SHIPPING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4346, 23 February 1875, Page 2

SHIPPING.

PORT OF WELLINGTON High Water, G. 23 a.m.; 6.28 r.M. ARRIVED, February 22,—G00d Templar, ketch, 42 tons, Divers, from Dunedin: Canterbury, schooner, 38 tons, Nelson, fromPelorus Sound. Mclntyre and Co., agents. Osseo, American brigantine, 454 tons, Lowry, from New York via Port Chalmers. Levin and Co., agents, SAILED. February 22.—XXX, ketch, 21 tons, Campbell, lor Wairau. Turnbull and Co., agents. Star of the South, s.s., 175 tons, Farquhar, for Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. Passengers—Saloon : Mrs. Cone and two children, Messrs. Murphy, Fanshan, and Heir. W. Bishop, agent. Hannah Barratfc, schooner, 57 tons, Renner, for Kaikoura, Jane Elkin, ketch. 25 tons, Leslie, for Wanganui. Rangatira, s.s., 185 tons, Grifliths, for Napier and Poverty Bay. Passengers—Saloon ; Rev, Mr. Bice, Mr. and Mrs. Hart, Mrs. Meyers, Messrs. Rochfort, Coulton, Lee, Hadtield, and one in the steerage. R, S. Ledger, agent. IMPORTS. Canterbury, from Pelorus Sound: 21,000 feet sawn timber. Good Templar, from Dunedin': 1 case rubber springs, SO cases ironwork, 30 pairs wheels and axles, 18 bdls‘ girders, 72 springs, 72 bags oats. Rangatira, from Napier add Poverty Bay : IGO sacks grass seed, C empty boxes, 5 bags, 1 bdl sheepskins, 1 box. Foirlie, from Auckland : 2500 cases kerosene, 100 barrels resin, 40 cases; chairs, 1 pkg samples, 14,030 feet sawn timber. XXX, from Wairau : 72 bales wool. Stormbird, from Wanganui: 24 bales wool, I truss, 5 coses. Day Dawn, from Foxton : 13,000 feet sawn timber. Star of the South, from Napier: 3 cases, 2 pkgs, 15 qr-casks rum. EXPORTS. Star of the South, for the South: 4 axle arms, 170 casks cement, 8 bales wool, 2 boxes, 1 box fruit. XXX, for Blenheim: 2 casks ale, 25 tons coal. Hannah Barratt, for Kaikoura: 175 coils wire, .68 bdls arms, 10 boxes bolts, I'wire drum, 2 coils small wire, 1 pci, 100 telegraph poles, 1 pci drapery, 2 pkgs ironmongery. Jane Elkin, for Wanganui: 204 water pipes, 1 case. Rangatira, for Napier and Poverty Bay: 5 pkgs, 3 cases, 1 box, 1 case tobacco, 2 half-tierces do, 95 mats sugar, 1 case, 34 do galvanized iron, 5 boxes, 13 hides, 2 bills empty bags, 2 trusses. 2 pockets hops, 50 sacks flour, 5 trusses drapery, 1 case, 1 truss, 36 rams, 45 mats sugar, 2 bags sago, 2 cases corn flour, 10 coses brandy, 220 coils wire, 3 kegs nails, 2 cases, 1 bale, 1 box, 1 pkg, 1 pci. 417 bags grass seed, 60 cases, 1 keg, 2 cases coffee, 2 do pepper, 2 casks currants, 4 boxes raisins, 1 case coffee, 1 do oysters, 1 do lobsters, 1 bag coffee beans, 1 pel, 3 boxes, 1 truss, 4 cases, 28 gunnies sugar, 5 casks do, 1 set harrows, 3 whipple-trecs, 1 case, 1 truss, 2 bales woolpacks, 1 bdl, 2 cases. . EXPECTED ARRIVALS. London,—Hindostan, Hudson, Dalran, Edwin Fox, and Dallam Tower. Mauritius.—May, three-masted schooner, early. HoNa Kong.—Medora, barque, early. Melbourne and Southern Ports.—Omco, s.s,, to-morrow. Port Chalmers.—Chaudicre, barque, early. Northern Ports.—Ladybird, s.s., this morning. Southern Ports. —Wellington, s.s., to-morrow. Wanganui.—Manawatu, p.s., this morning. Melbourne, -via West Coast Ports.—Alhambra, s.s., 2Gth inst. Foxton.—Napier, s.s., this day. Wanganui and Rangitikei.—Egmont, s.s., this day.

