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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1365, 13 December 1872, Page 2

The s s. Waipara arrived from Hokitika on last night's tide. The s.s. Claud Hamilton left Nelson yesterday Afternoon for this port, so that she is positively expected here on this afternoon's tide. She takes passengers for Melbourne direct A writer in the Melbourne Leader says :-• Were it not that the name of Henry Bessemer stands in the front rank of inventors, one would feel inclined to smile at his plan for obviating the perils of sea-sickness by providing a swinging Baloon amidships. He has obtained the valuable co-operation of Mr JReed, the late chief constructor of the Navy, who is designing two vessels to be used as ferry steamers across the Straits of Dover. The vessels are to go twenty miles an hour ; they are 350 ft iv length, and have engines of 5000 indicated horse-power. The waohinery ia at the stem and stem, with the Bessemer saloon between. The experiment is thus on quite an enormous scile, and there can be litttle doubt that the vessels will be a success, even though tho sick.chamber should not realise expectations. Ido not know the extent of Mr Bessemer's nautical experience, but there are few of those who have semicircumnavigated the world who will have faith in his scheme. It is the up and down motion, rather than the lateral, which produces that peculiar disturbance of the diaphragm which eventuates in an appeal to the steward. The chamber with which he propose to make his first experiment will be of munificent dimensions, 50ft long, 30 wide, and 20 deep. The adjustments are hydraulic, and are expected to work with great smoothness. The British ship Glaslyn, which arrived at Melbourne lately from London, mast be a remarkable vessel. She found her way here in charge of a captain who was drunk when he left Oravesend, and who remained so until lie had drank ap all the grog in the ship. Not quite all, however. There mast hare been a little left, for when the pilot boarded the vessel at the Heads the mate, according to the evidence of the pilot and crew, was so drank that he could not stand upon his legs, and the pilot had to threaten to pnt him in irons. The Steam Navigation Board have dealt with the captain, but iv the most gingerly manner possible. They have sub* pended his certificate for twelve months, a punishment by no means commensurate with that awarded to the captain of the Sussex for what may in his case have been only an error of judgment. There is shocking inconsistency in the judgments of Victorian tribunals. The captain of the Glaslyn put in. deadly peril the lives of all his crew, and jeopardised the safety of a valuable ship and cargo, yet in twelve months this man will be eligible to command again, and play with human life and property to their possible destruction. It is to be hoped the Government will take somo further steps in the matter, or Captain Collard will have good cause to complain of unfair treatment.— Leader.