SHIPPING.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 223, 6 February 1865, Page 2

SHIPPING.

AH RIVED. February -t—Tawera, schooner, from Auckland, via Poverty Bay, Kennedy, with 8.) casks beer, Jlaekay ; a . tons Hour, Blake ; 9 tons flour, I cheese press, a cases cl;e.:--.e, 3 cases jams, Read. Passengers— lor Poverty Bar, liisoou \Xiiliams— for Napier, .Messrs Urlu (2), and JPDoaaid.' February -I 2illa*i, schooner, 90 tons, Sullivan, fruiu Vuckland—(nof entered at "Customs.) Cano-1)7 bumlifs merchandise (ex Nimrod to Auckland), id cases, a csl,ks 6000 feet timber, 25 tons firewood. ' January s—Cord Ashley, s.s., Randall, from Auckland. January s—Maid of Kent, schooner, from Auckland, SAILED. February 3—Sea Serpent, for the coast. EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Beautiful Star, from Sydney, daily. Star of the South, s.s., from Sydney, daily. VESSELS IX PORT. Stratliallan, ship, from London. Superintendent's cutter, from Auckland. Eliza, schooner, from Wairoa. Kauri, schooner, for Auckland. Sea Serpent, brigantine, 90 tons. Blair, from the coast, Tawera, schooner, from Auckland. Zlllah, schooner, from Auckland. THE COMPASSES OF THE MERCHANT SERVICE. TVe constantly read in the newspapers accounts of the losses of iron ships. A return of tho stain on the battle field bears but a small proportion to the wounded. In a, like manner, the escapes and stranding of ships in comparison with total wrecks bear tho same proportion. The legislature have stepped in to punish the unfortunate ship-master. But little is done to ensure that he has the instruments which the perilous service on which he maybe employed imperatively demands. I allude more particularly to the present loose system of fitting iron ships with the most important of all instruments, viz., the compass. It is but reasonable to suppose that tho shipowner would in all cases employ only those men who had an ostablished reputation, bo far from this being the case, they contract lor the compass in the same manner as they would for a coil of rope, aud the cheapest tenner is accepted by the majority. This system has brought a host of quacks into the field, men who pretend to be the masters of a science which is yet but imperfectly understood by the first men of the day. It would be ludicrous, were the subject not too serious a matter for jesting, to see the assurance of some of these individuals. A few weeks since I was bringing round a fine steam ship from a northern port. Previous to startiig tho compasses were adjusted. When the swinriim was completed, the operator turned to me with the air of a Solomon and said, *• I always correct the compass on Professor Airy's principle. This is for taking the azimuth with,” and suiting tho action to the word, he stuck a piece of coarse brass wire into a hole in the glass without even taking the trouble to ascertain that it was perpendicular (which it was not). I found the compass half a point out on the passage, and I need not add that the wire was not of the slightest service in correcting the error. Many first-rate makers have informed mo that they have ceased to tender for small firms.as the invariable reply has been, “ We have suited ourselves on more advantageous terms.” The result is that often in thick weather a steamship is either hove to or run at a frightful risk. it is not uncommon to see men in trying situat'ons steering at one time with the bridee compass aud then by the steering, hopelessly puzzled as.to which is,the more correct, while the means of ascertaining the error are ruder than the astronomical implements used by the Chaldean shepherds on the plains of Sliinar. So notorious is this unknown error of the compass in iron ships, that few Liverpool pilots ever trust to them in running from-Port Lynas to Liverpool during a fog. : Again, the utter disregard to consequences whieh is shown in loading ships with machinery ou deck is enough to excite one’s indignation When a ship has been swung, it is thought that nothing can effect the compass; railway locomotives or boilers are then placed in dange.oas proximity. thus vitiating the corrections which may have been applied. * . T

While the shipowner is blind to theconsequcuces of such a disregard of the laws of magnetism, the shipmaster is to often totally ignorant of the nature of the instrument on which he must solely rely in the hour of danger. Many go long voyages without taking a single observation. If a great error in the reckoning is detected, an allowance is made which approximates to, the truth; or a course is checked by a run between two known points. - The use of magnets is still a vexed question. Unless the errors he unmanageably large, I am strongly opposed to them, and have never adopted the system in either of the Jr&n ships I hav<r commanded.

From, experiments carefully conducted, 1 am of opinion that, there is in evory ship a place where the deviation is at a minimum; but no trouble is taken to And it; the spot for the compass being generally planned with the rest of the fittings, ffequehtly it is over the gallery range, or close to an iron-yentilator. Government would do well to appoint a special Inspector of Compasses, as they have for steam: a man. who would not'be satisfied with the card of deviation only, but- who would ascertain that every ship had at least one good compass, and that the master was competent to correct it. —An Englishman. —Nautical Magazine.