HARBOUR COMMITTEE.

New Zealander, Volume 10, Issue 881, 23 September 1854, Page 2

HARBOUR COMMITTEE.

Wednesday, Sept. 20. Present ;—The Chairman, Messrs. Coolahan, J. O’Neill, Diguan, Lawson, Dingwall, and Williamson. The Minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, A letter from Mr. Walter Scott, requesting that his private pier (the Victoria) he included amongst the landing places from which licensed watermen may ply, was read, and laid on the table for consideration. The By-Laws for the protection of Wharves and Piers were ordered to be engrossed. It was moved by Mr. O’Neill, seconded by Mr. Williamson, and carried— That in accordance with the sth and Gth clauses of the Auckland Harbour Act, the Chairman be instructed to certify to the Speaker of the Provincial Council the vacancies that have occurred by resignation in the Board of Commissioners, and that copies of the letters of resignation be forwarded to the Speaker to be laid before the Provincial Council. The Report of the Committee on the By-Laws for the guidance of Watermen, together with the schedule of the proposed scale of fares, were read; and, On the motion of Mr. Dignan, which was seconded by Mr. Coolahan, and agreed to, postponed for further consideration at next meeting. The Engineer then read the following Report on the proposed plan of permanent Harbour Works:— Harbour Offlce, Auckland, September 20, 1854. Sir, — I have the pleasure to report the arrival, per Galway Ark, of a lot of piles for the extension of Queen-street Wharf, which we are proceeding with as fast as possible. We have also completed a small off-set on the west side of the Wharf, and fixed the landing steps at a distance of .104 feet from Custom House street, being at ordinary low water - This accommodation appears to Ire appreciated, and is extensively used. We have not been able' to procure timber for our stringers amt braces, and should recommend that an advertisement for them be again inserted. I bog to call your attention to the necessity of procuring from the City Council a knowledge of their plans of approach to your works by Queen and Albert streets, and the plact and manner of discharging the main sewers of the City, as these would have to be met by coi responding works on your property. We have not received any lenders for the construction of either the Lighter or Tank-boat; and as they, particularly the Lighter, are of the utmost importance in carrying on your operations, the subject will require your serious consideration. I beg also to k»y before you my plans, as ordered, for the improvement of Commercial Bay. which have been rather delayed owing to the difficulty of procuring soundings and borings in the winter time. The plan embraces the whole of the water frontage between Hobson-slreet and Point lliitomart, and includes an available area of forty-six acres, of which twenty acres would be land, twenty-one acres dock area, and the remainder would be roads, 4tc.

In these proposed improvements I have so arranged the different parts that they may be useful for accommodation and shelter as they proceed, and as the growing requirements of the Port demand, and to unite in harmony with the whole plan on completion. 1 have not thought it prudent lo extend the works further into the stream than 9 feet at low water, and the inside works would have to he deepened so as to preserve ihat level, which would give 18 feet water, ordinary tides: and as the tendency in shipbuilding is to give greater length and breadth to all vessels and to curtail their depth, this draught of water would, 1 believe, answer all the requirements of ihe port; and I believe that the increased effect of the scour of the tides across the end of the projection will have the effect of deepening the approach and keeping it always free from impediment. The cost of these improvements 1 estimate at £190,331, the details of which I shall lay before you, and in the preparation of those I have received valuable assistance from the practical members of your Committee, but all the borings and soundings have been taken by myself,

In the adoption of these plans, the works that would require your first attention are the extension of Queen-street Wharf, u ordered, to 200 feet beyond the present landing steps, and the formation of a J head, which, if filled with scoria, would acta* a breakwater: and the formation of a breakwater ofT Point Britomart, extending east and west across the mouth of the Bay, leaving an entrance at each end, and raising the remains of the Albert-street projection by means of rough stone to above the level of high-water, which would form a half-tide dock between Albert-street and Queen-street during the formation of the more permanent works. - Some steps would require to be taken immediately, in order to render available your very valuable endowments inside of Custom-house-sfreet, and an embankment run across the Bay for that purpose would at the same time be of great utility as a Wharf, and might remain so until a great portion of your permanent works were complete.

