AKAROA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 560, 17 March 1858, Page 4

AKAROA.

«w n VEDT"£?£ ch 9th ' French whaling ship General D'HautpouL of Havre, Captain P. l> Armandantz, with 1475 barrels whale oil, 25 sperm, 14,000 lbs. bone. , March 14th, the U.S. whaling ship Eliza F. Mason, 586 tons, of New Bedford, R~ P. Smith/ commander, five months out, with 600 barrels right whale, 100 sperm, and sGQolbs. ibone ; (Howland Junior & Co. of New Bedford, agents). Left New Bedford Oct. 2; touched at Fayal Oct. 23; at fcsan Antonio, Cape de Verds, Oct. 29; and at Iristan D'Acunha, Dec. 27, where she found a isritish steamer at anchor, bound for the Bed Sea, V? survey for the line of submarine telegraph to tne East. While running down her easting on tT| ™th of Feb "' about lat- 42 °s- and 300 miles J^.ixE. of St. Paul's and Amsterdam, picked up the mizen mast burnt off the deck, and crossjack yard of a ship apparently from 1000 to 1500 tons. The yard had a part of its sail (the crossjack) and one topsail sheet attached, and was primed in lead color; these spars had heen but a snort time in the water, evidently bearing the marks of a recent catastrophe. From the position of these portions of wreck with regard to the nearest land, and taking into consideration tne prevalence in these latitudes of strong'westerly gales, it is to be feared that no survivors are left from the ship to tell the tale. The Eliza Mason touched at Hobart Town on the 21st Feb not proceeding higher than the entrance of the tC * Passage» and sailed thence the 25th. The Caulaincourt, a sister ship to the D'Haut??£l'/ lnd re P°rted in <»» last as in Akaroa, has 1480 barrels whale, 20 sperm, and 14,000 lbs of bone.

The Mary Thomson, having parted her chain at Ximaru, put into Akaroa on the 12th, and wiU proceed first-fair wind. '

The Victoria.—The arrival in Hobson's Bay early on the 20th ultimo of this long looked-for vessel allayed the fears that were entertained tor her safety. It will be recollected that this steamer on her first trip made the fastest passage that had been made direct from England, viz., 61 days, and that her commander (Capt. Champion) received the gratuity of £500. The cause ot ncr detention on1 the present voyage is attributed to the foulness of her bottom. As a steam transport she accomplished a very rapid passage to Calcutta, where it was intended she should be docked; but when the officers of the Peninsular and Oriental Company heard that she was intended for the Australian station, Captain Wright reports that they refused the use of their dock (which was the only one capable of taking her in with safety), alleging that as the European and Australian Company intended opposing them on their Indian line they would not afford any facilities to any of that company's vessels; so she was obliged to proceed immediately to her station without undergoing the usual cleansing after, steaming upwards of 18,000 miles. She expSrienced light S.E. trades and calms, and strong head winds from Cape Leuwin to King George's Sound, which occupied three days, and from thence strong south-easterly gales. On her arrival in Sydney, she will undergo a thorough overhaul and her accommodations will be enlarged to suit the climate, when she will, no doubt, prove a great acquisition to the line.