SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 53, 27 January 1872, Page 10

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

ARRIVED. 20, Phcebe, s.s, 416 tons, Worsp, from Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. PassengersMrs Kissling, Mrs Broc&en, Master Knowles, Messrs Hartrnann, Kissling, Stevenson, Wake field, Martin, Williams, eight for the Forth ; one in the steerage, and one for the North. 21, Wellington, s.s., 2SI tons, Kennedy, from the South, with seventy passengers. 21, Taranaki, SB., 299 tons, E. Wheeler, from Northern ports, with one hundred excursionists. 21, Claud Hamilton, s.s-, 530 tons, Clark, irom Melbourne via the West Coast. Passengers—Captain Lindsay, Captain Lovett, Mr and Mrs Bromley. Mr and Mrs Ariel, MiAriel, jun., Master King, Major and Mrs Heaphy, Messrs Palmer and Knox, and three in the steerage. 23, Luna, p.s., 192 tons, Fairehild, from Wanganui. Passengers—Hon Mr and Mrs Fox, Mrs Godwin and child, Mrs Douglass and child, Miss Hutchinson, two of the Armed Constabalary, and four natives. 23, Glimpse, ketch, 38 tons, Croucher, from Hawke's Bay. 25, St. Kilda, s.s., 91 tons, Flowerday, from Wanganui. Passengers—Mr Blackwell, Master Perston,.Master Smith. 25, Rangatira, 5.5.,. 185 tons, Renner, from Napier and Castle Point. Passengers—Messrs Brooking, Nairn, Salmon, Turner, Glover, Campbell, Barnes, Raymond, George, Broad, Beck, Hoggard, Masters Meek and Renner. SAILED. 20, St Kilda, s.s., 91 tons, Flowerday, for Wanganui 20, Phcebe, s.s., 416 tons, Worsp, for the North. 21, Wellington, s.s., 261 tons, Kennedy, for the North, with Southern portion of the San Francisco Mail, and sixty-five passengers. 23, Claud Hamilton, s.s., 529 tons, Clark, for Lyttelton. Passengers—Mrs Taylor, Mr Cockburn, Mr Mitchell. 24, Taranaki, s s, 299 tons, Wheeler, for Picton and Nelsou. Passengers Messrs' Nancarrow, Marks, Macara, Whittim, Mrs Munro, and 100 excursionists. 25, Ocean Bird, schooner, 33 tons, Judge, for Patea. 25, liungatira, s.s., 185 tons, Renner, for Kaikoura and Southern ports. The figure head of a vessel, says the " Perth Gazette," has been washed ashore at the south-east end of Rottness Island. The figurehead consists of the bust of a man from the waist to the shoulders, the head and back being evidently destroyed by fire. The figure is dressed in a loose blue coat, no waistcoat, a loose shirt with a large handkerchief knotted round the waist as a belt, with a square buckle, and what appears to be the hilt of a cutlass, at the side. Below that is all scroll and carved work with scroll running down each side, with on either side " keep a sharp look out, and a sharp look out," the beginning and end of the mottoes not being there. There are five large iron bolts on the figure, and it is about six feet long, of soft wood, and evidently not long in the water as there is neither worm holes nor barnacles upon it. "A British Yachtsman" writes to the "New York Herald" thus:—"The present style of centreboard, so far as I have been able to obtain any authentic account, was invented by Lieutenant Shuldham, of the British Navy, while a prisoner of war at Verdun, during the conflict between Great Britain and France. He called it the • revolving centreboard,' and his model is now in the Museum at Ipswich, England. Undoubtedly, Captain Schank, also of the same service, invented the first centreboard. It was then a sliding keel, lowered bodily through the bottom of the vessel, and was a great improvement on the leebowd, if that was already invented, as claimed in one of the letters lately published in the 'Herald.' Leeboards are unsightly contrivances, and are cumbersome to work, as one must be hauled up and the other dropped every time the vessel comes in stays, while the centreboard needs no attention." The missionary schooner Dayspring, the name of which is well known amongst the Sunday scholars of these colonists, has again come into port for her usual overhaul and refit. This smart little clipper has been of signal service in the mission cause in the South Seas, more particularly in the New Hebrides group, but as she cannot be expected to last for ever, and as even missionary vessels are not exempt from the wear and tear incidental to voyaging, so the Dayspring will require a very extensive repair ; and the question may perhaps be mooted if it would not bo a wiser economy to sell her and procure a new vessel. The Dayspring on this trip has brought on the Rev Mr Inglis and Mrs Inglis, and the Rev Mr Geddie, and Mrs Neilson and family, who will all remain here for a time. Her well-known commander, Captain Frazer, who has sailed her all along so creditably and carefully, leaves her on this Toyage, and intends returning, along with Mrs Frazer and family, to the old country. Since her last visit here tfie Dayspring has been chiefly engaged among the islands of the New Hebrides group, with the exception of one visit paid to the Loyalty Islands. Intelligence has been'brought by the schooner of the murder of a Mr Morrison at Tanna shortly before she sailed. Morrison was agent for a Mr M'Lead, and was shot by the natives. Mr Lewis, owner of a ketch trading to Tanna, discovered the body shortly after the perpetration of the deed.—Melbourne "Argus." The inquiry by the Steam Navigation Board of Victoria into the circumstances attending the loss of the Sussex, was concluded on the Bth instant, the fourth day of the sittings. The principal evidence taken was that of Captain Collard himself, who gave a lengthy and circumstantial account of the events which preceded, accompanied, and followed

