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Kumara Times, Issue 1062, 25 February 1880, Page 4

Mi George Wright, lately manager of the Fiery Cross Company, was appointed manager of the United Alpine Company, Lyell, at the last meeting of directors. The money sent home to England from New Zealand as interest on borrowed money, amounts to LI, 600,000 per annum. A new kind of torpedo boat, just purchased by the Admira’ty, has arrived in Portsmouth harbor, and passed into the hands of the dockyard authorities. It has (says a Home paper of 30th December) been constructed by Messrs Maudslay, Sons, and Field, and has a displacement of 28 tons, its length being 86ft, and its beam lift 6in, while its compound surface condensing engines can be worked up to a pressure of 1201bs to the square inch. The distinguishing feature of the boat, apart from finish compactness of machinery, and its having an air-compressing engine for ejecttorpedoes capable of be<ng worked up to loOOlbs pressure, is that it is entirely constructed of maganese bronze, even to frames, bulkheads, and decks, this nesv metal possessing the important advantage over steel that it does not corrode and can remain in water without deterioration throughout a ship’s commission. She has a speed of over 16 knots, and has made a trip from the Thames to Portsmouth in spite of dense foggy weather and a heavy sea. In the matter of accommodation and other respects she resembles the ordinary first-class torpedo