I have thought it not out of place in my proposed improvements to point out-a very advantageous terminus for a railway, which, it is presumed will at no very distant date connect the western waters with your harbour, and which would tend materially to maintain the commercial supremacy of Auckland. I cannot close this report without acknowledging my gratitude to the gentlemen connected with the Survey Department for their willingness to assist in the preparation of the plans now before you, and particularly to Chas. Heaphy, Eiq., to whom I am indebted for the illustrations. 1 remain, Sir, Vours respectfully, Dakiki. Simfsow, Engineer. To the Chairman of the Auckland Harbour Committee. The Report was ordered to Le entered on the Minutes. Such portions as required immediate attention were, on the motion of Mr. Williamson, seconded by Mr. Coolahan, taken into immediate consideration. The Engineer received instructions to give notice by public advertisement of the timber required for the Harbour Works, and in the absence of anv offered contract, to procure the same in the interim if possible. In connection with this, no tender having- been received for the construction of a Lighter, and the services of such a vessel becoming of greater daily urgency, the propriety of authorising the Engineer to collect the necessary materials for building Such a Craft under his own superintendence was considered —the Engineer having stated to the Committee that there would be little comparative difficulty in procuring both the materials and the workmen, whilst the vessel would be ready within the next five months. It was further moved by Mr. Williamson, seconded by Mr. O’Neill, and carried : That the Chairman be instructed to apply to Hi* Honour the Superintendent to grant to the Harbour Committee the Bum of £1001), on the terms stated by His Honour, to be applied to the construction of a Lighter for the purposes already explained to the Provincial Government; and that the Engineer be instructed to take the neceseary steps for the construction of the Lighter as soon as the money shall be placed to the credit of the Committee. Mr. Williamson moved, and Mr. Dingwall seconded the following resolution, which was agreed to : That the Harbour Engineer be requested to communicate with the City Surveyor on the subject of the. approaches from the City to the Queen-street and Albert-street Pten, and the discharge of the City sewers into the waters of the Harbour. On the motion of Mr. Dignan, which t. r seconded by Mr. Coolahan, it was ordered that the plans of the contemplated Harbour Works be left on the table for the inspection of the public. Several accounts having been presented and passed, The Committee adjourned till Wednesday, 26th Sept., at 2 o’clock. The plans and illustrations prepared by Messrs. Simpson and Heaphy, and which have been laid on the table, of the Committee will well repay thc citizens of Auckland the trouble of an inspection. Leaving Mr. Simpson’s comprehensive report to tell its own tale, and to determine its own merits, we shall merely enter into a few explanatory observations.

The works at present in progress constitute, as will lie seen, an immediate and available portion of a permanent whole. Every step gained is, therefore, one of Maritime and Commercial importance to Auckland, —the facility of trade and shipping, and the finances of the Harbour Commission, being promoted and insured by the onward progress of the works. There is at present a good and accessible landing place, with the ready means of wharfage for coasters, which constantly discharge and ship cargo alongside the pier. Store Houses, and a further elongation of 200 feet of the Wharf are in active progress tramways have been laid down ; —and, before the end of the year, there will be very great assistance afforded to such vessels as may find it of service to profit by the pier. With respect to the ultimate results contemplated in Mr. Simpson’s plans, we cannot but consider them as deserving the most earnest attention of every practical man. To us, they seem to be especially desirable, embracing as they do, the whole available area, from Point Britomart to Hobson’s-street. In carrying them out, twenty acres of the most valuable land in Auckland would he reclaimed, and an immense amount of Wharfage created. Knowing the extraordinary prices which the new Wharf at Hobart To i realised, and at a period when the Maritime interests of Hobart Town were by no means equal to those of Auckland now, we feel confident that every pile driven, and every stone laid must largely contribute to the financial resources e£ the Auckland Harbour Board, consequently that the large estimated cost (£198,331) will occasion no impediment whatever to the immediate and rapid progress of whatever Harbour Works may eventually be determined on. Mr. Heaphy’s illustration presents a Harbour of a very' complete and advantageous form, —with spacious quays, a patent slip, and an outer wall, with a light house at the mouth of the basin : This outer wall or quay extends to the beach underneath Fort Britomart ; and at that part, we have been informed, it is in contemplation of the Authorities to erect defensive works which will be alike protective of the port and city. The Basin which is a tidal one, is situated in the centre of the Harbour Works. It is estimated to contain 7i acres. Both Docks have circular ends towards the river. The West Dock contains 10 acres, and space has been provided for the erection of a patent slip. The East Dock contains acres. These docks are situated on either side of the tidal Basin, through which they are approached. The Kailway to connect our Western with our Eastern waters, winds under Fort Britomart; its Terminus, and depot being both situated directly at the head of the Basin, which, in turn, constitutes the very centre of Commercial Bay. , Such is a slight description of the plans of Auckland Harbour submitted to the consideration of the Harbour Committee. As these plans are now open to public inspection, it is to bo hoped that our fellow citizens will take advantage of the opportunity to view them; in order that from the opinions of competent persons tho best means of carrying out our permanent Harbour Works may be elicited ; so that those works mav be undertaken and carried on with a spirit and energy worthy of a Province of so much maritime and commercial enterprise.

