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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1045, 1 December 1871, Page 2

Weather overcast with rain and clouds, and bars good, was the general report from the various meteorological stations yesterday. Barometer was highest at Tauranga; 29.80; Wid lowest at the Bealey, 27.24. Thermometer was highest at Christchurch, 71 ; and lowest atßalcutba, 50. The s.s, Rangitoto, with the Suez mail, arrived in the Hokitika roadstead yesterday evening, and was tendered about midnight. She will be tendered here about 11 o'clock this morning. The s.s. Alhambra is announced to leave this port to-morrow, taking passengers at reduced fares to Melbourne. ,' The s.s. Waipara will in all probability sail for Okarito and Southern ports to-day (weather permitting). Admiral Sir R. H. Yelverton entered Queenstown on the 19th August, having completed the evolutions of the year off Cape Ushant. He had there under his command 26 vessels, 12 of which are ironclads, including 12 or 13 vessels each without a rival in power in the world. At Ushant he parted with the Flying Squadron and the Reserve, but he steamed into Queenslown with the Lord Warden, 4080 tons ; the Herculeß/5234 tons ; the Monarch, 5102 tons ; the Prince Consort, 5045 tons; the Northumberland, 6621 tons ; the Defence, 3720 tons ; the Caledonia, 4125 tons; and the Warrior, 6109 tons. Each of these ships, and they are not a third of. those we could have. ready on. an alarm, is the equivalent in effective power of a 'first-class fortress ; all are armed with the best guns yet made in the world, and all sail about our rough seas as easily as the old wooden three deckers. It is not too much to say that our fleet "which cannot swim" would have a fair chance of sinking in honest fight on the open sea every ship that the combined Government of the world could aend against it.