the wreck. He explained that before the breakers were reported he had become aware of a "fearful" error in the steering of the ship, and that his assumed position on the chart was a wrong one. He was subjected to a close cross-examination by the board, and made to plot down his courses on the chart, but the only explanation he could offer of his being out of his position was, that he had been misled by the lights, and that there had been wrong steering. The board, after sitting an hour with closed doors, decided that the ship was lost by Captain Collard's default, he not having taken the necessary precautions to verify his position before attempting to make Port Phillip Heads ; first, by not making sure that the flash light he saw was the Cape Schanck light; and, secondly, by steering for other lights on his port bow, after discovering that there had been wrong steering. Taking into consideration Captain Collard's long Rervice and " well-known excellent character as a careful officer," the board decided to suspend his certiiicate for six months only. This closed the proceedings. It will, be remembered that this was the precise amount of punishment awarded by the board to the master of the Victoria Tower—" Argus." The whaler Oscar was attacked by a whale when between Tasmania and Newcastle, the animal causing the ship to leak dangerously. The Tropic, from the Baltic, with timber, has been sent on to New Zealand. The Tararua has been chartered to proceed to Port Darwin. The Allahabad is loading wheat for London. NELSON SHIPPING. The " Colonist" of the 16th inst reports : The Ann Gambles left yesterday lor Port Underwood, where she will load with produce for London, A portion of her cargo has been shipped here. The fine iron ship Chile arrived at Port Underwood yesterday, from Auckland. This vessel will at once take in cargo for London, and being well known in the passenger trade, Captain Cuthbert will secure a number of passengers. The ship Asterope took her departure from Port Underwood, for London, on Saturday last. She carries a largo cargo, consisting of nearly 2700 bales of wool and flax. THE WRECK OF THE SUSSEX. By telegram from Hokitika the other day, we were informed that the wreck and cargo of the well-known ship Sussex had been sold at Melbourne, but no information of the circumstances of the wreck were given. We are able to supply the omission from the Melbourne " Argus" of the 2nd instant : The first news of the wreck of the Sussex came to Melbourne in a telegram from Geelong, which reached Captain Payne, R.N., chief harbor-master, shortly after 5 a.m. yesterday. A mounted trooper at Barwon Heads had, so soon as he became aware of the catastrophe, started across country to Geelong, and there stated that a ship or large barque was ashore and firing rockets. Captain Payne lost no time in communicating with Messrs Keid, Poole and Co, tug steamboat proprietors, and urged them to dispatch a steamer and lighter to Barwon Heads. He also gave instructions that the lifeboat at Queenscliff should be dispatched thither in case there were lives to be saved. The p.s. Challenge, with a lighter, were sent off without delay, and Captain Payne himself followed in the Mystery, which 'started for Queenscliff at 9 a.m. At the latter place, however, the Challenge was met by the p.s. Titan, laden with the passengers and crew of the Sussex, whom she had just taken off. The Titan had had at daybreak to tow a cutter which had been becalmed near Barwon Heads, and was consequently in a position to see the wreck, towards which she immediately steamed. It was the opinion of Captain Collard that his best plan was to seize this opportunity of getting off the passengess and crew, and thus quit the vessel. The latter was in a highly dangerous position ; she was continually threatened by a tremendous southern swell, and if it came on to blow she must go to pieces. Accordingly, the passengers, the crew, and lastly himself, were taken off in two of the ship's boats, One of the boats of the Titan was at first put into requisition, but she was found too small The lifeboat came from Queenscliff too late to be of service. The sea was too high and the rollers too dangerous to attempt to get ashore, and so every one was put on board the steamer. They took very little with them. The Captain saved his papers, the crew their kits, and the passengers such luggage as they could lay their hands upon. As for the boxes in the hold, the water was, shortly after the ship struck, within two feet of the main deck, so that almost all lost their most valuable effects, which they left on board the ship, together with a general cargo worth £30,000.

