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Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 594, 6 November 1869, Page 2

After very smart despatch, Messrs Glenn Bros'B schooner Ceres was toweil over the bar, on her return trip to Melbourne, on Thursday morning. The fine clipper schooner Canterbury, from Lyttelton, paid her first visit to this port yesterday morning, in command of one of her owners, our old friend Captain Ruxton, late of the Spray. She is a splendid craft of her kind, of 75 tons register, with a large carrying capacity, and will be a great favorite here. We are informed by her master that Bhe sails splendidly, and we should imagine bo from her appearance. Her report states that she left Lyttelton on Friday morning, October 22, with strong N.W. wind ; hove to off Cape Campbell on .Saturday night, when it was blowing a gale from N.W. ; on Monday beat into Cloudy Bay for shelter, where she found the Lady Don and barques Record and Alliance laying ; on Friday, 29th, left with light S.E. wind and heavy rain : ran through the Straits same evening, blowing strong, with heavy rain, thunder, and lightning ; at midnight the wind shifted to N. W., and bore up for the Rangitoto j on Sunday morning left again with light N.W. winds ; from thence had light variable winds, arriving in the roadstead as above. She brings a large cargo of produce in first-class condition ; a quantity will be sold to-day on the wharf by auction by her agents, Messrs D. Maclean and Co. The schooner Three Friends, with a full cargo for Brighton, was towed to sea yesterday morning by the p.s. Despatch. The iron clipper barque Helen arrived at Nelson on Monday last from the Mauritius after a fine passage of forty days. She brings a full cargo of sugar, consigned to Messrs. N. Edwards and Co. The p. s. Charleß Edward, Capt. Holmes, arrived at the wharf on Thursday evening from Nelson, Westport, and Hokitika. She has experienced fine weather throughout the trip, She left Nelson on Tuesday, 2nd inst. , at 1 p.m,, arriving at Weatport on Wednesday, at 8 a.m., after a splendid run of twenty hoars. Left Westport at 10 p. m. on Wednesday, arrived off Hokitika and crossed that bar at 8 o'clock. Left the following night and arrived here as above. Yesterday cargo was discharged, and she sailed again last night for Westport, Nelson, and the Mannkau. Letters received iv Melbourne state that there is a probability of a line of French steamers being laid on from Guile to Australia and New Caledonia. From the New Zealand Gazttte, of the 23rd ult., we extract the following proclamation issued by his Excellency Sir G, F. Bowen *—" Whereas by a proclamation bearing date the tenth day of January one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, the letters N.Z. were temporarily appointed as the badge of New Zealand : and whereas it is expedient to adopt a permanent device : Now, therefore, I, Sir George Ferguson Bowen, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, do hereby appoint that the seal or badge in future to be worn, in accordance with the Queen's Regulations, as the distinctive badge of the Colony, by all vessels belonging to or permanently employed in the in the service of the Colonial Government of New Zealand, shall be the Southern Cross, as represented in the Blue Ensign by four fivepointed red stars in the fly, with white borders to correspond to the coloring of the Jack ; in the Jack by four five-pointed white stars on the red ground of the St, George's Cross ; and in the Pendant by four stars near the staff similar to those in the Ensign. Ai.d I do further order that the temporary badge consisting of the letters N.Z, at present in use in colonial vessels, shall from and after this date be discontinued. Given, &c &c., W. GISBOBNE." Messrs. J. Henty and Co. have just added another fine vessel to their mercantile fleet, they having purchased the North German barque Edgar Ross, and renamed her the Wodongo. The change of nationality and name of the vessel, which took pla^e on Wednesday, 20th ult., was celebrated by a dejeuner on board, when a few friends of

Captain J. J. Jarman, who has taken a share in the vessel, as also the command, met together aud drank success to the " ship and owners."— A ye. The Cebems, ironclad for Port Philip, recently had a very narrow escape of foundering in Chatham harbor. After the workmen had left the ve!B J,*it was found that one of the sea valves which supply water ballast to the vessel had been left open, either carelessly or from design. The vessel, having all her tanks full, aud her coals on board, the water gained ou her fast, and she would very soon have settled down, when the imminentperil she was in was observed from the dockyard. Assistance immediately piit off to her and under the direction of the officials she was kept afloat, and the water, which had risen to several feet in her, pumped out. An investigation into the circumstances which gave rise to the occurrence has been instituted by the officials of the yard. The Cereberus will, it now appears, require a considerable outlay, in the shape of alterations and additions, to be expended on her before she will be able to leave this country for her destination. This will detain her in this country for a considerable time, and under most favorable circumstances she is not expected to be ready to proceed to Melbourne for several months. Since she has .been at Chatham it has been determined to fit her with a fore and aft deck, as with her low freeboard and the absence of bulwarks it would be dangerous to despatch her to Australia in that state. — European Mail. (