The Russians, after several repulses, and the loss of 25,000 men, had abandoned the siege of Silistria, and were in full retreat from Moldavia into Wallachia. Just as the retrograde movement was commenced, and the Turkish garrison were returning thanks for victory, the gallant commander of the besieged place was killed by a shell. In the Baltic, every outlet of the Russians bad been closed. Sveabori?, Brahesttd, and Barosund had been bombarded, and there had been many gallant and successful “ cutting out” enterprises. There had, however, been some loss in a boat attack at Gumla Carle. The extent of (Russian) Crown property destroyed in this quarter, by the operations under Admiral Plumridge, was estimated at upwards of £400,000. Tire property of individuals had, in all instances, so far as was possible, been spared. The combined s(]uad - ron were within a few miles of Cronstadt, and their presence was exciting, it was said, very strong and unpleasant expectations in the Imperial Capital. Even the Czar, despite his vapouring, was evidently beginning to ftel uncomfortable. The attack upon Cronstadt itself was very shortly to be made. Sir Charles Napier sent an application by the Dauntless, screw frigate, for permission to make such an attack. This application was considered by a Cabinet Council on the Ist of July, and on the 3rd the resolution of the Council to permit the attack was approved by Her Majesty. Brigadier-General Sir Harry Jones, with a company of Sappers and Miners, started at once from Chatham in the Dauntless, with the necessary despatches for the Commander-in-chief. A Trench division of 15,000 men was embarked in British war steamers for service in the Baltic, and a fourth British division was being desdatched in large steamers for Turkey. Detachments of Trench troops for the same quarter were continually leaving Marseilles,

A treaty had been concluded between the Emperor of Austria and the Porte, by which the former pledged itse’f to exhaust all means of negociation, and even to proceed to force if necessary, for the re-establishment upon a secure basis, of the integrity of the Ottoman Empire. By this treaty, Austria has undertaken the defence of the principalities, and in fulfilment of it she had already pushed forward a stong force into Wallachia. The answer of the Czar to the Courts of Vienna and Berlin had been received almost simultaneously with the conclusion of the Austrian treaty already alluded to. This answer had not been officially made public, 1 but its substance was understood to be this— That the Czar would consent to evacuate the principalities for the purpose of resuming the negotiations for peace on condition of the withdrawal of the Western Powers, Russia holding Moldavi , in the meantime, as a guarantee. There was nothing new from the Black Sea, but it was supposed that there would speedily be an attack upon Sebastopol. Part of the fleet had sailed from Varna, and the lest were, it was understood, about to follow. The general belief was that Sebastopol was their destination. General Osten Sacken had been appointed Governor of Circassia, and one of his commanders had gained one victory; but the mountain tribes were rising in all qu .vters. Spain was again suffering the evils of civil war in consequence of a military insurrection under General Dulceand O’Donnell, rendered formidable by the general hatred felt by the people towards the Queen’s Ministers. Parliament was to be prorogued about the 12th of August. Abbas Pacha, the Viceroy of Egypt, died on the 13th of June, and was succeeded by his brother, Seyed Pacha, the Admiral of the Egyptian fh-et. It was generally believed that Abbas Pacha, who was unpopular, had died from poison. The accession of the present Viceroy had been celebrated by V ery great rejoicings. Trade, without being peculiarly brisk, was rather good for that season of the year ; and an abundant harvest was, anticipated ; in fact, there was a greater extent of country under cultivation, and the crops looked more promising, than had been the case for several years past. In the Money Market, there was a tendency to dulress, but no actual depressionThe following is the latest account of the London Wool and Tallow sales. The Wool Market. —July 10: Australian and V. D. L. combing and clothing, 9d. to 2s. lambs Is. to 2s. Oid. locks and pieces 6d. to Is. sd. grease (3d. to Is. skin and slipe sd. to Is. sd. South Australian and Swan River: combing and clothing is. lambs Is. to Is. locks and pieces 7d. to Is. grease Bd. to skin and slipe 7ad- to Is. 2d. Cape: Average flocks, (Jd. to Is 83d. combing and clothing 6d. to Is lambs to Is. sd. locks and pieces, 8d to Is. 2d. grease to I Id Tallow Market. —JulylO; The tallow market leaves off firmer to-day.

