ARRIVAL OF THE P.S. OSPREY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 58, 18 March 1879, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE P.S. OSPREY.

This vessel arrived safely in port on Saturday night, in charge of Captain 6ib3on, to whom we are indebted for the subjoined account of the pasjage, It will be seen that the protracted passage the ressel made was owing to a most unfortunate leakage in the new tubes of the boiler (which were recently supplied in Wellington), putting the fires out, and thus preventing a full pressure of steam being kept up, and causing those on board to have a most anxious time during the passage. Our reporter is assured that the crew did not have more than three hour?, sleep during the trip. Prom these causes, and owing to the men being completely fagged out, the steamer did not arrive in port quite so clean as if she had made a good passage. It seems that new tube 3 generally leak a little at first, but the difficulty soon ceases after they hove been in use uonio time. The Osprey was built some years ago at Seager's Foundry in Wellington to tho order of a Blenheim firm, where she was engaged in the river trade, towing, &c. After some time she was lengthened, and new machinery placed in her, und otherwiso greatly improved. Sin.c then she has been engaged in other work, and latterly was employed in Porirua Harbor, where she went ashore. She was got off, and was found to have sustained no serious injury, and having been thoroughly overhauled, she was purchased by her present owners, Messrs Liddell, .Gibson, Johnson, and Howe, of Foxton. The Osproy is a handy little vessel, of 28 tons, and is rigged as a fore-and-aft schooner. She can carry 80 bales of wool, or twenty thousand feet of timber. She is drivon by an engine of 16 horse power, capable of propelling her at six miles an hour. Altogether, she is well suited for the Manawatu River, and it affords us great pleasure to announce the presence on the river of a steamer owned by Foxton people ; and «re sincerely hope the Osprey will well reward her spirited owners for their pluck and enterprise. The following is the account of the trip up : The p.s. Osprey, Captain Gibson, left Wellington on Saturday night (sth inst), at 11 o'olock. Soon after leaving it was found the tubes in tho boiler were leaking badly, quenching the fires j as it was impossible to proceed, came to an anchor at the Pilot Station, and on Sunday morning one of the crew went to town, and obtained the services of an experienced boiler maker from the Foundry, who repaired the tubes sufficiently to allow a fresh start to be made at 9.30 same night ; at 2 a.m. on Monday found the tubes were again leaking, and could not keep steam up ; made all sail, the wind blowing strong from the S.E., and heavy sea running; got steam up again at 4, and rounded Terawifci by 8 o'olock, the wind having fallen light; continued on course, and passed Mana at 6.90 p.m., making Porirua Harbour al 10 p.m., coming to an anchor in seven fathoms water. On Tuesday morning got under weigh early, and made a start for Kapiti with the first ot the flood tide ; had made about half the distance to the island, wheu the wind came In to. blow from the N.W.; bo had to put back again to Porirua Harbor. On Wednesday as the wind was still blowing strong from .the N.W., got under weigh and ran up 'the harbor ; went on shore and obtained provisions; on Thursday morning mode another start for Kapiti ; but as it was blowing from the N.W. still, and there was a heavy sea on, had to run back again. Ouriug all this time the . tubes of the boiler were priming, and it was impossible to keep steam up, the boiler was being fed with water from over the side of the ship On Friday reached Kapiti; and made a start for Foxton on Saturday morning at 7 o'olock ; crossed the bar at 6 p.m same day, and anchored for the flood tide till early on Sunday morning, when she made fast to the wharf at 3 o'clock. During the passage up the Osprey proved herself a capital sea boat, as although she on more than one occasion met some heavy seas, y«t in no instance dil she ship a drop of water. The crew, Messrs Gibson, Jonson, and Howe, deserve every credit for the plucky manner in which they, in spite of most trying circumstances, stuck to tho vessel, and succeeded in bringing her safely into port. Mr Evans, who was engaged at Wellington for the trip up to look after tho boiler, also rendered invaluable assistance.