Lyttelton.—Easby, this day. PRO J KCTI3D DEL*AHTURI3S. London— Soukar, early ; Carnatic, 30th March : Avalanche, 20th Marcli. Southern Ports.—Ladybird, s.s., this day. Northern Ports. —Wellington, s.s., to-morrow. Wanganui,—Stormblrd, s.s., and Napier, s.s., this day. Wanganui and Rangitikei,—Egmont, s.s. this day. Nelson. —Manawatu. p.s., this day. Newcastle.— Easby, s.s., this day. The time-ball may be used to-day for rating chronometers. A chronometer true on Greenwich time would show 12 h. 30 m. when the ball drops. Any difference is error (plus or minus) of the chronometer. The steamer Rangatira, Captain Griffiths, sailed at five o'clock last evening for Napier and Poverty Bay. The Manawatu crossed the Wanganui bar at 1.30 yesterday afternoon. She will therefore arrive this morning at daylighfc. The steamer Ladybird, Captain Andrew, left Picton last night for Wellington. She will leave Wellington for Lyttelton and Port Chalmers this afternoon. Excepting a small quantity of railway iron, the ship Carnatic has completed the discharge of her inward cargo. She shipped a few bales of wool yesterday. . The three-masted schooner Fairiie was berthed yes-' terday morning. She will break cargo this morning. The fine ship Soukar has 3009 bales of wool on board, but 4000 more are required to fill the vessel. As wool is not coming to hand freely, it is probable the Soukar will not clear for London before the end of March next. The steamer Star of the South, Captain Farquhar, for Lyttelton and Port Chalmers, steamed from the wharf at noon yesterday. The barque Heversham was taken in tow, and dropped down Evans Bay. The barque Edwin Bassett is detained in portundergoing an overhaul. Her top sides are at present being recauiked.

The ship Berar, having discharged her inward cargo, has commenced ballasting, and will be ready for sea at the end of the week. Till advices are received from her owners, she will remain in Port Nicholson.

The ketch Good Templar, from Dunedin, with a cargo of railway and bridge material for the General Government, arrived on Sunday last. The barque Ardentinny will enter at the Customs this morning. The barque Heversham was towed round to the patent slip by the steamer Star of the South yesterday morning. She will bo taken up for the purpose of ascertaining the whereabouts of a small leak which somewhat troubled the crew on her last trip from Newcastle. The Heversham cleared at the Customs yesterday morning, and she will probably get away for Newcastle about Thursday next. The steamer Northumberland, of the Blackwall line, made her last run home from Melbourne to London in fifty-nine days. The well-known Aberdeen clipper ship Thermopylae has again distinguished herself by making a very fine mn out. She was telegraphed yesterday afternoon as having passed Cape Otway sixty-four days out from London.—Melbourne Telegraph, Feb. 5. The brigantine which was signalled yesterday morning anchored at two o’clock, and proved to be the Osseo, an American vessel of the large tonnage (for her rig) of 45-1 tons register. She is from New’ York originally, but about two-thirds of her cargo was discharged at Port Chalmers, the remainder being for 'Wellington. The passage from New York to Otago was made In 110 days, the vessel arriving at Port Chalmers on January 20. She left for Wellington on the ISth inst., making the run up against N;E. winds under five days, a slant of southerly wind only favoring the vessel a few hours betorc her arrival. The Osseo is a comparatively new vessel, having been launched at Long Island in 1871, when she was classed at French Lloyds for the long period, for a wooden vessel, of thirteen years. She is a short vessel for her tonnage, but exceedingly deep, and at the present time, although her cdpper is invisible, she presents very lofty sides. She will be entered at the Customs this morning. '

