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Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2123, 29 May 1875, Page 2

Early yesterday morning the p.s. Charles Edward left for Westport and Nelson, with a cargo of coaL The schooner Alma, Waters, master, w»s towed to sea yesterday afternoon by the p s. Dispatch, bound for Melbourne, with a cargo of coal. The p.s. Wallace is expected here to-day from Nelson via Hokitika. The s.s. Albion is expected here to-morrow from Melbourne direct, when she will be despatched with passengers for Neison, Wellington, &c, and Melbourne via the Bluff. The brigantine Adieu will be towed to sea to-day, and will take a number of passengers for Melbourne direct. Steel wire is now used in the manufacture of ships' cables and tow ropes. The ropes and cables thus produced are remarkable for their strength and flexibility, and for the small space they occupy in comparison with hemp ropes and chain cables. A rope 2in in diameter will bear a strain of 100 tons, without breaking— the strength is uniform throughout ; whereas, on testing chain cables, defective links are always discovered. The cost, too, is moderate. A ship of 3000 tons must have 360 fathoms of 24in chain cable, which weighs 45 tons, costs about Ll2oo, and is tested up to 91 tons of breaking strain. A steel cable s£in in circumference, equal, as above stated, to more than 100 tons of strain, costs L4OO only, and ■weighs not more than five tons in the same length — namely, 360 fathoms A_ correspondent makes the following suggestions to the Auckland Echo, on " Saving Life at Sea" : — " On every large ship, such as the Otago liners, there are two houses on deck. Now, I would substitute for these houses square moulded boats or barges of Bessemer steel, strong and light decked, and with hatches on the deck, only with ladders. Round these housetops, if I might coin the word, I would have watertight conrpartments of cork, kept well up, so that they would be u&Bubmergible, so that they would be safe to float even in the hurry and distraction attending an accident. Of course these boats could be made to serve the same purpose as the present houses, care being taken to keep no heavy stores in them, and also to have some water aDd provisions on board. They would be set on skids, and proper tackle, such as is used in launching the longboat, provided. By giving these boats some shear, and air veanels stem and stern, they could be made self-righting. These, with the usual compliment of boats, would contain the whole of an average ship's company. The houseboats might be sold in the colonies for lightering purposes, and new ones provided for next voyage out if required. There are many details to be adjusted, and possible objections, but I feel convinced that something might be done in that direction."