3RITISH SUCCESS IN THE BALTIC Sir Charles Napier has forwarded to the Admiralty a despatch from Baro Sound, under date of June 18, enclosing Admiral Plumridge's report of his proceedings in the Gulf of Bothnia, from the sth of Slay to the 10th of June; “by which,” observes Sir Chares, **their lordships will observe that he lias destroyed forty-six vessels, afloat and on the stocks, amounting to 11,000 tons ; from 40,000 to 50.000 barrels of pitch and tar; 60,000 square yards of rough pitch ; a great number of stacks of timber, spars, plank, and deals, sails, rope, and various kinds of naval stores, to the amount of from £300,000 to £400,000 without the loss of a man. Admiral Plumridge has had to contend with innumerable rocks and shoals, incorrectly laid down in the charts, and met the ice up to the 30th of May ; nevertheless, though several of his squadron have touched the ground, I am happy say they have received no damage that he is not able to repair with his own means. The rear-admiral, the r lordships will observe, speaks in the highest terms of the captains, officers seamen, and marines; and particularly of Lieutenant B.P. Priest, the first lieutenant of the Leopard, an old and deserving officer, and of Lieutenant Hammet, his naglieutenant,” Both the Commander-in-chief and Admiral Plumridge censure the proceedings at Gulina Carle by Russia. —The Journal de St. Petersburg of the June 3D, contains the following notic ; of the chief of the police, published by the Emperor’s order, with a view to calm the minds of the people;—“ The enemy’s fleet amounting of thirty sad, appeared on the 251h of June, about twenty miles from Cronstadt, On the 271h several steam-vessels of war approached the light-house near the island of Cronstadt, but up to the present time the enemy has

shown no disposition to attack Cronstadt, wheie measure have been taken to receive them.”

Turkey. —The intelligence from the Principalities is meagre and contained nothing new. It is stated that the Russian General, Silvan, who was killed before Silistria, has been succeeded by General Tetersnikofi'in the command of the Bth military division. That division had suffered so much during the seige that several regiments had to be entirely renewed from the reserves of Bessarabia. Ihe news received from Constantinople comes down to the 30lh of June, Admiral Bruat had pass d the Bosphorus on the 28th with 8000 men fo the division of General Torey. The captains of the sflips composing the naval division hid received sealed orders. It is thought that great operations are approaching. The attack against the port of Anapa has commenced. The fetes of the Beiram have passed off in the midst of the warm enthusiasm caused by the raising of the seige of Silistria. A report from Omar Pasha states that the Russians kept firing a part of their atillery the whole of the night of the 22nd to the 23rd of June, to mask their retreat Fifty of their cannon had been spiked and abandoned by them round the place. The total loss is calculated at 24,000 men.

THE UNSUCCESSFUL ATTACK AT GUMLA CARLEBY. It appears that the Odin and the Vultur 6 arrivsil before the place on the Ist of June. The wkter was so shallow that the ships anchored five miles distant, and sent in a force of 200 men in six boats to destroy the stores. These anchored, and sent in a Hag of truce to demand the surrender of the place. This was refused, and tue municipal authorities declared that the place would be defended. The flag of truce was hauled down, ond the C ' n’s cutler was sent ahead to reconnoitre. When she got well in front of the stores, she perceived some signs of an enemy, and was putting back to the other boats, when the Russians unmasked a battery concealed among the stores, and sent a fierce fire of musketry and artillery among the boats. Eleven out of eighteen men in the Odin s boat were killed at once. Getting out of musketry range, the boats opened a heavy fire upon the invisible foe. When the smoke claared off, it was discovered that the Vulture’s paddle-box boat was missing; she wai near the shore; the boats attempted to cover her retreat, when a shell burst over her, and she drifted helplessly away. After removing the wounded the boats were about to renew the attack, after fighting upwards of an hour, when Captain Scott arrived and ordered them off. The loss was fifty-four officers and men, killed, wounded, and missing; the paddle-bov boat and its 24-pound howitzer. Next day the Russians strengtheeed the defences. Sir Charles Napier writes, on the 10th June :-I have expressed to Captain Glasse my disapproval of sending boats to attack a place so far distant from his ship without any apparent object, which has led to the melancholy catastrophe on this occasion.” Telegraphic intelligence frsm the Baltic up to the 30th June, states that on the 21st of June, the Hecla, Odin, and Valorous, made an attack upon the famous Bomarsund, a strong place in the A Hand Isles. “ The bombardment began at five in the evening, and by seven the masked battery was dismounted and abandoned, and at ten o’clock p m. the Russian magazinet were in a blaze. The Russians fought obstinately ; their artillery were well supported by rifles. One bomb burst on the deck of the Hecla ; Midshipman Lucas threw another overboard before it burst.” The three steamers returned to Barosund on the 26th. Tomes was occupied on the Bth ult., by a detachment from the flying squadron under Admiral Plumridge. The Acmiral superintended the landing in person. At first the people showed a sullen demeanour, which, however wore off when the object of the landing was explained by proclamation in the Swedish language. Entrenchments were thrown up on the Irnd side ; and a gerrison of sailors and marines were left in possession of the place.

