SYDNEY SHIPPING.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 81, 19 December 1846, Page 2

SYDNEY SHIPPING.

The barque Statesman, 855 tons, Captain Rowitt, from Liverpool the 15th June, arrived at Sydney on 1 the 12th November. ' ' The American whaler Majestic arrived at byaney } on the ,12th November, and has been S3 months from New Bedford, and has now on board 1250 barrels of black and 250 barrels or sperm oil ; she has called here to recruit. Captain Smith corroborated the statement with regard to the ill success-the whalers have generally experienced on the. north- west ground, the whole or the whaling fleet not having averaged more than 700 barrels each. The season had expired, and a large number of vessels may be expected within a few weeks to refresh. The Majestic has not spoken any colonial whalers. The schooner Columbine, 70 tons, Captain Stratton, from Tahiti the 7th July, Navigator Islands 10th September, Wallis Island 30th September, and Friendly Islands 28th October, arrived here on the 13th November, and has made an exceedingly good passage from ' the Friendly Islands, having been only fonrtscn days from Tongulaboo. The following vessels were spoken : Narwhal, Baker, of London, eighteen months out, with 13S0 barrels sperm oil ; Hanger, Cuthbert, of London, nineteen months out, with 600 barrels sperm ; Midas, Davis, of New Bedford, , twenty-six months out, with 1400 ban els black 5 Rambler, M'Cleive, of Nantucket, ' tlvirty-seveh months out> with 1350 barrels sperm ; Martha, of Nantucket, eleven months out, with 600 barrels sperm. Captain Stratton reports that a sudden volcanic eruption had occurred at tue island of Amargura, about fifty miles north- north-west of Vavou, the follow ing are the particulars copied from his journal: "Having had oeeabion to visit V\(allis's Island, in my route from Tahiti towards Sydney, 1 touched there on . the 20th September last, and found the French barque Adoljih, Captaiu Moroon,' lying there, ladeu with live pigs and poultry, which'he' was about to convey to Tahiti, having obtained*, them at the Friendly Islands. After purchasing the stock, he found that sufficient subsistence could not be obtained, and therefore pi oceeded to a small island,- about fifteen miles distant from Amargura- Having diopped anchor and sent the boats on shore, they found, to .their surprise, that the whole of the island was covered with lava to the depth o( two feet. The cocoanuts had therefore been destroj'ed, and he- was compelled to proceed to Wallis Island for a supply. He stated that a large volcanic eruption had, occurred at Amargura, arid it being in my track, 1 resolved 'to call there to ascertain the particulras'. September 80. — AVeigbed and made sail for the Fr.endiy Islands ; saw nothing until the 9th October, when, m latitude 17 22 south, longitude 174*27, we . fell in with a great quantity of pumice stone. . October . 10th, made the island, and saw the volcano in full play, thowing up an abundance of smoke arid stone. The fire was not perceptible during the day; but at night the effect was awfu'ly ' grand, as the reflection 'illuminated the sky for miles around. October 11th, arrived at.Vavou, and was there told that si week before'the eruption took place several shocks of earthquake weie felt,' and it was fe.ired that a volcano was about to break forth there ; but ou the night it occurred at rtmargura, the wind being from the north : west, it was found in the morning that the trees were covered with sulphur." — Sydney M. Herald, Nov. 14. The barque Lydia, 277 tons, Captain Petrie, from Liverpool the 18th June, arrived at Sydney on the 14th November. The btirquc Hamlet, 420 tons, Captain Wilson, fiom London 20th July, arrived at Sydney on the 18th November, and has made a passage of 120 days, 18 of which she was detained in the Channel through battling winds. Numerous bets were pending on, her passage and that of the Thomas Lowry hence to London j but it appears that little or no advantage was gained by either. The Hamlet has, however, boine off the palm on the passage out, having left the Downs eighteen days after the Thomas Lowry. The ship Sir George Seymour, 850 tons, Capt. Underwood, from London, having left the Downs the sth ' August, arrived at, Sydney on the 1 8th November, and has made the 'quickest passage from London during . the season, having completed it. in JOS days, although L she came round Van Diemen's Land. She has been fitted up expressly for the Sydney trade, and her cabin accommodations are superior. The August Post Oilice

Packet Tasmania, lor Sydney, the Derwent, for Hobart Town, and the Winchester, for Launceston, left the Downs on the sth August. Captain Underwood reports having spoicen the I/ope, from London, on the equator, bound to New Zealand. The Thomas Lowry, 40.9 tons, Captain Graham, from London the sth July, arrived at Sydney on the 19th November, she is the packet ship of the Ist July. Wreck or the Eleanok.— The following letter from Captain M'Farlane lias been handed to us for publication.— "Ternate, Monday, June 22, 1846.— Mr. Joseph, Sir, These lines, I am sorry to say, will inform you of the loss of your vessel, the Eleanor, on the Youls Reef, to the north-west of New Guinea, on the 21st May, at l a.m. The weather being dark and hazy, the danger was not seen until we were on it, although there was a good look out kept, the brig was so close to it that the second mate, who had the watch on deck at the time, deed not see the danger until the vessel was on the reel"; he had not even time to call me before she struck; every exertion was used to get her off, but of no avail, as she soon bilged and filled with water ; we saved nothing but four boats, in which we saved our lives, with a little biead to carry us to this Island ; we left the wreck at 7A, M. , she was then beginning to break up— six hours after the wreck took place, and we made the best of our way to Ternate, being seven days in the boats. We arrived here on the 27th May, in a helpless famished condition. The brig had about sixty barrels ot oil on board at the time ;, the boats were sold by the residents of the place, and what gear was in them, so whatever they have brought will" be accounted for when the money is paid. 1 am now waiting until I can get a passage to Sydney, when 1 shall be better able to state to you the particulars of the wreck of your vessel. 1 am, Sir, your obedient servant, Donald S. M'Farlank--^ sea, 14th Ju'y: 1 am now on my way to Sydney, via JSoumbaya, by a ship from Manila. The Eleanor was the property of Mr. M. Joseph, of George street; she sailed from Sydney on the 15th February. She was uuinsurcd, and Mr- Joseph esti- ' mates his loss at &48QQ,— Sydney M. Herald, Nov 18.