TOTAL WRECK OF THE STEAMER AIREDALE OFF THE WAITARA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 39, 15 February 1871, Page 2

TOTAL WRECK OF THE STEAMER AIREDALE OFF THE WAITARA.

We are indebted to Mr. Monckman, the Purser of the Phoebe, for the following account of this sad disaster : — Tbo Phoebe crossed the Manukau har at 4.50 p.m. on the 13th iust.; experienced light variable winds with thick weather aod rain to Taranaki, which was reached at 5.10 a.m. on tho 14th, and discharged cargo and landed passengers. At 7.10 a.m. a boat came off with the chief officer .of the Airedale and Captain Holford, the Harbor Master, with tlie intelligence tbat the Airedale was on shore North of the Waitara River. Immediately hove up anchor and proceeded at full speed to the wreck at 7.30 a.m., with a surf boat aud ere win tow, arriving off the wreck, which was north of the Waitara about two miles, at 8.30 a.m. The surf-boat aud one of the ship's boats immediately proceeded to the wreck, every effort having iv the meantime been made by Captain Kennedy, Mr. Stevenson (mail agent), and the crew of the Airedale, to have the mails, luggage, stores, furniture, &c, in readiness for transport, the mails and everything in the lower parfc of the vessel having been submerged. The surf boat, towed down by the Phoebe and another boat, vvhich arrived about four hours later in tow of the St. Kilda, with ship's boats, continued toCply between tbe wreck and the Phcebe until 4.15 p.m. by which time everything within reach having been removed, the Phajbe started again for Taranaki, haviDg on board the passengers and a portion of the crew of the ill-fated ship. Shipped 140 bales wool, 28 bales flax, and sundry cargo; embarked passengers, &c, and proceeded on her voyage to this port, afc 9.45 p.m., arriving off the Boulder Bank, at 2 p.m. this day, having experienced light variable winds and fine weather. It is supposed that the wreck is to be attributed to an error in the compasses, as Captain Kennedy, who was in command, is well known to be thoroughly acquainted with the whole coast of New Zealand. At the time the Airedale struck, she was under full steam and with both topsails set. So severe was the shock, that a large hole must have afc once been made in her bottom, as in less than three minutes tbe passengers in the saloon were up to their waists in water. The mails are much damaged, four bags of newspapers that were opened proving to be nothing more than masses of pulp.

have to report, is ono of 37 carats, the property of Messrs Tahh and Williamson. two workiug men of Graham's Town. I have seeu the stone. It is a beauty. Both the lucky owners are pretty well stricken in years. Mr. Tabb is between sixty and sevenly. The old man has worked like a youngster. He eaid to me the other day : "Sir, I have crossed the river nearly up to my armpits, with a hundred-weight on ray back. I bave toiled in the pit aud at the cradle. Now, I will work no more, except to finish my claim. Then I will go home, pay oft fhe mortgages on my little property, and live on my rents." He and his partuer have other diamonds, and, altogether, they have not far short of £3000 worth. These are the facts which give a fascination to the diggings in spite of all that can be said against them, and, .unquestionably, they have some very dark sides. Mr. Thomas Kiug has left for the colony, taking his spoils with him. His party have found five, not large, since he left. A Mr. Langeman has secured a stone of 15 or 16 carats. At Pniel, some dozens of small stones from 5 carats to fractions have been washed out. It is becoming more' aud more difficult to represent the discoveries of the Fields. I am by no means sure that even the big ones get into print. Sermons. — In Goldsmith's church days, " Fools who Avent to scoff remained to pray." One instance has been chronicled durin^ the week of a lady who, without doubt, went with the pious intention of praying, remaining to yawn and dislocate her'jaw. A sermon might be preached on the text against our preachers. We leave it to other hands, expressing ourselves some passing sympathy with the modern clery, often as we have had occasion, and often as we shall have occasion again, to animadvert on their shortcomings. The question has two sides. One can understand how the clergy found their task easy when the pulpit was the oue source of instruction, aud when the preacher, however slender his arguments, was considerably in advance of his hearers. Now, one set of the laity has studied Colenso and Jowett, and a homely discourse drives them away. If they do attend they are disgusted with what they call "twaddle," and commence to yawn most dangerously. And yet another set knows nothiugof these modern marvels, and the sermon has to be made to Interest them, or their jaws are in danger of being put out also. The politician addresses electors of one class, the preacher has half-a-dozen masters and mistresses to serve. And then, in the Anglican churches tbere is the pulpit. How can a man be expected to be graceful aad natural there, "cribbed, cabined, and confined," with gaslights singing his whiskers, and often a heavy canopy over his head. Suffocation and paralysis are rather to be expected than eloqueuce. Where there are no pulpits the cold formalism of the congregation is the same, aud is equally crushing. Even with the old stiff Puritans deep hums were allowed, to encourage the fervid preacher ; while now, a burst of feeing arouses but a stare from a hund red-eye-glasses. How can we expect ejrfhusiasm to survive that ? — Melbourne Telegraph. The Early Wars of France and Prussia.- — " What a war," exclaimed oie of Napoleon's marshals in the Prussian campaign of 1814 ; " ifc will make an. end of us all." For the battles between the French and Prussians have been amongst the most bloody in history, and deserve afc this juncture to be recalled. Before the first Napoleon appeared on the scene, the Prussian soldier withstood with success the rush of his fiery antagonist as Malplaquet, Rossbach, and Crefeld bear witness. In the earlier campaigns of the present century, when the genius of the Corsican overpowered all, until, like the Spartans, he taught his enemies how to fight, the Prussians were the first to learn. Jena was, perhaps, the most decisive of Napoleon's victories. The combatants numbered — the French 90,000, and the Prussians 70,000, and 34,000 dead and wounded lay on the field at the close of the day. On the same black day for the Prussian army, that brilliant tactician, Marshal Davoust, with a single division nofc exceeding 27,000 men, totally routed the Duke of Brunswick and near 70,000 troops. But afc Lutzen, though Napoleon achieved a victory, he left 12,000 men on ou the field to his opponents' 14,000. Afc Bautzen again, though he brought 140,000 in the field, againsf 96,000 Prussians aud Russians, he fought for two days before he could drive them from their position, and was left to cry at the end, " No guns, no prisoners, no results from such a butchery ! " Dresden and Leipsic were fought by three-^rllies against France ; but at the K&tzmch, previously, Blucher had totally routed, with equal forces, the French troops under Marshal M'Donald. In 1814, at the successive battles of Montrairail, Champaubert, and Vau-

champs, Napoleon defeated the superior forces of Bluchpr. At, Lann, in 1814, Blucher defeated Napoleon, the allies numbering 104,000, tiie French 52,000. At Ligny, in 1815. Napoleon defeated the Prussians under Blucher ; the French nuraboring 73,000, the Prussians 84,000 — all of these being terribly contested actions. How the French could have underrated foes who had always pressed theni so closely must ever remain a mystery. A Prussian proverb describes a Frenchman as a being with a moustache, and -without any knowledge of geography. But the Frenchman who anticipated a "military promenade to the Rhine " must have forgotten history. Lancashire Proverbs. — A door plaafc wi' a mon's name on's a vaary goad thing, but a dinner plaafc wi' a mon's dinner on's a better.