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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1292, 19 September 1872, Page 2

There were no arrivals or departures at the port yesterday. Three vessels were in sight in the offing yesterday morning, supposed to be the Isabella, Spray, and Wild Wave, all bound for Hokitika. We were in error in mentioning yesterday that the p s Lyttelton sailed for Nelson. She cleared for Hokitika, where she arrived yesterday morning, with a cargo of coal. Mr William Stawell, as Judge of the Victoria Vice- Admiralty Court, gave Iris decision last week in a suit by Mr Dunn, late master of the a s Albion, to have a claim he mode for wages and disbursements hold" a lien on tho vessel. He had been appointed master of tho vessel, and in the interval between his appointment and being placed on the registry advanced to the ownor SOOOdol to pay off the crew ; at a subsequent date he advanced a further sum of 2000dol ; and while he was master made various disbursements besides allowing his salary to remain in arrear. He took a mortgage for the amount, but whon ho went to register it discovered that the owner (Mr H«yt) had given another mortgage to a relative, which was registered before his, and therefore took priority. Mr Dunn then fell back upon tho hen he had as master, and instituted tho suit. The judge held that Mr Dunn bad a lien for what was due to him ; that as the 5000dol were advanced before he was registered as master he had no Hen for them as master ; but as Mr Hoyt had put in a contra claim- to tho master's, he thought the master was entitled to have all the accounts as between him and tho ship taken. This last point was not finally decided ; but a reference w?s made to the registrar to take the accounts, and when his report is brought up a final decision will be pronounced. So many lives have been lost lately by persons falling overboard at sea, that a feeling of relief is experienced when a case is recorded of escape from a watery grave. Such an instance occurred on the voyage of the ship Asia, from Melbourne for London via the Cape of Good Hope. When off the Cape, one of tho apprentices fell from the vessel, and on the cry being raised "Boy overboard," the second mate, Mr John Niven, -whose watch it was below at the time, rushed up on the poop, and mado ft leap towards tho drowning fad. It was feared that he might fail to reach him, but fortunately he was successful, and with the help of a buoy kept him up till the boat which had been lowered picked them up. This was half on hour after the boy fell over, and the two heads could barely be descried from the ship. To add to the suspense on board it was. known that a large shark had been seen about the vessel during the fore part of the day. A presentation was got up amongst the passengers for the second mate, as a recognition of the bravery he had displayed.