BY TELEGRAPH. WESTPORT, Monday. The schooner Star of the Sea is discharging at the wharf. LYTTELTON, Monday. The s.s. Easby sailed for Dunedin at 4.45 p.m. ; and the Wellington for Wellington, at C p.m. The Mallard clears for London to-night. GREYMOUTH, Monday. Arrived: St. Kilda, schooner, from Melbourne; Experiment, schooner, from Hobarton r St. Kilda, s.s., from Wanganui. Sailed : On Sunday, Albion, for Melbourne; Maori, for Jackson's Lay; and Zephyr, brigantine, for Melbourne. WRECK ON KING'S ISLAND. LOSS OF THE BARQUE ELENCATIXRO. (From the Melbourne Daily Telegraph, Feb. 8.) About noon on Saturday, the public mind in the city was thrown into a state of considerable agitation by the intelligence received by telegram from Queenscliff that another wreck had taken place on King’s Island, viz., that of the barque Blencathro, 890 tons, David Nicholas, master, on her outward voyage from Glasgow to Sydney. The sacrifice of human lives which has occurred at previous wrecks on the fatal western shores of King's Island, led people at once to arrive at the conclusion that there must of necessity have been a number of people drowned, and on the news being circulated—" Another wreck at King’s Island." the responsive inquiry was, "How many lives lost?" Another fine vessel, and a new one, has been lost on the reefs of this fatal island; but however melancholy it may be to record that event, it is gratifying to be in a position to state that there has been no loss of life, but that, on the contrary, “all hands were saved." . , So far as we can learn,-it is the same story with • the Blcncathro as it was with the Netherby and the British Admiral. The masters of all these vessels were by some means or other out in their reckoning, most likely having been carried out of their course by the strong current which runs down the north-eastern coast of Australia, and each of them, without a note of warning, found himself amid the breakers,, A light at Point Netherby would have prevented a number of wrecks and saved lives. There is this difference between the Netherby, the British Admiral, and the Elencathro—that while the two first-mentioned did not see the light at Gape Wickham, on the north-wes-tern end of lung's Island, the commander of the latter did* but there is this similarity, that they were all. out of their reckoning, and Captain Nicholas and his officers were each of the opinion that the light they saw was that of Cape Otway. The light at Oaoe Otway Is a revolving one, while that at Capei Wickham!* fixed: but those In. charge of the Llencathro were deceived by the swell of the sea Into believing that it was a revolving light, especially as they were under the impression that they were in the neighborhood of Cape Otway, and not near King's Tstond. The Chief Harbor-master is of opinlon-that the placing of a light on Point Netherby will be an Inducement to mariners to court the dangers of the coast for the aalc ® of saving a few hours In their passage, but that w jio argument against the fact that there is a current, or something, which misleads the best sailors, and carries them on to the serrated granite rocks of King a Island, and that there is no beacon to warn them of their proximity to danger. Arrangements arc pendingfor an inquiry being made into the most suitable spot on which to erect a lighthouse on the western side of iixts island, and the Board appointed to investigate the subject are to meet shortly.

