THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out Faciam." WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5th, 1862.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 70, 5 February 1862, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out Faciam." WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY sth, 1862.

lx view ofthe ihcre-isad shipping at Dunedin port it become* ;i very grave question what is f.o ba done with vessels which, whether front aatiiral cati-io.-i or from accident, require repair. Vessels coining long voyages, say from England or America to Australia generally require some overhauling before returning, but at present there are no facilities for effecting anything of the kind at Duuedin. It is [uito likely, indeed, we may almost s:iy, certain, that a great mrny vessels will shortlj' be hid on direct from Loudon, Liverpool, and Glasgow to Otago ; and other parts or the .vorhi will contribute their share to swell the total. It is hardty necessary to point out how t large trade always arises in connection with a shipping port. Besides the business connected with the supph- of stores, die outfits and expenses of passengers, form considerable items of emolument, What would Southampton be but for the immense passenger tiattic vhat it c-njo3-3. If we would have Dunedin anything but a mere halting place on the road to Melbourne, we must pioviac accommodation to ship-; so that they will not require to visit the neighboring colony for trifling- repairs, or to relit. At present, Dunedin is wholly deficient of anything of ihe kind. It has neither a slip on which to haul vessels requiring repair, nor shipwrights' yards. It is scarcely possible to exaggerate the importance of supplying these wants.

A merchant in the town has kindly placed |, at our disposal the subjoined extracts from J correspondence on the subject of the supply of ■I patent slip. The writer is Mr. White, of I Thos. While nnd Son, a firm which has supplied slips to the Governments of .Russia, Holland, Cadiz, Pesth, Pernambuco, Valparaiso, Sydney, Hobart, Town, Hong Kong, and many other places. It is satisfactory to observe, that the cost would he comparatively a light one. Their slip for Rotterdam for 1000 ton vessels, cost about £8000, inclusive of ail charges. At Portsmouth, one for 800 ton vessels cost ,£OOOO. Such a sum, considering the objects it- will effect, is comparatively trifling. Even supposing the Government had- to find it, the slip conk! b-e let at a rental that would yield- good interest ou the unonnt ofthe cost. We direct particular ut;ention to the extracts from Messrs. AYhitc ■uid Son's letters, which we add. Exnucr.;; it.o.'.i Lnrrnns iu:-ei;iyi:p from Mkssks. AViiiti: axi> iiox. " The slips are ea-dly hiid down, cither upon piles, is at. Foxioa and i.tosport, or in concrete as at the Clamber, Portsmouth ; or rook cut direct to the slipe or incline, just according to the soil or the materials ekeapost and al hand; rise aud fall of water of no •on.-. :p;eiiee. I have Hid them where there is none, or only four feet ars in Holland, 10 feet at Cadiz, 14 feet here, 30 feet at Bri;toi ,-vi i Liverpool. No damwork is necessary where tliere is 1-3-iguh of promises ; .ye place the whole iv a field ;.'? it were, and cay a channel to is. I have just shipped a 1500 ton to Bombay, and K'OO to Pertuuiibueo." " Tiie price oi' machinery, rails, chairs—in short every part of ire,.-work finished an 1 at the fe.efo.'y i? as follows :—SOO tons capvutn-nui-eiuise, worked by horses or men, £1,000 : 450 foci,'cradle, ie made here, i'-iOO, but can be made wii-h you where timber is ehe.ip and snr-e freight. H a steam-engine be re•iiiired. t':?so extra, including connections, bevelwheels, &c." "' Wo use hydrouiics for the larger, and shall do so generally ; lr.il, I am not aoxioii-: to propose them abeoa I, "because of the dillieuliy of repairs raid the superior civ-'inoer fo work them, whereas a wiieel 1 machine for the smaller .dips like mine is not at nli j liable to dorani^uvent, and a duplicate of tv.-<, or three wheels (about. SiOO'l would secure a slio abroad for an age. For larger slips hydr.ialics are beautiful: I send one to Bombay,—they add 20 per cent, to the cost before moni'oiia!/' '•'IOOO toeij, £5030, vdth additions and proportions for hydraulics to the forenoon; lo'lO tons tiny Bomk-y all complete), era tie 250 feet, engine double patent hydraulic;, £!i;j4o: additional Vngt'ii, £0 pur iiv.it : foreman to lay down, .£2O per month ; the foundations, ways, kc, depend upon local circumstances. Labour and materials, the Camber cost £1500; Poxtoifand Gosport the same ; Cadiz —ironwork and foundations .£iiJo!)."

