Sunday morning, left again last night, and arrived here at 9 p.m. The schooner lo's repoit in our last was incorrect in one particular. She cleared Port Philip Heads on the Bth, not on the 7th. Her cargo of over 130 tons was delivered on the wharf in 13 working hours, whioh is very smart work. Yesterday a cargo of coal was taken in, and she was towed to sea last night. The latest information with respect to the affairs of the Panama Company, contained in telegrams from Wellington, is to the effect that Mr Marshall, representative of the Royal Mail Company, arrived by the Mataura, and on the Phoebe's arrival on Thursday night last took possession of her. He also took formal possession of the Mataura, which sailed from Sydney, nominally the property of the Panama Company. She has since sailed for England via the Straits of Magellan and Rio de Jsniero. All the intercolonial and interproviucial baats have been sold, and the company ceases operations at the end of the present month. The Airedale and Lord Ashley have been purchased by Mr Thomas Henderson, of Auckland, for LI 3, 000. The Egmont and Aucklandhave been purchased by the A.S.N. Company. Captain Vine Hall is expected in Wellington soon, when it is probable the premises of the Company, if not already disposed of in Austr ilia, will be sold. Although Captain Benson does not propose to leave Wellington until April next, steps are being taken to get up a testimonial. The barque Blackwatch, from Liverpool to Calcutta, put into Mauritius on the 22nd November to land the crew of the ship Persia, of 1289 tons, from Greenock, with a cargo of coal, for Bombay, which had been burnt at sea on the 31st October, the crew having been rescued by the Blackwatch on the 2nd No\ • nber. It is st;t id that smail-pox exists at Reunion.— Daily Times. The powerful steam-tugs Titan and Challenge, lately owned by Messrs Spence Bros, and Co., have changed owners, and have now become tne property of Messrs. Norton, Graham and Co., whose' fleet of steamers, in addition to the vessels just mentioned, comprises- the Resolute, Sophia, and Hercules ; in all, five very powerful and efficient boats. — Argus. ' The American clipper ship Montana, cleared out for Calcutta with 133 head of horses, the property of Messrs Macklin and Baldock. We can safely say that no finer lot ever left this colony in one ship for any port. Amongst the number placed on board were Lantern, by Panic ; Solitaire, by Hermit ; Ettrick, by King Alfred ; Gaffer Gray, by Prince William ; and Dolo, by Cardinal Wiseman. The list includes several other racehorses of less repute, though believed to be of good quality. We understand that a great deal of trouble has been taken in selecting this cargo, and it is probable that the horses will suit the Calcutta market, as Mr Baldock has made repeated voyages with horses to that port, and must therefore know the ckss of animal which will satisfy Indian buyers. — Argus. The brig Caroline, which arrived in harbor yesterday morning, had a very narrow escape from being wrecked shortly before arrival in port, by striking on a sunken rock, which is not laid down in the chart, off the island of "Moko-Hino, on Saturday evening last. Unfortunately, the accident resulted in the loss of one of the seamen. We make the following, extract from the log :^-" At four p. m. on Saturday, the island of Moko-Hino bore east by north, distant about five miles, and the Little Barrier about twenty miles. At G. 15 p.m., with the wind at S.W., the vessel landed on an invisible rock (not in chart), and bumped heavily for fifteen minutes. The boat was immediately got out to save life, but, on being launched, she filled with i water. Two seamen got into the boat to bail the water out, when the painter carried away, and the boat turned over, throwing the two men into the water. The jollyboat was promptly lowered to save the men. Samuel Catres was picked up, but William Forth, a foreigner, could not swim, and sunk before the boat reiched him. By this time the vessel had swung round and slid off into deep water, Every effort was made to save the man Forth, and lines were thrown to him, but he appeared quite helpless in the water, and sunk without making an effort. Fortunately, th.c vessel just landed on the rock amidships, otherwise the consequences would no doubt have been more serious." After discharging her cargo the Caroline will be placed on the Patent Slip at the North Shore.— Auckland Herald, Jan. 12. No intelligence has reached this port as to the fate of the ship Daring, which sailed from Gravesend for Melbourne on the 25th of April last. She had a very large quantity of gunpowder on board, and it is teared that she has suffered wreck from fire or explosion. Early in November last as much as sixty per cent, was asked by the London underwriters for insurance upon her. — Argus. Recently, a seaman deserted from the barque Homer, under the following extraordinary circumstances : — The man, who had been released from gaol on the previous day, was put on bo •rd the Homer by the police early in the afternoon of the day the vessel sailed for Shanghai. As she approached Nobby 'B, one of the sailors noticed a man swimming in the water a short distance from the vessel, and on search being made it was found that the seaman in question was missing. A boat was immediately lowered, and two of the hands pulled to the rescue of, the man, who was making fast for the North Shore. On coming up to him he positively avowed that he would prefer suffering death to going to sea in the Homer, and dated the men in the boat to take him on board that vessel. Finding him inexorable, they landed him at the Breakwater, and the moment he j set his foot on shore he took to his heels. He had two suits of clothes on. and possessed about £20 in money.— Newcastle Chronicle. On the departure of the Peninsular and

Oriental Company's R.M.S.S. Avoca, from Sydney, for Melbournp, a melancholy accident occurred, by which Frederic Green, an A.B. seaman, lost his life, The steamer was just rounding Sydney Heads, and Green (who was out on the jibboom at the time) lost his hold, and fell right in the way of the steamer's cutwater. Life-buoys were at once thrown to him, but as he came up he seemed powerless to lay hold of anything ; and from the gashed and bleeding appearance of the back of his head aud neck it is supposed that he must have cpme in violent contact with .some part of the steamer. Instant and diligent search was made for the poor fellow by the steamer's boats, but without avail, as he sank almost immediately. Green, although a comparatively young man, had been for many years in the company's vessels, and was well liked. The occurrence, it is scarcely necessary to say, had a depressing effect on all on board. — Argus.