The barque Elcucatliro is a new vessel, having been built at Whitehaven only last spring, and this is her first, and unfortunately her last voyage. On leaving the docks she proceeded direct to G lasgow, and loaded, and all her officers and crew were engaged while she was in dock; She left Glasgow, for Sydney on the 27th October last, with a general cargo of wines, spirits, beer, and soft goods, about 100 tons of water and gas pipes, and fifteen tons of gunpowder. An ordinarily successful voyage was met with up to Wednesday evening last, when shortly- after nine o’clock a light was seen from the mizzenmast head. As the light appeared only occasionally, Captain Nicholas took it to be the revolving light of Cape Otway. The night was clear, but over what afterwards turned out to bo King's Island there was a mist. The vessel was under topsails, foresaii, and jib, but so soon as the light was sighted the captain, under the impression that it was the Cape Otway light, ordered more sail to be put on. Another jib had been set, and the watch had just gone aft to sot the spanker, when the lookout man on the' forecastle called out —“Landright ahead. ” The wheel was at once put hard down, but there was not enough canvas on the vessel to allow of her tacking ; and after lying in the wind awhile she paid off again. All hands were called on deck, and the starboard anchor was let go. It caught in the rocks at once, and consequent on the speed of the vessel the cable parted, after about sixty fathoms had been run out. ■ The other anchor was then let go, and immediatelyaftenvards the ship struck the rocks bows on. It appears it was fortunate that the vessel did miss stays, as had she gone about she must inevitably have struck on an outer reef, and the probability Is that it not all hands, at'any rate several of them, would have been lost. So soon as the vessel struck the boats were got out, and the captain and second mate, the boatswain, and nine of the crew got into the one first launched, it being understood that the chief officer and the remainder of the crew would enter the other boat. Just at this time a boat from the shore containing men employed in getting the cargo from the British Admiral came to the scene, and offered to pilot the wrecked people ashore. After waiting for some time, hailing the ship and getting no answer, the captain deemed it advisable to make at once for the shore, as a heavy sea was rising, and piloted by the shore people, the boat at once proceeded to tile land. On reaching the beach the captain and boatswain went to the point immediately abreast of where the vessel had struck, and hailed, and an answer was returned from the chief officer that he would remain on board until morning. On the following morning the chief officer with the remainder of the crew, went on shore in the other boat, and towards noon, the weather having moderated, and the sea being comparatively calm, a boat went off and brought away the crew’s clothing and effects. Tlie ship lies easily with about 10ft. of water alongside, hut the rocks are right through the bottom of her bows, and there is no chance of saving her. If the weather continues fine there will be every chance of saving all the cargo easily, as the vessel is accessible to lighters, but there is no possible chance of saving the ship under any circumstances, and she must break to pieces should a heavy swell come in from the ocean. Her jibboom is not more than her own length from the shore, and she lies canted over on the port side at an angle of about thirty degrees. From the time the look out man forward called "land a-head" until the vessel struck was about half an hour. The vessel struck about 100 yards to the south of Currie Harbor, not far from where the Netherby was When Captain Nicholas left, the water in the ship was up to the cabin sheets. He attributes the loss of the ship to the set of the current, he being about thirty miles from his assumed position. No sights had been obtained during the day; but a good observation had been taken on the previous day. From the first appearance of danger, everything was done to save the ship ; but the casualty occurred so suddenly, that the captain had no time to consider his position. Captain Nicholas states that he sighted the ship Mary Blair on Wednesday morning, and was Informed by the master of that vessel that ho had sighted the Portland coast. The Mary Blair arrived at Melbourne subsequently, and reported having spoken the Blencathro on the 4th inst.; but this must be a mistake, as the wreck took place on the 3rd. On Friday, Captain Nicholas engaged the ketch Secret to bring himself, officers, and .crew to Melbourne, and they loft the island on Friday, leaching Hobson’s Bay shortly after 2 o’clock on Saturday afternoon. On the telegram from Queenseliff reaching the Customhouse on Saturday morning, intimating the arrival of the Secret and the occurrence of the wreck, Mr. W. C. Eees, the secretary of the Ports and Harbors Department. at once proceeded to AVilliamstown, boarded the Secret, brought the crew of the Blencathro asiiore, and conveyed them to the Sailors’ Home in Melbourne, where they are now located. The agents of the vessel are Messrs. Macfarlane, Blyth, and Co., comer of little Collins and William streets. The crew of the wrecked ship numbered twenty-one hands, all told. The steamship Pharos, with Customs officers on board to take charge of the cargo, was despatched to the scene of the wreck on Saturday night, and an inquiry into the cause of the disaster is to bo hold to-day by the Steam Navigation Board. The Blencathro has not been abandoned, Mr. Hudson, the chief Officer, having been left behind in charge of the vessel. The loss of the Blencathro makes a total number of wrecks on King's Island of nineteen vessels.