How the wreck was allowed to occur appears, according to the accounts which have reached us, to be extremely simple in one sense, but in another to point out the necessity of reform in certain regulations affecting the lights used outside the Heads. Captain Collard's account is simply this : —" We left Plymouth on October 9, and after experiencing a strong westerly wind for a few duys we had fine weather, which lasted throughout the passage. We made Cape Otway yesterday (Sunday, December 31), at two p.m., a strong southerly breeze blowing. We came up along the coast, steering straight for the Heads. About ten o'clock at night 1 saw a flash light, which I considered was the Schanck light. [Captain Collard subsequently expressed an opinion that the flsish-light he saw must have been that exposed by one of the pilot vessels, and the Corsair and Rip were both outside the that night.] I then thought I had, after running my distance, got too far to the eastward. Shortly after two other lights were reported, but I did not see them. I sent an officer to the masthead to look for them, and he reported them on the port bow.

Taking the other for the Schanck light, I assumed these other lights to be the Queenscliff lights. I was about half-way between them. I put the helm starboard to let her go off, when I found the ship in amongst breakers. I at once tried to stay her, there being no room to wear her. 1 did not, like the idea of letting go the anchors where there was so little water. While attempting to stay her she struck, apparently on a shelf of rock, over which, however, she seemed to beat and get into deep water again. She went a little way after this, but as she was making water fast, and evidently gradually settling down, and making a bed for herself a 3 it were, I had the yards squared so as to harden her up on the beach. There was a very heavy ground swell, and the ship was unmanageable. The ship bumped innumerable times, but after her first touch, which was certainly upon rocks, she seemed 'co strike softer, as upon sand. She hung on her heel, and her bow went quite before the wind when we squared yarns. The breakers were not more than half a mile from the shore, and in daylight next day I could see the men and women on the beach. The beach is a very long and shelving one. 1 did not attempt to send the passengers ashore, believing that their lives would be needlessly endangered thereby. I thought it preferable to hold on till morning. On the other hand, I thought a boat might live outside the breakers and get help from the pilot cutler from Queenscliff. Accordingly, I sent away Mr O'Flaherty, third officer, anda crew of six volunteers, with strict instructions to keep well ouside the lino of surf. I saw them for half an hour after, but then lost sight of them. They have not been heard of since, and I am afraid the poor young fellow departed from my instructions and has been lost, perhaps on the reef close to the Barwon Heads. We waited all night, and at daybreak the Titan steamer saw us and took us off in onr own boats. A lifeboat came from Queenseliffe, but we had got off the women and children then. It is my opinion that if the weather is moderate a great deal may be saved from the wreck. She lies with the shore, east and west, and the southern swell grinds her. With a north wind she would be much better. I think it was high water at 2 a.m. Her head now is about north-half-east. I could not see the Queenscliff lights when we struck." This account is am H ly corroborated by that of the doctor, Mr W. Walsh, who has supplied us with the following additional particulars:—" It was after a delightful voyage that we reached Cape Otway at 2 p.m., and looking upon our passage as over, we presented a testimonial to Captain Collard in acknowledgment of his skill and kindness. After we left the Otway the captain was continually on deck, save when he went to dinner, and the first and second officer always. The latter was.generally on the maintopgallant yard looking out for lights. Between 9 and 10 p m., the moon not having risen, and the night, being intensely dark and rather hazy, a flash-light orr the starboard bow was reported. Every one on deck saw it, and we watched it going in and out. The second mate, who was still aloft, also reported several lights on the port bow. We took them to be the Queenscliff lights. Everything seemed all right, and the blue lights for the pilots were got en deck. About this time we saw a ship on our starboard beam, firing blue lights and a rocket. The second mate had not been long down from aloft when we saw land close to us right ahead. It came upon us suddenly. The captain at once had the helm put hard a-starboard, and the crossjack yard braced up. While that was doing, we struck hard and heavy. I was knocked off my legs, and the cuddy ports being open, the sea broke in through them. The captain then tried to pay her off, and blue lights were fired, and rockets sent up, They were sent up at intervals all through the night. As the ship would not pay off, she was steered direct for land to harden her up. During the night all the passengers got into the .cuddy, sitting upon the tables, and waiting anxiously. They were told that their lives were safe, but that their luggage would probably be lost. I certainly thought at times, when the heavy rollers came in, that she would not last the nightSome persons lighted a fire on the beach, which was a great comfort to us, as we knew by it that the ship did not move. From the time of striking, nothing could be more orderly than the scene on board. There was no appearance of excitement, and the crew seemed quiet. When the vessel first lay down she took a strong list to port, but after she settled a bit she straightened herself. I got some men to sound after the ship was hardened up, and I was told the water was four fathoms deep. There might have been less forward. Towards morning the rudder trunk bumped up through the deck." We learn that the doctor was much hurt by a fall received while helping to superintend the departure from the ship of the pa'ssengers' boats.