SHIPPING.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1088, 23 January 1872, Page 2

SHIPPING.

Weather— blue sky and cloudy was the report for yesterday, with bars good. Barometer was highest at the Clyde, 30.13 ; and lowest at the Bealey, 27.67. Thermometer was highest al Napier, 74 ; and lowest at Taupo, GO. The Charles Edward was expected to arrive in Hokitika yesterday, and come on here this morning, as she is announced to leave hero this evening for Westport and Nelson. On the last visit of the s.B. Claud Hamil-* ton to this port, on Friday, the 19th inst., she was boarded by Messrs E. Anchor and D. Carroll, as a deputation from the passengers who came over from Melbourne in her on the previous trip, in order to present a very handsome scroll testimonial to Captain Clarke. On deck, and in the presence of a large number of passengers, Mr Ancher said that on behalf of the passengers whose signatures were attached to the testimonial, he presented this as a mark of their esteem and also for the great kindness they had received from him during the voyage. For himself, ho could only endorse the expressions used in the testimonial, and express a hope that Captain Clarke would speedily advance in his profession. The following was the text of the testimonial:— "To J. W. Clarke, Esq., Commander of the s.s. Claud Hamilton. Dear Sir —We, tho undersigned, passengers from Melbourne, beg to return you our sincere thanks for your urbanity, kindness, and the interest shown by you for our comfort while on board your good ship. We also wish to testify to tl'O very able and Bcamanlikc manner in which you have discharged your duties as master of tbc Claud Hamilton. In conclusion, we sincerely trust that you may long bo spared to continue in your present position, and leave it only to M. Cassias, Dennis Carroll, G. WriElMsell, Robert Disber, George Jenkins, Edward" Ancher, Louis Seebeck, Mrs Disher, James Scott, Ellen Gutheil, Bertha Merton." Captain Clarke, in reply, said " that he scarcely knew how to thank them for tho testimonial they had just presented, but thank them he did and that most heartily. He regretted that some little misunderstanding had taken place between him and the good people of Greymouth, but if they would only study him and his ship as much as he studied them, these misunderstandings would not again occur. They must bear in mind that when i the ship was kept lying in the roadstead I for about twenty hours it was under a heavy expense, and if under such circumstances he grumbled a little it was not to be wondered at However, he hoped they would understand each other a little better in future, and have no more of these little unpleasantnesses." The testimonial was a very ' beautiful piece of workmanship from the pen and brash of Mr Hindmarsh, of this town. — -A. startling item of news was circulated throughout Durban on Sunday morning, Bth October. It caused a general move towards the Point of those who had nags at their disposal. The news was that a large full- '• rigged ship had been wrecked on the coast near the Umzimkulu. On Sunday morning, between six and seven o'clock, a small boat > jailed-into the bay with seven persons on 'board. These were the captain and six of the crew of a vessel which had been wrecked on the coast. The Defiance, a full-rigged ship, 1001 tons, Captain Angels, left Bombay ,■ on the 31st August, bound for Liverpool, ' with a full cargo, consisting of 5700 bales of „ cotton. The Defiance is an iron ship, built : in Liverpool, and the property of Mr Bates, ot that city. On Friday lost, 6th October, she was off this coast. The weather was very thick, and the wind very light. Sudf vdenly and unexpectedly the vessel was felt to bump heavily upon the rocks. It was k found she had drifted in-shore. The current, which in always running strong there, must have sucked her in. She bumped over the rocks on to the sandy beach, where she pi-vrtgaaded. Fortunately none of the crew I were drowned. Next morning the captain [ and six of the crew manned the pinnace and f set sail for Natal, having a fair breeze. The first officer and the remainder of the crew (18 men) remained on shore at the place of the wreck, which, as far as can be known at present, is about half-way between the Umzumbi and Umzimkulu, about 70 miles south of our port. The boat in which the mate and his men went on shore was, we hear, smashed to pieces on the rocks and surf. When the captain left the place, on Saturday morning, the vessel had partly gone to piece&. Her decks were broken np, and she was full of water. The first intimation the crew had of their proximity to shore was when tho vessel struck upon the rooks. Just three years ago the Ambleside, also bound homo from tho East, and laden with cotton, was wrecked about the same place and from the same cause— the treachery of the current. Tho Natal passed the wreck on Sunday, 15th October, and sent a boat, in charge of the second 'officer, to it, but they could do no more than make out the name. — Natal Mercury.