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Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 491, 9 March 1869, Page 2

On Saturday morning the p.s. Yarra left this port for the Teremakau and Hokitika, and on entering the latter river she had the s misfortune to be once more " piled up" on the North Spit. .The W. C. Times says :— " On reaching this port the tide was about an hour and a half on the ebb, and there was a cross, jumbling sea on the bar, through which she, however, passed without difficulty. The ebb was running out pretty strong as she came in between, the spits, and, in consequence, her way was stopped considerably. But she came slowly on against the tide until abreast of the stream which flows from the lagopn. This was running out very strong, antl, striking the Yarra on the starboard bow, canted her. over towards the north s pit. The channel is here very narrow, although deep, and before the vessel had time to answer her. helm she hit the ground." There she remained and landed her cargo, but did not get off on the following tide, as expected. The s.s. Murray sailed for the north on Saturday morning. Passengers for England per Ruahine via the Straits of Magellan and Rio De Janiero, are reminded that they must proceed to Wellington by the Alhambra, now due from Melbourne. The Ruahjjne sails from Wellington on the 22nd inst. The s.s. Alhambra was announced to leave Melbourne for the West Coast direct on the 3rd inst. We may therefore expect to hear of her to-day. Sne is announced to sail on arrival with passengers for Nelson, other New Zealand ports, and Melbourne. The 8.8. Gothenburg is now working round the ports, and is announced to take her final departure from this port for Melbourne direct to-morrow. The brig Magnet, Captain Clinskill, was off the port yesterday .morning, after another of her clipper runs from MsJbonrne. In the evening the p.s. Dispatch ran out to her, and in crossing the bar had soundings showing eleven feet of water, but the heavy surf which drenched the tug fore and aft, and darkness coming on rendered it advisable to defer bringing her in until this morning. Capt. Deare ran his boat close up to the brig, and brought ashore late files o.f Melbourne papers, for the use of which we have to thank Mr, Kennedy. It was also ascertained that i the Magnet cleared out on the 25th, but did not leave the Heads until the Ist March, making the run down in the short space of Seven days, beating the 10, which sailed three days before her. We expect to see her alongside the wharf this morning. . The following details of the wreck of the fine ship Ida Ziegler at Napier are from telegrams in the Qtago papers : — A heavy black nor-easter prevailed on the Ist. The Ida Ziegler is a total wreck here ; but no loss of life has occurred. The ship went ashore at a quarter after twelve on Saturday. A line was fastened to a hencoop, which the surf washed ashore; and the line having been then fastened to the maiuyardarm, a cradle was rigged, which enabled the crew (28) to get ashore. At 5 20, the masts went by the board; and in twenty minutes afterwards, all was over. She had 2000 bales of wool on board when she parted her cable, then she broke up; and soon afterwards the beach was covered with wool— some 300 bales baing saved. The wreck has been sold for £52, but both ship and cargo are believed to be insured. The vessel has entirely broken up. A peculiar case, relating to the powers of aea captains, was tried lately in the Sandridge Police Courts' before Messrs Thomas and Swallow. Mr Baillie, the captain of the Champion of the Seas,- sued WilUam Wright, formerly chief mate of that vessel, for desertion, but the charge arose out of former disputes, between the parties, which commenced soon after the vessel left England, in Seteniber last. It seems, that the cap bain, when the vessel had been on her outward voyage about fourteen days, disrated the mate, sending him and his clothing into the forecastle, and reducing him to the level of the ordinary sailors. The main cause of this hard treatment is stated to be that on one occasion the mate did not go on deck for rather more than an hour after the time when his watch commenced, a circumstance which he accounted for by stating that he had fallen asleep before, the time of his watch, and not having been roused he had unfortunately glept over his time. After the slttp reached Victoria, Wright sued the captain for hia proper wages, but the magistrates decided that as he had signed articles in England for three years and to return to England, he could not sue for wages here. The mate left the ship without the captain interfering, until the former commenced an action qgainst the latter, laying damages at £500, and taking proceedings to see that the captain did not leave without giving security to defend the suit. The captain then had the mate arrested for desertion, and the case came before the Bench on Friday, Read appealing for the prosecution and Mi Hartly Williams for the defence. After the hearing had occupied over three hours, the Bench dismissed the complaint, principally on the ground that the captain had condoned the offence by allowing the mate to go abroard for five or six weeks without proceeding against him, and then only doing so wi! h the intention of defeating the action which the mate had brought against him. — Age. Mr O. Lamb, late chief officer of the ship John Duncan, who has just arrived in Liverpool from Gibraltar, gives the following account of the loss of the John Duncan. The vessel left St. John, N.B , on the 2nd Novem 3 her, for Liverpool, with a full cargo and deck load of deals. Experienced very heavy weather up to the 10th November, when it blew a hurricane from N.N.W. At midnight there was a tremendous sea running, with fearful wind, accompanied by snow and hail, almost every sea pooping the ship. The cabin skylight was washed away, and the cabin filled with water, the stores being washed about in all directions. An attempt was made to throw the deck load overboard, and two of the crew were washed away. The remainder of the seamen were then lashed to the rigging. At four p.m. on the 11th the ship pooped a tremendous sea, which cleared the poop of everything, carrying ! away all the boats, hurricane house, wheel, wheel chains, four haiids from the wheel, the captain, his wife, and child, and a male passenger. The stern was knocked in and the poop deck torn up. The ship tlieu broached

, to, splitting the lower topsails, and lay on her port beam enils, the sea breaking over and washing away the deck load. The surviving crew took to the fore rigging, and afterwards to the topgallant forecastle. At seven p.m. the ship fell over on her broadside, with her masts and yards in the w.iter. The fore and main topmasts were carried away, as was also the mizenmast, with all yards. The decks were swept of everything, and the port side was torn up. The ship then righted, having her foremast and mainmast standing, but three of the crew were drowned while she lay on her broadside. The weather continued fearful until the 13th, when it moderated, and some qf the wreck was cut away from alongside to keep 'the ship from breaking up. It was then discovered that all the provisions had been lost, but a pig was found, killed, and hung up so that it cduld not be carried away. l A he remainder of the ,crew suffered fearfully from want of, water up to the 17 th, when a brig bore down, but passed without offering any assistance. On the 23rd, the Anpricau brigs Dirigo and Radboiii bore down, and rescued the survivors. The Dirigo took six and the Radboni three of the crew. Mr Lamb was landed at Gibraltar, and cauie home to Liverpool in the Rhone (s.) The names of those who were drowned were Captain C. O. Randall, his wife, and infant son ; Robert Reed, son of the owner ; W. Richley, carpenter ; W. Wylie, saihnaker ; J. Smith, A.B. ; James Geeling, A.8.; J. Silver, M.Anderson, T. Frazer, M'Alister, and the boatswain (name unknown). — Scotsman.