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Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 553, 3 August 1869, Page 2

The s.s. Murray, Captain M'Gillivary, from Nelson .and Westport, crossed the bar pn Saturday afternoon in fine style, although there was a heavy sea running. Cargo was discharged the aame evening, in order to enable her tq get away op Sunday, On that afternoon's tide she took her departure on her return trip, without calling at Hokitika, in consequence of the bad state of the bar ■{"here. Yesterday afternoon the p.s. Dispatch towed to sea the brigantine Storm King, bound for Richmond River, ST.S.W. We are glad to be able to record that the Hokitika bar has improved sufficiently to allow the s.s. Kennedy to get to sea, after a long detention. This change has been brought about by the cutting of a new channel through the south s,pit, assisted by the fresh in the river on Saturday. After crossing, the s.s. Kennedy reported six feet pf water on the bar. It is still doubtful whether this new channel Avill continue workable. The ss. Waipara, which left this port for Hokitika yesterday morning, is not reported as n~av.ing entered that river. The s.s. Waipara, which remained here, for some time waiting for the Hokitika bar to improve, left yesterday morning for the Hokitika roadstead, where she will do some towing whenever an opportunity offers. The s.s. Gothenburg, from Nelson, may positively.be looked for in this roadstead today. She will be despatched in the evening with passengers for Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydnej-. The s.s. Tararua arrived at Port Chalmers from Melbourne yesterday. We regret to learn that an accident took place at Port Chalmers resulting in the drowning of a man named James Dickcnson. It appears that the deceased was engaged in lifting the anchor of the lighter Monitor, when the handle of the winch slipped off, he lost his balance, and the deck being slippery, he fell into the water. His mate immediately put off in a dingy to save him, but was unsuccessful, as Dickenson had sunk before the boat reached the spot where he was last seen. His body will be dragged for to-day. The deceased is said to have come to the province in the ship Sfcornoway, and was familiarly known by the name of " Old Jimmy." — Otago Daily Times. We have received the chart of the West Coast which has just been published as the result of the survey recently made by Lieut. Woods, Colonial Marine Surveyor. The chart is lithographed in red and black colors, the black exhibiting the errors of the Admiralty charts, and the red showing the actual results of the recent survey. Between the tyro there are great discrepancies, but the principal errors of the Admiralty charts seem \o be between the Waiau river, opposite Mount Cook, and the Grey River. The new chart altogether exhibits the line of coast Vetweeu Cascade Point and the Grey. According to the Admiralty chart, the Waiau river, the Okarita river, Abut Head, and the river known as the Wanganui are all placed considerably to the southward of their real positions, and the coast line is also some distance to the eastward of what it is now ascertained to be. Bold Head, nearly midway between Okarito and Hokitika, is correct, but, as was suspected by the first visitors to the coast at the time of the Hokitika rush, both the Hokitika and the Teremakau appear in the Admiralty charts to the southward of their proper situation. Technically the value of the errors, in nautical miles, is— Hokitika 7.8, Abut Head 8.86, Yellow Cliffs L 5. Otherwise expressed, the position of Hokitika is " out" 7i miles in latitude, and 5 miles in longitude ; and Abut Head is " out" 6J miles in latitude, and 8 miles in longitude. The Admiralty charts, it should be' stated, were confessedly based, to a considerable extent, on Mr Brunner's land surveys, the const north of Jackson's Bay not bemg a very favorable one for the prosecution of a marine survey. This new chart will be of infinite service to the shipmasters trading to those parts of New Zealand, and, we have no doubt, will be included in the next edition of that very useful and usually accurate book, the " New Zealand pilot."— Wettport Time*. The schooner Boomerang, from Tasmania, bound to the Townsville diggings, struck upon a shoal in Torres Straits and becamo a total wreck. The crew were saved. With reference to an accidental death of the sailor who fell off the Williamstown breakwater, it is ri.»ht that it should be known that a very gallant attempt was made to save hin> by Captain Ponsonby, of the ship Coldstreain. The man belonged to the ship Gresham, bu+ it being reported on the Coldstream, Captain Ponsonby juiqped out of his Ved, a-ftd at once sprang overboard, where be swam aboijt for svme time until .ill hope of the man rising was past. ' Considering that it was midnight, apd v«ry dark, it was a very phicky act, and highly creditable to {hedoer.— Argus. A fatal accident occurred during the vei7 styinny passage of the clipper Marpueia, from '■''i". '.

Liverpool to Melbourne. On the 12th pf July, a treinejidous sea broke op board and washed one qf the steerage passengers, flamed Nicholas Codd, a native of Ireland, from the galley, overboard. In consequence of .the fearful gale blowing at the time, it was quite impossible to make even an attempt to gave him, as .even to round the vessel to would ■have jeopardised her safety, niid risked the lives of all. Captaiu Hounsell felt the position keenly, the man being much respected by h}m.— Age. How the Bretagne was lost we now know, .fin the testimony of "the man at the wheel" of the Explorer. Woods declares tlj.lt when he ."took his trick" at the wh.ee], Me^calf, tho chief officer, iustead of showing an ex.ample of vigilance tp the watch, was taking his own lazy trick pn a hen-coop, on the wrong side pf the ship, only roused from sleep l>y the shock of the collision, and then rushing in confusion to Woods with the silly question as to whether he had not seen the Bretagne in time to avert danger— just as if that individual could have seen through the main rigging. There has seldom been a more reprehensible cas.e qf recklessuess on the part of men entrusted with life and pioperty — carelessness, of course,, amounting to indifference as to their own personal safety, also, bocause tho Exprorer herself might have been run down under similar circumstances by a vessel of superior weight. According to Woods the night was so clear that the vessels mipht have sighted each other eight or nine miles off, so that the look-out men were evidently as remiss as the othgrs in not havipg given tiniply warning. The Steam Navigation Board has suspended the chief officer's certificate for twelve months ; but it is said that he will' appeal to the Board of Trade in London. — Age. One of those pleasant little steamboats which have so lojig traversed the Bay in safety, pame to grjef on Saturday, the 15th. A telegram received from Flinders, announced that the steam-tug Reliance, bound from Philip Island to Melbourne, had foundered in deep water that forenoon, about three miles from Cape Scbanck. It appears she struck at Woody's Point, in the Eastern Passage, the previous day, and had been making water up to the tim&of her sinking. The captain and crew arrived at Flinders in the steamer's boat at 1.45 p.m. Fortunately, the Reliance had no cargo or passengers on board. The Reliance was owned by Captains Alex. Dove and J. K. Frcyer. - She ■\yas built in this colony only two or tLree years back of the very best material, and was also, considered thoroughly worthy of her name. She measured 53 tons register, and propelled by engines of 55 horse power nominal. We are informed that the vessel was insured. — A ge.