EXPORTS,

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1775, 14 April 1874, Page 2

EXPORTS,

Per Claud Hamilton, for Melbourne : 2 box«-s gold (17520z lOdwt 12gr), Union Bank of Australia ; 2do (25910z 2dwt 12gr), Bank of New South Wales.

The s.s. Claud Hamilton, which arrived off the bar on Sunday night was immediately tendered by the Dispatch, and took 68 passengers from this port, and 43230z of gold. She also brought 15 passengers in; wards four Chinese. The s.s Otago, which arrived at the Bluff on Sunday, may be expected to arrive here on or about the 18th. In the course of Saturday afternoon the wind increased to a stiff breeze from the N.W, and during the night became very severe. Shortly before dawn the barque Malay, only lately arrived from Newcastle, which was merely moored to one of the buoys, parted her cable and drifted fast away before the wind across the bay. The crew, in the confusion of the hour, had no time to get the anchor free, and before anything could be done to bring her up she struck ground just at the end of Clyde Quay, her bow pointing towards the baths, and in a few minutes she was fast aground, broadside to the wind, where, beneath the heavy gusts, she has gradually careened over some degrees. The Malay had no anchor out, and firmly though the buoys are anchored, sufficient warning was given in the course of the afternoon of what the gale would prove, and experience should have told that at least one anchor ought to be dropt for safety's sake. Late on Saturday night the Camille, which only arrived four days ago, parted her cable and the rope by which she was moored to a buoy, and drifted across almost to the identical spot where the Malay was lying ; but, being deeper laden, she brought up about fifty yards farther out, with her bow facing the city. Her starboard anchor was dropped, and it is probable but little expense or trouble will be necessitated in getting her off. With the Malay there will be itore troublo; as she lies very nearly altogether out of the water ; but when the wind veers round to the south, as the weather-wise prognosticate it will, she may may be got off with the help of steam power. Most likely, however, both vessels will need to be relieved of some portion of their cargo, the Malay having some 200 tons aboard, the Camille about twice that quantify. The ketch Alert followed the Camille, and now lies stranded not far from the gas works, but little injured. Having had these warnings before them, the other vessels in harbor took extra precautions, and no other casualties occurred. It is a very long time since such a scene as the stranding of two such large vessels as the Malay and Camille has been witnessed within sight of the wharf, and it is to be hoped that it will never happen that another vessel should be driven ashore in such a land-locked harbor as that of Wellington.—Wellington Independent, April 7. The public, of course, will not have forgotten the Willam Tapscott affair, and the charge which was sought to be established against Captain Flinn, especially while the snip was loading at Enderbury's Island. It wil be interesting to both sides in that " very ' pretty quarreL" to know that by the Mongol's mail, the United States Consular Agent has received a letter from the Superintendent of the Island, which reads as follows :- -11 Enderbury's Island, February 12, 1874.D. Vl'lntyre, U.S. Consular Agent, Wellington, New Zealand. — Dear Sir--Yours of Ist September, 1873, reached me to-day, and in reply to William Tapscott affair, I have to say that I have much pleasure in testifying to the general conduct, abi ity, and especially the sobriety, of Captain James C. Flinn, of the ship William Tapscott, which vessel loaded and sailed Bth June, 1873 My business made it necessary to meet Capt. Fiinn daily while loading his ship, and during his stay at this island he and myself drank one (ingle glass of sherry wine each. This wan on board his ship. Captain Flinn was at my house almost every day, and never came without being invited to take wine or spirits, but he invariably declined, and 1 have no hesitation in saying that the report that he was intoxicated while at Enderbury's Island is a lie pure and simple. — Yours truly, Ellas Hempsteah. Superintendent, Enderbury's Island." This letter bears thepostmark and date, Honolulu, alarch 16.— Wellington Independent. The Oamaru breakwater is progressing at the rate of 35ft in a fortnight. Some heavy material for the Waitaki bridge has been landed upon it, and a cargo of coal is to be discharged in a few days. Advices from Honolulu, of March 9, report that the steamship Mikado, of the Australasian and American Steamship Company, when entering that port, grounded on a sand* bank to the leeward of the entranca to the harbor. She was got off after one hour's detention, and, on examination by the divers of H. M. steamship Tenedos, it was found that she was in no way injured. She proceeded on her voyage to San Francisco at her appointed hour. As it is possible some reports contrary to the facts may get abroad, we quote tbe report of Mr Harmann, the diver of the Tenedos. In his report be certifies that he "surveyed the ship's bottom from the fore part of tbe funnel to the sternpost, and found no damage whatever, more than paint scratched," and he was of opinion that " no harm whatever had been done to the ship," — Independent.