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Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 696, 5 July 1870, Page 2

The barque Kate Conley. which has now been six days in the roadstead, will, in all probability, be towed in by thep.s. Dispatch this morning as the se» was fast moderating last night. The s.s. Tararua, from Melbourne direct, is expected to-day. On arrival she will be despatched with passengers for New Zealand ports and Melbourne. - The s.s. Rangitoto is now hourly expected to put in an appearance from Wellington. She is looked for early to-morrow morning, when she will be despatched for Melbourne with gold and passengers. Owing to the heavy rains which have fallen, there has been a strong fresh running seawards in tbe river during the past few days ; but it had every appearance of abating last evening, so that we may anticipate re-opening communication with up-country to-day. Thu only shipping event since Saturday has been the departure northward of the s.s. Kennedy yesterday afternoon. She left the wharf at 1 pjn. on her return nortbward trip, and crossed tho bar in fine style, although several seas broke over her in rapid succession, deluging her decks with water fore and aft. She steamed away for the north with a fine breeze from the S. W. , and would be in Westport early this morning. An Adelaide brigantine, the Alexandra, which was last year engaged by some officials of the Italian Government for an exploring cruise to New Guinea and adjacent islands, fell in with some rather adventurous incidents during her voyage. The Register mentions that, " after leaving New Guinea, she sailed for Maclure's Inlet, where a fracas with the natives occured. It appears that some of the ship's company had landed previously, and tbe natives were supposed to be cordial in their reception from exhibitions of the usual friendly signs of kissing hands, &c, and one man, who represented himself as the chief, offered to conduct the party to the nearest village . No treachery being anticipated, this course was acceded to, the boat meanwhile coasting along within hail. On nearing a creek, however, the chief suddenly turned on the party, and seizing tbe leader's fowlingpiece, knocked him senseless, and in an instant the fact of the party being surrounded by a thousand savages showed that warm work was at hand. Ihose in the second boat, which was at no great distance, witnessed the affray, and at once opned fire on the aggressors, and, being furnished with Sneider rutes, they were able to make good execution. At the first discharge the chief was mortally wounded. On the conclusion of the skirmish, 50 rounds of Sneider ammunition were spent, which was increased by that fired from the revolvers, so that the natives p^aid rather dearly for their treachery. The leader of the whites had three spear wounds, and auofcher of the party some bruises, but no farther damage was done." Nothing is stated as to the special views of the Italian Government in directing the cruise. — Argus. < The number of wrecks reported at Lloyd's, London, for the present year, up to April 16, is 599. % _____ rr -^ m — x . im ~ — wThftj Kp^nfent"Su i TuT at Rio de Janeiro I on March 14, to land a sailor who had broken ! his leg ; she proceeded on her course the same day. From Mauritius comes the intelligence, dated March 11, of the brig Guess, of Jersey (LeGresley), from Newcastle (N.S.W.) for Mauritius, with coal. She had struck on a reef off Canonier's Point, and was in a sinking state when the captain and crew left her. They were picked up and landed by a coasting vessel. On April 7 Messrs M'Culloch, Patterson and Co, Greenock, launched an iron ship of 700 tons, named the Yale of Nitb, for Messrs John Hay and Co, of Greenock. She was taken afterwards into the East Harbor, whe* 0 she will be fitted out, and towed to Glasgow to load for Sydney. The Yale of Nith is a sister ship to the Yale of Doon, launched by the same builders for the same owners. On April 2 was launched, by Messrs John Humphrey and Go, of Aberdeen, a fine clipper ship, which was named the Craigendarroch. She is about 1200 tons builders' measurement, and 1000 tons register tonnage. This fine vessel has iron beams, and a Humphrey's patent iron keelson, on account of which she has been awarded by Lloyd's Committee for Shipping Registry the highest class ever granted to any vessel of the same material. We understand that the Crakendarroch has been built to the order of Messrs Richard Counan and Co, for the South Australian trade, and when fitted out will take her place in the Elder line of packets between London, and Adelaide, with her sister ships Carnaquheen and Bundaleer. She will be commanded by Captain Phillips, late of these vessels. From. San Francisco, between March 11 and 15, six British iron vessels set sail for Cork and Liverpool. It is seldom that so many vessels of the same class have left so nearly at the same time, and there is considerable betting on the result. Following are the names of the vessels, and the records of their last trips : — The ship Yosemite, arrived Jan. 24, 68 days from Sydney, 115 days from Newcastle ; ship Beringa, arrived Jan. 24, 95 days from Sydney ; ship River Mersey, arrived Jan. 23, from Glasgow 199 days, via Lamlash 191 days ; barque Kenilworth, arrived Jan. 23, 155 days from Liverpool; barque Cerastes, arrived Feb. 4, 114 days from Glasgow, via Greenock 110 days ; barque Galatia, arrived Feb. 15, from Glasgow 158 days. There have been several heavy bets made in regard to the Ceiastes and Yosemite, the latter allowing the former one and one-half day's time for the difference between Cork and Liverpool. It is said that no finer fleet of grain-laden vessels has ever left the port, and the hour of their arrival will be looked for with interest. . ;