Letter from the Baltic. [From the Times, July 10th.] Off Cronstadt, June 30. My letter of the 25th of June apprised you of the main portion of the allied fleets being at anchor off the island of t-e-Jar, and within thirty miles distance of Cronstadt On the afternoon of that date, firing heard in the eastward, the Arrogant, 16, Captain Yelverton, was despatched in that direction, with instructions to anchor within signal distance. The next morning, at an early hour, the fleets weighed under steam, shaping a course for Tolboukin Light-house situate on an island west of Cronstadt. The Arrogant in the mean time rejoined, and with the Imperieuse, 50, Captain Watson, was sent in advance, and soon made out thirty of the enemy’s ships at anchor in the harbour. After proceeding within a few miles of Cronstadt, the fleet wore, and came to a safe anchorage, eight miles west of Toboukin Light. The Arrogant, 16, and Desperate, 8, were placed under the orders of Captain Watson in the Imperieuse ; the Magicienne, 16, and Penelope, P, under the orders of Captain Sullivan in the Lightning,- 6, and steamed in shore to take soundings, keeping, however, out of range of the enemy’s guns. The Hecla, 6, Captain W. H. Hall, came up with the fleet in the evening, bringing i< telligence of the successful bombardment of the fortifications of Bomarsund, the principal of the Aland Islands, by the Odin, 16, Capt. Scott, Valorous, 16, Captain Buckle, and Ilecla. After three hours canonading, the fort was silenced, a great number of the’enemy being killed. All the houses, vessels, and ships stores in the rear of the fort were burnt or otherwise destroyed. The three steamers took up a position at a distance of two thousand yards from the batteries, and fired with such admirable precision, that scarce a shot or shell fell short of the mark. Not a man belonging to either of the steamers was killed, and only five wounded. The amount of injury done to the fortifications of Bomarsund is not ascertained, as no landing was effected. Neither is the loss sustained by the enemy known, but that it has been severe there can be no question from the fact of the greater portion of the steamers’shells bursting among them. During the engagement, the Hecla expended the whole of her ammunition. The paddle wheel steamers employed in taking soundings off the Island of Cronstadt are slated to have discovered three “ infernal machines ” moored under water. A Russian man-of-war steamer made an attempt to come outside Tolboukin Lighthouse on the 27ih instant, but perceiving that two of the English squadron at anchor in the vicinity were getting under weigh to inter-

cept her, she put her helm up, and took shelter under the outermost battery. An opinion being entertained that an attack on Cronstadt was practicable on the northern side of the island, Rear Admiral Chads and Vice Admiral Parseval Deschenes, accompanied by LnrdC. Paget of the Princess Royal, the Hon. H. Keppell, of the St. Jean d’ Acre, and others, embarked in the Diiver paddle wheel steamer, on the 29th, and proceeded as far up the channel as was necessary, in order to judge by personal observation the nearest distance off the town which could be approached with safety by any portion of the ships of the fleet. I believe lam not mistaken in informing you that the greater portion of the ships in the fleet may without difficulty, steam up the channel on the northern side of the island, and take up a position from which they might, at long range, throw their shell, &c., into the town, ami destroy it without sustaining any serious injury themselves. A detachment of eight vessels from the Russian fleet sailed out of >ebastapol, and had a brush with part of the blockading squadron of England, and then ran hack again.

'The fleet I am actually assured, is waiting for troops to land and attack the place by both naval and military forces. England is almost drained of troops, and it is too evident that our expenses must be infinitely greater than the amount yet estimated. There is scarcely a steamer that is not under contract with the Government to carry troops, &c., to the East. The attempt of Russia to raise a loan has been unsuccessful in every direction. Austria has at length announced decisively her want of £40,000,000, and which at the present rate of the exchanges, and the depressed state of cimency will not bring her in more than 25.000. providing that tire whole of the 400.000. 000 florins be subscribed. 'I he payments on account of the loan are to extend over three, four, and five years.