" The premises I always seek are a field, say .000 to 600 feet long. Above tlio wutoroxeavafe ; here lay the whole down and then dig away the bank which has boon loft of about :J0 feet as a dam ; this prevents all dam work which might be necessary if you run out into the harbour or river. Rise aud'fuU is of no coaseqnenee after the slip is thus laid." " 1000 tons slip at Rotterdam, also at Cadiz, cost for iron vrork, machinery, era lie, freights, and charges— £0500 for my work; freights and charges, ,£soo'; insurance, £120; foundations, timber piles or concrete, £3000: sundries, £500, say £300. Our slip here, 800 tons, cost for foundations, ironwork, machinery. kc, complete for use. .£'looo. Mv shipment ibr the Oregas Patent Slip Company for 1500 tons, t.hestea-n engine (iiO horse power), machinery, cradle, on.l ail ironwork, £<S,(UO, ami my engineer has gone out to lie the engineer of the company, and to lay it down and work it."

•'•'lf you select a site describe it to mo; let it he clear, if you can, of shifting sand or rolling beach, as iv this case tiie tittle channel would be always filling up. Dig a hold as deep as you can, and say'what the strata is. Have you any piling thereabouts, and how do they drive? AVJiat have you for piles? they should be 10 or 12 inches through."aud if clay, 2-9 of 30 feet long, if timber U smaller have more of'thoni. " Concrete formed oi nine parts clean shingle, two of rough sand, two nf lime, forms in a three or four foot bed, an excellent foundation, ■ —such is oar Camber Slip; mine at CJosport, was piles ; Rotterdam and Cadi/,, pile:! ; Birkenhead, on tho plain red sandstone ; or three little walls of masonry if stone is easier got at : hi short, anything local circumstances furnish, and any place will do" ''Spring}- land offers no obstacles, as to docks."

" AYe have no pets of drawings. Slips differ so much in size and inclination, —some being laid at ono foot descent, others hi one foot to twenty or twentyfive inches ; at Hash'.r, one iv thirty-five inches, all of which makes great, difference in power and strength ofthe iron-work. All my contrasts with Government, euinpames an ! individuals are at tho service of any Agent in London to inspire the confidence you need at such a distance."

"lam adopting a ucrew.and wheel; I think for abroad it will be strong, safe, and of more power than the pinion."

According to two or three letters v/e have received, a poor fellow was brought down from the Diggings on Sunday, 2nd February, suffering from the effects of brain fever, lie was taken to the Hospital, and, if the statement is to be believed, he was not only refused admission, but the attendants declined to summon the Doctor to look at him. He was then taken to Messsrs. Jones and Bird's. Provincial Hotel, and there, in spite of the attention of Dr. Wilson, he succumbed to the severity of the disease. To make matters worss, a correspondent, whoso letter appears in another column, asserts that two medical men have • expressed the opinion that, had as-

Admitting fhit as yet only one side of the ease has been heard, and that on further enquiry other facts may come oat, there has yet surely enough beeu said to render it, imperative that an investigation should he held. It is even required for the sake of tho reputation of the Hospital which necessarily suffers under the duuiigmg imputation of capricious and inhuman management. The fact of idinis-uon having been applied for on behalf of a pitieut dangerously iii is undoubted, and the sad sequence of his death under raging convulsions' is also beyond tits reach of dispute. It remains to "the man-.i^eutent of the Hospital to explain how in so serious an emergency the doors were closed of the Institution, ihe purpose of which is er-tpressly devote 1 fo the alkviati-m of human illness, and from "which no sufferer requiring immediate attention for a dangerous m dady should ever be excluded.

Considering the nature of the case and the dissatisfaction openly expressed, a Coroner's Inquest would seem to be the most fitting mode of at least preliminary enqsiii'3'. Evidence as to whether death was accelerated by tlie refusal to admit to the Hospital migh; he called, as also testimony concerning the rules that regulate the admission of dangerous eases. Although the enquiry would only be a superficial one sufficient might be elicited to render desirable a further investigation. Weave much mistaken if tho whole system of tiie Hospital might not he altered with advantage. Without impeaching the conduct of thosein charge, we may say there is no Hospital that we have ever heard of, the management of which is similarly organised. Hospitals are generally vested in "trustees, and the management devolves on. committees, which are elected by subscribers. The_ funds arc raised partly by private subscription, partly by Government aid. Quite separate from the management is the medical department. There is always a House Surgeon who should only on rare occasions and for short intervals, leave the premises. Honorary surgeons and physicians aid the house surgeon with advice, and, when necessar}', with assistance in performing operations.- Hut here the medical and managerial departments are mixed in one ; there is 'no regular house surgeon compelled to constant attendance, nor'honorary medical officers rendering additional aid ; the whole medical staff is embodied in one gentleman^ on whom devolves every other care of management of the institution. The Hospital "is wholly supported by public funds; private subscriptions and donations are unrecognised. On another occasion we will enquire farther into the effects of the singular features which distinguish the management of the Dunedin Hospital; meanwhile, we trust we have urged a sufficient plea in favor of | the inquest on the body of tiie poor deceased whose fate, although" beyond the reach of j human judgment to~disturb, may yet be inquired into with advantage to the living.