ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 247, 4 October 1862, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

3?HB CITY OF HOBART AND THE MAILS

FOR ENGLAND. {To the Editor of the Daily Times.)

Sir, \\ c regret to have to state that we hare leceived a letter from the Melbourne agents of lh*j City of Hobart informing us that that vessel did not succeed in getting the iNew Zealand mail for En-Hariri on board the P. and O. Company's steamer Northam which left Melbourne on the 26th ultimo.

The fo lowinsr extract from the letter above referred to will be considered sufficiently explanatory :— ': The City of Hobart, we regret to say, missed the mail by only about half an hour, and it is entirely the fault of t!ie Admiralty agent on board the Northam that the mails were not forwarded. ('apt. Darby sightod the Northan coining out of the Heads about 5.30 p.m. on the 26th September. He had the mail flag and other signals flying, which might, have been ea»-y to see. The Northam stopped to land the piiot who panic up with Captain Darby to the 13ayj and who informed him that they had made the City of Hobart out before he left the Northam. and knew that she had the New Zealand mail on board. Finding no notice was taken of the signals made, Captain Darby fol.owad the mail steamer for an hour and a half, firing rockets s.nd burning blue lights, but darkness coming on he was compelled to give up the chase.

" The writer went on board the mail steamer before she left the Bay, saw the Admiralty agent, and got a promise from him that should the City of Hobart be in sight from the Heads he would wait for her. We consider tha* it was entirely owing to the negligence and carelessness of the A'diniralty agent that the mail was not sent forward.

" The City of Hobart experienced frightful weather up from New Zealand, butCapt. Darby drove her at full speed all the way, and you may have some idea how much he pushed when we tell you he made the passage in four days less' time than the Gothenburg, which vessel cannot have-had more unfarorab.'e weather."

We may mid that the City of Hobart left Port Chalmers at halt-past eight on th* morning of the 19th ult., and reached Port Phillip Heads at 530 p.m., thus making the passage, in the teeth of terrific westerly gales, in seven days an.l rime hours. We are, very respectfully yours, . ,11/ B; MARTIN and CO., Agents of steamer City of Hobart.