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Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1855, 16 July 1874, Page 2

The s.s Kennedy arrived yesterday morning from NeJson via Westport and Hokitika, and will leave this morning on her return trip. : The p s Charles Edward sailed last night for Nelson direct. The tugs Dispatch and Titan arrived yesterday morning from Hokitika, and the . Dispatch left again last night for the same port. The s s Claud Hamilton, from Melbourne, has not yet been reported, but would most probably show up during last Dight. She takes passengers for Nelson, Wellington, &c ; The brigantine Eliza Firth, 143 tons, a hew addition to Messrs J. Chesney's Co.'s fleet of vessels, made her first trip under the above company's flag to Westport, where she arrived on the 13th inst. from Melbourne. She was towed into that port by the s s Kennedy. The JVortii American and United States 'Gazette, Philadelphia, gives an account of a trial made of Douglas's boat-lowering apparatus on board the steamer Saxon, whilst the latter was leaving the River Delaware under full head of steam. It proved entirely ! successful, and the boat was then taken to the Navy Yard, and again experimented upon in the.presence of several Navy officers, who expressed their high approval of the apparatus. The same paper reports the destruction by .fire of a 1200 ton iron steamer named the Mediator, whilst she was lying at one of the wharves. H<r value was estimated at L 30,000, and that of her cargo at a like sum. ■ On May 5, Messrs Robert Duncan and Co., Port Glasgow, launched a finely-mo-delled iron ship, named the Canterbury, of the following dimensions : — Length. 330 f t; breadth, 36ft ; depth, 21ft ; and 1200 tons ' register. The Canterbury is a sister ship to the Dunedin, and will be fitted up with all the conveniences requisite for an emigrant ship, after which she will be despatched from Glasgow. Mfssrs Robert Duncan arid. Co have on hand several other vessels for the same owners. She is the property of Messrs P. Deuderson and Co, Glasgow, and it is intended to trade between London and Otago. ■■■- The new auxiliary Bcrew schooner Emu, built to the order of Me-srs Stone Brothers, after having her engines fitted an i beiog completely furbished at Messrs Fraser arid Tinne's yard, made a pre hninary cruise in harbor.on Saturday morning, which resulted satisfactorily, the engines working) smoothly. She is now lying in the stream, and is, we -understand, fully ready to proceed to sea, but owing to the absence of Captain Nancarrow. Government Engineer, from Auckland, cannot yet be allowed to do so. Unfortunately there is at present no Resident Engineer in Auckland authorised by the Government to grant steamers a certificate. From this, omission owners of steamers built here not only suffer, but the port itself obtains ja bad reputation. — SoutJiern Cross. i We have news from Oamaru to the effect that the construction of the breakwater is progressing as quickly as practicabl e. A bout 300 ft of it have been completed, and it is suggested by many who have the interests of Oamaru at heart, that although the contract is still running, immediate measures ought to be adopted to utilise the breakwater as it stands. It is proposed to form stalls for veseels.to lie in, by driving piles in the lee side of the breakwater, constructing in fact lateral wharves, with just room between them for one small vessel to lie in. There is room for three such stalls, and if three safe berths were only available, the trade of the port would be very greatly stimulated thereby. There is a very considerable trade in building stone carried on with Melbourne, and it would vastly increase if better facilities for shipping stone only existed. Three or four cargoes of stone are now lying on the beach awaiting shipment, many of the blocks being from four to seven ton s weight— too heavy by far to be shipped by surf boats. Now, if. the section of the breakwater were only brought into use as above suggested, all this Stone might very easily be transferred to vessels in the roadstead, or peradventure shipped direct to Melbourne in vessels bandy enough to lie at the jetty. The Oamaru Harbor Trust would do wellito give . the subject serious consideration— Daily Times.