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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1189, 21 May 1872, Page 2

The a s Murray will sail this morning early for Westport ana Nelson. , The « s Kennedy is expected to arrive at Hokttika this day, and is announced as leaving that port for here this evening. - - The schooner Kaiuma cleared out on the 16th instant at Lyttelton lor Hokitika. ••TJje. schooner Elizabeth .Curie is expected hero in a few days from Wellington -with telegraph material for the line between Greymouth and Reefton. ; '"■ Notwithstanding the very completemanner in which Bass's Straits and the islands with which they are studded are laid; out on the charts, and the consequent comparative ea3e with which they should be navigated, there are yet occasions in which, during peculiar circumstances of, wind and weather, vessels are extremely liable to sustain grievous damage-, if not absolute destruction. The straits are well beaconed and lighted, but something additional is wanted, and that is, that during very thick and foggy weather, when a. moderate breeze may be blowing, there should be fog signals, either gong, cr gun, or bell, or other simple means provided for the benefit of vessels navigating those waters, to warn them of proximate danger. As illustrating the necessity which exists for the introduction of some such signals, it may be stated that the ship Jerusalem, which left thtfanorfcott Qctobar 21 last year for London with a cargo ol wool, Was rfeany uimauy w ntter grief on Kent's Group. Two days after leavine : Port Phillip Heads, she had fresh breezes from N.E. by N, with heavy dews at night Curtis Island and the Sugar Loaf Rock were passed at midnight. At noon next day, the ship plying vto windward, there was a moderate breeze blowing, and with it a very dense, thick fog had set in. Captain Largie took every necessary precaution on board, and was prepared for all ordinary contingencies, &nd the chief mate, a thoroughly careful and capable, and withal cool and collected officer, * wnsrfOTwSKl "himself to keep a-look-ont,not caring to depetadientirely ttpon others during this precarious time. Scarcely had he stationed I himself, and givenf a glance ahead, when he discerned danger^ and quietly passed .ihe, word for the helm to be put hard-up. ' to it beautifully, 1 the shipßwept close by 'the South Bluff of Kent's Group, the lighthouse looming grimly over the Jerusalem's mastheads. A narrower escape from swift and . sudden destruction - can scarcely be imagined, and it is on account of the foregoing circumstance that Captain Largie ib solicitous for the employment of signals at such points when thick gusty weather prevails. — Argwt.