BARQUE CELESTIAL QUEEN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 50, 27 February 1878, Page 2

BARQUE CELESTIAL QUEEN.

This vessel, as previously reported by us, arrived at the outer anchorage yesterday afternoon. She has made a splendid run of 86 days from Portland. The voyage has heen characterised by fine weather throughout. The wind from the time of leaving the Bay of Biscay has been steady, so. much so that the royals were carried nearly the whole way, they only having been stowed twice. Although no great day's running was made throughout the vessel made good average work — which in a long voyage goes a long way towards making a rapid run. The Celestial Queen is not a stranger in this port, she having been here about two years ago. She is in splendid trim for sailing, and on our reporter visiting her this morning, he found the vessel in a very clean condition reflecting the highest credit on the officers. The Celestial Queen is uuder the command of Captain Josiah Gaster, with Mr M'Donald and Mr Stayers as first and second officers respectively. Owing to her heavy draught of water she will not be able to enter the harbor until about Monday next. The pilot boat this morning brought the powder portion of the cargo to the shore. The Celestial Queen brings five passengers and a full cargo, part of which is for Napier. Eegarding the passage Captain Gaster reports: —Left London on Nov. 3rd, but did not make much headway in consequence of head winds. On the Bth put into Deal, where hundreds of other wind bouud vessels Avere lying. On that day the wind blew with hurricane force from the S.S.W. Several vessels parted their cables, four were driven ou shore, others slipped their cables and rau back to the North Sea. Signals of distress were flying all around. The Celestial Queen had both anchors down with 120 fathoms of chain. Just after midnight on Nov. 12, the barque Ontario, riding just ahead of tho Celestial Queen, commenced dragging her anchors, and on giving the vessel more chain she passed within a fathom of the boom end of the Celestial Queen, hooking her cable with the starboard anchor. This undoubtedly saved the Ontario, for she ceased dragging. In the afternoon the wind moderated, and the Ontario hove up her starboard anchor, and having done so, started to heave up her port anchor, but the vessel dragged aud once more came down on the Celestial Queen, but by the merest chance cleared her. On Nov. Hth left the Downs, but came to an anchor off Dungeuess on the following day ; sailed on the 16th with a light northerly wind which was carried as fur as the Isle of Wight; on the 19th was off the Start, and knocked about there until the 22ud, when the wind having increased to a gale run the vessel back to Portland; hove up anchor on December Ist, and had strong westerly winds across the bay of Biscay; on December 10 the wind came round to the northward, which carried the ship into the N.E. trades, which were lost iv 5 degs. North; after the usual light winds to the Equator crossed it on December 26th; in long. 29-30 West, sighted Fernando de Noronba, au island off the coast of Brazil. This was the first land sighted since the vessel left the coast of Old England. After this carried light trade winds to lat. 23 degs. South. Passed the meridian of Greenwich on January 20 in lat. 45 South, ran the easting down between the parallels of 49 and 51 south latitude with a continuation of moderate winds, prevailing between NT. and W.; passed Kerguelen's Island on 3Teb. Ist, since which time experienced variable winds, sighting Cape Farewell on Feb. 24, but having been becalmed, was unable to make the anchorage until as above. Only two vessels were sighted on the passage.