The Wreck of the Blencathro. —The Steam Navigation Board have commenced an official inquiry into the loss of the barque Blencathro. The inquiry is one of a preliminary character, to ascertain the facts of the wreck, when, if it is deemed necessary, in terms of the 23rd section of the Amended Merchant Shipping Act, 18G2, a charge will be made, and time afforded to the officer who appears culpable to prepare Ills defence. On the news of the wreck reaching the agents on Saturday, they took prompt steps for the recovery, if possible, of the cargo, by despatching the steamer Rescue to the scene of the'wreck. The Rescue took down with her Captain Currie, on behalf of the insurance companies; Mr. T. Smart, Customs officer; Captain Dalsh, marine surveyor; and Mr. Collins, the stevedore; with about twenty lumpers. The steamer left Hobson’s Bay about 11 o’clock on Saturday night, and reached King’s Island about 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon. The weather was beautifully fine, and the Blencathro was found to be in the same position as when the captain left her on Friday. Her masts were all standing, and she was as steady as if lying alongside a pier, with the exception that she was canted over on the port side at an angle of about 30 deg. When the Rescue reached the wreck the lumpers set to • work immediately, and succeeded in getting ashore all the stores out of the lockers, and a quantity of sails and gear, and to-day they were to broach the cargo. The steamer left King’s Island again at about seven o’clock on Sunday evening, and' arrived In Melbourne yesterday afternoon, bringing with her Mr. Hudson, the chief officer of the Blencathro, whose evidence is required by the Steam Navigation Board at the inquiry now being held into the cause of the wreck. The Blencathro struck the rocks so near the shore tliat, if the present weather continues, most likely all her cargo will be saved; but a strong wind from the ocean will cause her to be broken to pieces in a very short period of time. She lies in about ten feet of water.—Melbourne Telegraph, February 0. King's Island. —The colonial steamship Pharos returned from King’s Island yesterday, with Captain Payne, R.N., chief harbor-master of this colony; Captain Stanley, R.N.; and Captain Barnard, R.N., master warden of the Marine Board of Tasmania, who had visited the island for the purpose of deter* - mining the site on which to erect a lighthouse for the protection of vessels coming to this coast. The Pharos left llobson’s;Bay at 4 o'clock on Monday afternoon, and arrived off Cape Wickham at about 7 o’clock on the following morning, and proceeded thence immdiately to Point Netherby, where it has been contended that the light should be placed, in consequence of so many wrecks having taken place in the immediate ’ neighborhood, notably those of the ships Netherby and British Admiral. The inapectingjmrty had an opportunity of seeing all the outlying dangers from Point Netherby to the New Year Islands, and from the latter to the Harbinger’s and Navarine Rocks, but as yet the decision they may have jointly arrived at has not been made public. The party landed at Currie Harbor. aboufc two miles from Point Netherby, and saw the persons in charge of the diving parties engaged ,in recovering the cargo of the British Admiral, who desired to be reported as being all well. The Nowra, a 50-ton boat, was at the scene of the wreck, and only required fifteen tons to complete her loading. The Secret and O’Caral steamers were also on the spot; and reported all well. It was stated that the weather had not been at all favorable for diving operations, and the visitors found a strong south-west swell running in. The Pharos loft the Island about 1 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, and reached Hobson's Bay shortly before 8 o’clock yesterday morning. The Board purposes sitting in Melbourne and inviting the Chamber of Commerce and persona interested in the establishment of a second light on- King’s Island ■ to give evidence in support thereof.—Melbourne Daily Telegraph, February 9.

