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Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 728, 17 September 1870, Page 2

Yesterday the schooner Isabella, coalladen, for Hokitika, was towed to sea by the p.s. Dispatch. The Cflaiid Hamilton, from Melbourne, arrived at the Bluff yesterday. The latest Australian news brought by her will be found in another column.

Captain Beal, late of the Wonga Wonga, has obtained a verdict of L2OU damages against the Californian mail contractor, for wrongful dismissal. Prior to the departure of the Galatea from Wellington, a court martial was held, by which Sub-Lieutenant M'Kenzie was dismissed the service for drunkenness. A marine named Tomlinson, recently arrested in Otago, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, for desertion. The Secretary of the Customs, Wellington, has received the following telegram from Havelock :— "The master of the schooner Canterbury reports an unknown rock about three miles outside Chetwode Island. The schooner was on it for seven hours, but eventually got back to Pelorus Sound, much damaged. The master was unable to take compass bearings, but will try to do so by boat. He thinks the rock is situated about five miles from the mainland, and two from Ctotvrode M<\nvL He could see. part of Ketu Bay irom the xock. The xods. vjas a small one, with about three feet of water on it at low water spring tides, and deep water all round. The schooner struck on it at about half ebb. — W. Wbitehorn, officer in charge." On Monday afternoon, after the Phoebe had her anchor up, the surf boat proceeded to her to take the mail on board, and as it was blowing a stiff south-easterly &ale out where the Phoebe lay, the coxswain of the surf boat asked Captain Worsp to tow him a short distance in, so as to be out of the force of the gale, but this, we understand, was refused, and the boat was cast adrift to get ashore as best it could. It was painful to those on shore to see the men trying their utmost to row against the wind, which was gradually taking them out to sea, notwithstanding all their efforts. The Harbor Master, at the time, was on board the s.s. Taranaki, and seeing the position the men were in asked the captain to go to the boat's assistance. Captain Wheeler, without a murmur, ordered the anchor to be raised, and went after the boat, and towed her into the inner buoy. The boat being now out of the force of the wind, w&s easily brought ashore. Whilst we cannot jaccord sufficient praise to Captain Wheeler for the trouble he put himself to, we feel bound to say that Captain Worsp certainly deserves the severest consure for the manner in which he cast the boat adrift ; had the men drifted to sea and been lost, he would have had their lives to account for. — Taranaki Herald.

The public here are. we believe, under the impression that a Prussian war frigate is cruising somewhere in the South Pacific. This is quite correct. The Prussian frigate Her tha — of what armament «ye are not aware — was reported to have arrived about a month ago among the Pacific Islands. If this is really the case, we may hear that she has visited the French settlements there on no friendly errand. Prussia, it was said some months ago, is rather anxious to plant her flag in the Pacific.— S. M. Herald.