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Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 790, 7 February 1871, Page 2

The s.s. Waipara, which sailed for this port from Hokitika on Sunday, for coals, only proceeded as far as abreast the Saltwater, whxsn she sighted the Lady Don, "liscTßsdHerjDound for Hokitika, and towed her to the roadstead. The schooner Brothers and Sisters was towed into the Hokitika River on Friday by the Waipara. She is from Hunt's Beach, and brings up some machinery. Another trip down South is contemplated shortly. the West Coast Times of yesterday reports the stranding of the steam-tug Lioness and the brigantine Zephyr, which occurred on Sunday morning. At about half-past nine am., the tug took the brigantine in tow. All went well, and the bar was safely crossed, but when between the Spits the Lioness, which was pretty well to the southward, took a run in on a sea, and took the ground on the South Spit. Every effort was made to back her off, but without avail. During this time the curreut set the Zephyr on the Spit somewhat lower down than the tug. Both remained hard and fast, and at low water were high and dry. Warps were run out to both vessels from the South Spit, and preparations made to -heave them off when the tide made. No damage has been sustained by cither vessel. At the top of highwater the Lioness was hove off, and a towline being passed to the brigantine, the tug made every possible effort to get her off, but without avail. Operations were resumed yesterday, but we have not heard the result. A Manchester Examiner correspondent telegraphs from Cuxbaven : — "The steamer Neuenfelde, with a cargo of torpedoes lying in this harbor has been destroyed. Some of the landwehr officers quartered here went on board to look at the torpedoes. In showing them, it appears that the necessary caution was not observed, and the torpedoes exploded, the ship being blown to pieces. Nothing but the funnel can be seen aoove the water. Only the engineer, boatswain, , and apprentice,. were saved. The captain, four of the crew, and the four landwehr officers were killed." A curious case occurred recently at Halifax, Nova Scotia. On the 14 h September, Capt. Raetz,.of the German ship Herman, arrived at Halifax in a schooner, and reported that his vessel had encountered a severe gale, receiving such injuries that he and his cew abandone* 1 her, and she sank soon afterwards . Ou the 19th September, an American fishing vessel came into Halifax, bringing with her the Herman, still afloat, but with several - holes bored in her bottom. Captain Baetz saw his ship arrive, and went into the forest and hanged himself. His crew were arrested, and they stated that the captain induced them to scuttle the ship in. order to obtain the insurance upon her. The African mail steamer London, which has arrived at Liverpool, brings intelligence of the following disaster on the west coast of Africa :— The brig Locomotive, while entering the Opobo, struck on the bar ; and although every effort was made by the crew, all hopes of saving the vessel weie given up. After the crew hadleft the wreck, the natives in the vicinity boarded the Locomotive in great numbers, and took possession. They then commenced to strip the vessel. The hatches were broken open, and a regular system of plunder commenced. One portion of /the cargo, consisting of gunpowder, was being appropriated by the natives, when, by some means,- the powder became ignited, aid an explosion of a most fearful character occurred. The vessel was literally blown to atoms, and the unfortunate plunderers shared the same fate. How many natives perished was unknown, but the number at the time the steamer left Bonny was stated to be upwards of fifty, besides those who were in caves alongside the. wreck.