Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 711, 9 August 1870, Page 2

The only shipping events since our last, have been the towing to sea by the p.s. Dispatch of the schooners Three Friends for Brighton, and the Fairy for Lyttelton. The port is now bare of shipping, but a number of vessels are hourly looked for. A large schooner, supposed to be the Florence, from Auckland, is in the roadstead. As the s.s. Gothenburg would leave Nelson yesterday afternoon, she may confidently be looked for off this port to-day, and she will ship passengers for Melbourne, . Sydney, and Adelaide at 7 a.m. on ThursThe s.s. Tararua, from Melbourne direct, is expected here to-day with the English maiL She will be promptly dispatched with • passengers for all New Zealand ports and Melbourne. Last mouth we thought the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company had become the property of the Union Company, formed for the purchase of the old company's boats and the Taranaki ; but now we discover that we were premature in the announcement. There has been nothing accomplished in the way of a new company, nor in the fusion of existing old ones. Attempts of the kind were made, but without any real result, as the public have too fresh a recollection of various steam experiences in the colonies, which has a great tendency to check enterprise in this way. The Wellington is the only boat now running, but will be laid up and sold on completion of the present trip. The Rangatira has been sold by private contract to local purchasers for, we understand, L3OOO. The Ahuriri is lying up in the harbor, and is undergoing extensive repairs. — Wellington Independent. Considerable excitement was caused throughout the town last night from a report that the brig Zingara had parted her cables and drifted ashore. There was ground for .the report.; and at about 11 o'clock signal guns were fired, and the members of the Rocket Brigade mustered iv front of the Government flagstaff, and got all theirappliances prepared to render any assistance ; fortunately their services were not required. A heavy sea with a strong breeze set in about sundown, and the vessel (which was __ju a j«a_aj I d_ready for sea) was signalled to stand out. Before the preparations could be made it is supposed" that the_cable_ parted, and in trying to work out she missed stays and nearly drifted on to the- beach, but she suddenly veered round, and was speedily out of danger. Another accident (which almost proved fatal to two of the LandiDg Company's boatmen) occurred the same evening. It appears that on the bad weather coming. on, a crew was sent out to bring in the boats. In changing from one boat to another (through some accident to the steering oar) George M'Kenzie and another man — whose nan'.e we have not learned— were knocked overboard ; they were not missed for a minute or two, but were providentally picked up. It was indeed a fearful night — hail; rain, and wind — but fortunately we have been spared the task of reporting a wreck, or any other serious accident. The admirable manner in which the captain of the Zingara managed his vessel in her critical position is beyond praise. — Oamaru Herald, July 28. The Hawaiin Commercial Advertiser of June 18th, says:— "On Thursday morning early,' the squadron of H.B.M.'swar ships, the expected arrival of which notice had been previously given, arrived off this port eighteen days from Victoria, V.L, and anchored outside the harbor. • The present squadron, denominated the ' flying sq/iadrou,' . is going round the world, visiting the various naval stations, and relieving those ships whose time has expired, and having touched at the ports of China and Japan is now homeward bound. The list, aa it now appears (one or two of the original ships having taken the places of those relieved), is as follows: — Liverpool, 30 guns, RearAdmiral Hornby ; Pearl, 17, Capt. John M. Ross ; Charybdis, 18, Capt. A. McL. Lyons; Endymion, 21, Capt. Edward Lacy ; Liffey, 30, Capt. Robert Uibson ; Phoebe, 30, Capt. John Bythesea. The squadron sailed again for Valparaiso ou Juue 24. " Among the gigantic enterprises of 'the day is the proposed submarine telegraph line between the Pacific coast of the United States and Asia. It seems now to be a question who shall have the doing of it, and there are claimants enough for the honor, and routes enough designated, to puzzle the Congressional Committee. The necessity of siuh communication is a generally admitted fact, and the amount of the Government subsidy is now the contested point. A recent telegram to the New York World stated that the idea prevailed that the committee having it under consideration would report favorably and advise the granting of 500,0Q0dols per aunum for twenty years instead of the 10,000,000J01s prayed for. The Overland China Mail relates the following as an "amusing incident." We confess that we fail to discover where the amusement comes in. The Mail says: — "An amusing incident happened ou the coast near Ningopo a few days ago. A rvther high mandarin started from Taic how on board a war junk, to attack pirates known to be on the coast between that port and Ningpo. Shortly after leaving his junk overtook a trader, well laden with passengers, going in the same direction. The usual iuquiries were made as to destination, and the two sailed on in each other's vicinity. On the following day two other traders hove in sight - all going on the same course, and all full of passengers. On the third day all three closed in on the war junk, threw combustibles on board, boarded her in the confusion, looted her, and drove her crew overboard. The. mandarin's foot was cut off as he disappeared over the side, and he was drowned, together with, many of his raen. Of coime the traders were pirates, who had got wind of the official intention with regard to them, and thus turned the tables. It is said that they are all disbanded soldiers from the Taiehow mandarin's force, who had taken to piracy from want of other employment.