PORT ADELAIDE LIGHTHOUSE. (From the South Australian Chronicle, Feb. 0). After many changes the Port Adelaide Lighthouse has now a first-class light, and mariners can no longer fall back on the insufficiency of the light’s brilliancy as an excuse for going ashore or not finding good anchorage. During the past twelve months the absence of the light has been a source of perpetual annoyance and vexation, especially to the Marino Board. That body advertised the change of lights without fully appreciating the amount of work necessary before that could be done. When the order for the light was sent to Messrs. Chance and Co., in England, their was delay in its execution, and altogether a singular combination of delays has occurred. Meanwhile the contract for Increasing the height of the tower by 40ft. was entrusted to Mr. Wyatt, of North-terrace, arid ho has succeeded in turning out some first-rate' work. Not only was the tower increased In height, but the Immense weight of the lantern and appliances necessitated the erection of a series of iron columns. They were secured to the deck of the platform and to each other by iron transverse braces. ‘ During the process of extension the old lantern was removed to a temporary staging at the side in order that no impediment might bo offered to the workmen. A long continuance of fine weather favored operations, and very few days were so boisterous that work had to be suspended. The contractor for erecting the ironwork was Mr. Bailey, who supervised the whole, and completed the upper platform about August, and then the structure was handed over to the Engincer-in-Chiof, who ajjpointed Mr. Stark as the Inspector to erect the light-room and 1 lantern. From the floor of the former to the vano is 27 feet, and the height of the whole from high-water mark is 120 feet. As the cases were delivered from the ship they were taken to'the platform, and the, plates and framework soon showed the form of the surmountinga. A fine circular room 14 feet in diameter is reached from within by an iron spiral stairway. There is a sallyport on the inshore side, giving access to the lower gallery, which encircles the top of- the tower. Then half-way up the lantern is another gallery, to enable the keepers to clean the plate-glass windows, and finally the visitor who has sufficient daring may by another ladder find his way over the dome to the vane. The appearance of the building from the outside has been, wonderfully improved, and it now looks a beacon equal , to all emergencies. When the cxcrosence on which the temporary light was burned la removed, there will bo little left to wish for, seeing the illuminating rays will almost reach Troubridge on fine nights. ■ ■ _ The apparatus itself is a beautiful piece of work. It consists of two principal parts. One being the lamp for illumination; the other the machinery for causing

the flashes.'-The latter is in the space f,' 0 - light-room, and is composed of most beautuuiiyadjiisted clock-work gear, kept in motion by a weignt which traverses a tube the whole height-'.ol the tower.,: Thq ! :, light is a fixture, in the lantern, and the burner consists of a receptacle, .having four wicks of various si/es encircling each other. The flashes are caused by a radius of glass which is kept perpeliial y rcvolving round the light, and as it is divided i “Ueen panels.it shows the brightest, when the foc “ ? panel is directly opposite the observer. Above and below these panels are prisms, so arranged as to concentrate the light, and throw its greatest , power towards the horizon. It will, therefore, bo understood that the light is not wasted above or below, but is directed in a sheet, where most serviceable tc. the approacliing mariner. In the case of Lighthouse, the revolutions are still caused by a framework of lamps, which shows for every a separate lamp. This old and cumbrous design is now superseded by the beautiful holophofcal system. Ihe new light was lit in conjunction with the old one for a short time on Tuesday night, when it was formally handed over to the Marine Board, and next morning, at sunrise, the old lamp was extinguished for ever as regards that position. It will, however, soon commence a career of usefulness at uleneig. # J-ne now light was an accomplished fact on the evening o! Wednesday, February 3, and it is a matter for congratulation that during the whole work no serious accident has occurred. The new light will favorably commend itself to shipmasters. It will be of great service in enabling them to select proper berths for anchoring.